Re: Is everyone going to Dallas?

[Russell Kahn <russ -at- SUNYIT -dot- EDU>]

While I've enjoyed going, and giving talks at five ITCCs I do have strong
reservations about the high costs.  I quit going the same year I
went into academia.  Our annual travel allocation is about equal to the ITCC
registration fee, so hotel, travel, food, etc. is out of our pockets, and
our salary is low enough without paying for travel et. al.

Faculty and students are also hurt because the
conference traditionally comes at the
most critical time in the semester--in the last week or two before finals.  I
don't have cost figures available, but I'm sure reg. fees have skyrocketed in
the last five years way beyond the inflation rate (I seem to recall fees in
the $250 range for the 86 conference in Detroit).  Keep in mind that the only
speakers who are paid at the conference are the keynote, opening, and
(sometimes) a closing speaker.  The bottom line is that the quality of the
talks is highly erratic, which is fine if your costs are low and you
might feel that the networking and job hunting aspects make it worthwhile.

My other, though related complaint is that the STC always
picks big cities and expensive hotels for the location of the conference.

One year they almost held it in a university town in Colorado but that
got shot down and it ended up in Denver (1987).  The fact is that university
towns may not be as exciting for spouses and for a night on the town but it's
great for saving money (staying in dorms or in hotels).  I also think that a
college campus is a great place for meeting people and just enjoying the
environment.

What I do now is I try to make the regional conference in my area (the
Rochester chapter just held Spectrum 93--the local version of ITCC).  Costs
are FAR lower ($125 for two days) and I can drive to the conference.  But
I truly wish reg fees were lower at ITCC in these difficult economic times.