Information about completing a session proposal, what the Program Committee is looking for, and the peer-review process for selecting Annual Meeting sessions is publicly available in several places on the SAA website.
- The Call for Proposals for each meeting can always be located via that meeting’s website, indexed here.
- Review the Program Committee’s description in the SAA Governance Manual.
- Browse the "Resources" tab on the Annual Meeting website for the notification schedule and other deadlines.
Still can’t find the answer to your question? Check out the FAQs below, or send an email to the Conference Office at conference@archivists.org.
I have an idea for a paper. Can I just submit that?
A poster presentation is the only single-presenter format – perfect for presenting your idea visually without standing up at a podium to speak to a crowd. All session formats must come to the Program Committee as fully formed proposals with titles, abstracts, and the names of individuals who will be participating in and/or leading a session proposal. The committee is not able to match up speakers to create a session. But that doesn’t mean you should give up! Consider contacting an SAA board, committee, task force, working group, section, or roundtable that might be interested in your topic, and see if they’d be willing to work with you to flesh out your idea into a full proposal. You can find a list of SAA's sections and roundtables here.
NEW in 2015! Consider a Pop-Up session! For the first time the Program Committee will set aside one hour on Thursday and Friday afternoons for impromptu interactive meetings. Pop-Up sessions might occur as a result of a lively blog discussion, an idea that came up in an earlier session, or an inspiration at lunch. Or Pop-Ups could be used by sections or roundtables for open discussions on hot topics. Sessions will be advertised on the fly via appropriate social media during the conference. The call for Pop-up proposals will open in May 2015, and the review process will be different than that of peer-reviewed sessions. Watch the SAA website for details.
What is the purpose of a session proposer? Is he/she essentially the contact person for the session?
The proposer serves as the contact person before the proposal is accepted or declined in November. If the proposal is accepted, the chair then becomes the session contact person. It is not unusual for proposer and chair to be the same person.
What are the duties of a chair? How do you choose one?
The chair serves as the point of contact for the session from the time of acceptance through the conference. The chair must be willing to implement any changes the Program Committee requests. It’s also the chair’s responsibility to keep information flowing to session participants, to approve the session description and roster that appears in program, and to notify the Conference Office of any changes to that description or roster.
The selection of the chair is the responsibility of the persons putting together the session. If there are only two people participating in a session, one serves as chair. A third individual familiar with your topic can also serve as chair. Depending on the session format, that person might also serve as a moderator or commentator.
Can an individual be a speaker on one session and also a moderator on another session?
Moderators, chairs, commentators, and speakers are all considered participants. A person cannot be both a moderator of one session and a speaker on another, unless the format of one of the proposed sessions is a lightning talk or alternative format.
If one presenter appears on two proposals, will this automatically result in rejection of both proposals?
Proposals will not be disqualified for having duplicate presenters. However, you should arrange for a substitute speaker for any individuals known to appear on more than one proposal. If two sessions with duplicate presenters are accepted by the Program Committee and neither accepted session is a lightning talk or alternative format, the duplicate speaker will be asked to pick one session on which to participate.
Can a person participate in an “alternative” format session and a poster session?
No. For the 2015 Annual Meeting, an individual is able to both present a professional poster and be on a lightning session. There are no other combinations in which one may both participate in an education session (traditional, alternative, panel, special focus) AND present a professional poster. The reasoning is to provide more opportunities for individuals to present at the conference.
Is a full roster for a proposed lightning session needed on the proposal, even though there is no space on the form? If a lightning session is accepted, what is the next deadline for submitting the final list of presenters?
At this time, it’s only necessary to include four firm commitments in the space provided on the form. Having presenter information is very beneficial to the Program Committee during its deliberations, but please do not include additional information in the body of an email. If your lightning session is accepted, you can add presenters at any time. If you want the names to be publicized, the deadline to have all presenters included in the Preliminary Program will be around mid-February. If your session is accepted, the Conference Office will contact the chair (via email, so make sure the best email is included in the proposal form) to approve a final session title, abstract, and complete roster around that time.
Does my lightning session have to have exactly 8 to 11 participants?
You can have fewer! If you were to have 6 or 7 presenters, for instance, you would have sufficient time for a good audience Q&A. If you’re considering fewer than 6 presenters, you might want to look at some of the other session types or come up with an alternative format. (Think outside the box!) You’re welcome to propose a session type that isn’t included in the list, but please do describe in your proposal how it will work so that the Program Committee can understand it.
I would like to submit a proposal for a professional poster presentation. Will I be able to use my laptop to display information?
You could, but there are a few drawbacks. The safety of unattended equipment is not guaranteed, no designated space for a laptop is provided, and the availability of outlets in the space is not guaranteed. Although standard wireless internet is offered in the meeting space, video streaming and high bandwidth operations are not guaranteed through this service and a wired internet connection will not be available.
When might I receive a decision on my proposal?
The notification schedule varies slightly each year, but in general you should have a status update in the second or third week of December. The current Proposal Notification Schedule is posted on the Annual Meeting website (under "Resources"): http://www2.archivists.org/am2015.
Are Student Paper and Poster Session proposals due October 8 as well?
We want you to have time to get settled in classes this fall! Student paper and poster sessions have a separate call for proposals that usually launches in November, with a February due date. Watch the SAA website for exact dates.
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