Conference rates for academics

Wed Dec 6 05:44:27 MST 2006

(Sorry to add another voice, if you're sick of this topic.)

I haven't attended an annual STC meeting (though I do attend my local chapter meetings) since the conference was held here in my hometown, Cincinnati, several years ago--and I forked over the (to academics) prohibitive registration fee just because I wanted to go and have my students go (they did get "scholarships" then, based on working for the conference, that, I think, enabled them to attend for $100 apiece).  Plus, since I didn't have to pay for a hotel room or food, I could afford this conference.

I agree with an earlier commenter that we academics are in effect "being killed off" as members of STC.  This is a sad and terrible state of affairs.  In fact, it's a disgrace.  We academics turn out most of the people to take the prof. com. jobs, but the exhorbitant (from our perspective) registration fee effectively shuts us out of one of the most important forums in our field.  How can we do our best job of preparing our students for quality, productive work in technical communication when we can't attend the conference?

I think STC needs to take into account that the practitioner and academic employment situations are diifferent and offer a drastically cut reg. fee for anyone who can provide evidence of being a full-time educator or student (not sure what the policy for part-time adjuncts should be).  Bottom line:  Do they want us, or do they not?  If they do (and they should, for their own sakes and ours), they need not to shut us out with high conference rates that only corporate sponsors can afford.

I would be glad to work on a proposal, too, if someone else will take the lead.  Any vounteers?!

Kathy Rentz
University of Cincinnati
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jennifer L. Bowie 
  To: stc-ac 
  Sent: Tuesday, December 05, 2006 9:37 PM
  Subject: [stc-ac] Re: Conference rates for academics

  Bonni, great idea. We should turn this discussion into a proposal and plan of action. I would be interested in helping with this next step.

  My apologies if one of my emails today sent several times. I was obviously having email issues (some server thing I think) and did not intend to send out that email more than once. I cringe at the added anger this may have caused some of our listserv readers. My apologies.

  Jennifer

  Jennifer L. Bowie, Ph.D.

  Assistant Professor of English 

  Georgia State University

  -----Original Message-----
  From: bounce-stc-ac-319563 at lists.stc.org [mailto:bounce-stc-ac-319563 at lists.stc.org] On Behalf Of Bonni_Graham at scantron.com
  Sent: Tuesday, December 05, 2006 4:02 PM
  To: stc-ac
  Subject: [stc-ac] Re: Conference rates for academics

  I, too, am adjunct faculty. I teach at two universities (well, OK, two UC campuses: Riverside main campus and San Diego Extension). I haven't asked them to send me to the conference. UCR might (although I'm covered anyway, so I won't ask), because I teach through the Engineering College, and they're just so pleased with themselves for having a tech comm class that they can hardly stand it. They'll get over it, I'm sure. <G> 

  I'm fortunate enough to a) be speaking and b) have built going to the STC conference into my job offer (one of the advantages of working for an education company is that they believe in education). 

  I'm liking the discussion that's going on. There are some good ideas here, and some excellent points. Now maybe we should turn one or more of them into a proposal? It's easy to say "someone" should do "something", but STC, like our colleges, has limited resources and has to choose where to spend them. Without proposing a specific and concrete plan of action, we're not going to get any further with this... 

  b 

  Bonni Graham
  Corporate Training/Professional Development: Product Documentation
  Phones: In San Diego: x5261 . Direct: 619-578-5261 . In Irvine x2534 . cell: 858-349-9488
  email: Bonni_Graham at Scantron.com
  IM: esotericabjg at yahoo.com 

        alida.franco at sybase.com 
        Sent by: bounce-stc-ac-319633 at lists.stc.org 

        12/05/2006 12:47 PM 

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              Subject
             [stc-ac] Re: Conference rates for academics

  I have read all of the comments posted for the last three days and I feel
  that one group is missing from the mix. That group is adjunct faculty
  members. Are there any other members of the Academic SIG that fall under
  this category?

  I am a practioner in the industry but also teach a class in Usability
  Testing in the department of Technical Communications at a local 4-year
  college. I was brought in to teach the course because of my experience in
  the field.

  In answer to the question that was posed... I will not be able to attend
  the conference. There are no monies at the college to provide professional
  development to adjunct faculty members, and I have been unable to make a
  business case to my employer for my attendance at the Regional or National
  STC conferences, much less be recognized by my contribution to the
  profession and my company by teaching the class I do.

  Alida Franco
  Technical Publications
  Sybase, Inc. (Englewood Office)
  303 409-8644
  251-8644 Speed Dial

              "Barker, Thomas"                                              
              <thomas.barker at tt                                             
              u.edu>                                                     To 
              Sent by:                  "stc-ac" <stc-ac at lists.stc.org>     
              bounce-stc-ac-277                                          cc 
              406 at lists.stc.org                                             
                                                                    Subject 
                                        [stc-ac] Conference rates for       
              12/02/2006 02:25          academics                           
              PM                                                            

  Colleagues,

  I'm attaching Lloyd Tucker's note about conference rates for academic
  members of STC.  I'd like to start a discussion about these rates on this
  list.   Lloyd Tucker is the new Director of Education on the STC Office
  Staff.  The policy is

  I guess my first question would be:  How many of the academic practitioners
  on this list think that they could take advantage of this rate opportunity?
  Other questions:  What is the value proposition here?  Is it the students
  or the professor?

  The larger issue is how will academics participate in the industry-oriented
  conference that is now planned as the new model. According to the
  Knowledge-based Governance survey STC conducted in November, 74%  of
  respondents (n = 993) to the question, "In your opinion, where should STC
  be focusing its efforts to build relationships?" said "academic
  institutions."  Do you think this policy represents a significant step in
  that direction?

  Your thoughts?

  TB

  Dr. Thomas Barker
  Manager, STC Academic Community
  thomas.barker at ttu.edu
  http://www.stc-ac.org

  The STC Academic Community serves STC members worldwide who work as
  educators and researchers in colleges and universities.  These
  responsibilities involve areas of curriculum design, current practices in
  technical communication, research and research funding, and academic
  workplace and professional issues.
  (See attached file: Academic Conference Rates.pdf)---
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