Space for Other Activities

    The ASA provides two services for individuals or groups desiring to use meeting space at the Annual Meeting. ASA Council policies on the use of such space are outlined below. Because ASA Sections have been allotted program time, they are excluded from these provisions.

Meeting Space
    Groups wishing to meet in conjunction with the Annual Meeting may request space by sending a formal letter of request with signature (e-mail messages or files are not acceptable) to the ASA Executive Office by March 1, 2006. Rooms are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, one meeting per group. In the event that space exceeds demand, requests for a second meeting will be considered. Please note that space requested after the March 1 deadline cannot be assured.
    Space requests are categorized as follows:
    (1) Small groups sponsored by ASA members requesting space for the purpose of conducting sessions focused on a special aspect of sociology will be allocated one time slot from 6:30-8:15 p.m. on the first or third evening (Friday, August 11, or Sunday, August 13). The topic to be discussed should be clearly stated in the request, along with an estimate of the size of the group expected to attend the session.
    (2) Groups or organizations wishing to gather for other meetings such as those of a religious, political, or special interest nature are required to submit a petition containing the signatures of ten ASA members who support the request. These groups will be assigned one meeting room from 8:00-10:00 p.m. on the second night of the meeting (Saturday, August 12). If the number of requests exceeds the available space on August 12, groups will be assigned to the 6:30 p.m. time slot on August 11 or 13.
    (3) Those groups or organizations wishing to hold receptions, dinners, or other social gatherings should also submit requests for space by the March 1 deadline. Space availability is normally limited to 6:30-8:15 p.m. on August 11 or 13, and to 8:00-10:00 p.m. on August 12.
   An announcement of each meeting will be included in the "Activities of Other Groups" listing and in the body of the program schedule. These listings will include the name of the group or title/topic of the session, name of organizer/sponsor if appropriate, and date and time of the meeting. Room assignments are printed in the Final Program only.

Table Space
    ASA members may apply for table space to display literature about related non-profit organizations or sociologically pertinent projects. Available space is assigned without charge on a first-come, first-served basis. ASA Sections are excluded from these provisions because general section tables are provided in the ASA registration area; requests from individual sections for tables cannot be considered.
    Due to the number of requests and the limited space available for displays, two parties are usually assigned to each table. There are no general storage facilities beyond the space beneath each table, so each party is solely responsible for the security of its display materials. Policies on use of table space are that (1) nothing may be sold and (2) nothing of an offensive nature may be displayed.

Deadline
    Formal letters of request—not email messages—for meeting space and/or table space must be postmarked no later than March 1, 2006. Letters should be printed on the official stationery of the sponsoring organization or member’s institution and must include sender’s signature.
    All letters requesting meeting space should identify the nature of the meeting, the number of people expected to attend, desired room setup or other physical space needs, and the scheduling preference of the group within the parameters given above.
    Send space requests to: Janet Astner, ASA Meeting Services, 1307 New York Avenue NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20005-4701, USA; (202) 638-0882 fax.

Expense Estimates for 2006

    If you are trying to put together an expense estimate to request travel funding to attend the 2006 Annual Meeting in Montréal, Quebec, Canada, and the following information should be helpful.

    Registration. Preregistration will open for members when online membership renewal for 2006 opens this winter. Members may register for the meeting when they renew their memberships online. Rates listed below are in US dollars.
    All program participants (member and non-member) must preregister by May 31, 2006, to retain their listings in the Final Program.
   

    Airfare. For an airfare estimate, browse the Internet or call your local travel agent or preferred airline for current fare quotes. Please check the ASA website after the first of the year to see whether any airlines are offering discounted fares to meeting attendees.
    Housing. The room rates at the hotels where 2006 Annual Meeting activities will be CN$179-199 per night, or approximately US$140-160 depending on the exchange rate in effect at the time of payment.
    Meals. Prices are similar to most major US cities, or in the range of US$30-55 per day for moderately-priced meals.

Airport Transportation

    Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL) is the major airport to service the area. For current information on airport services, browse www.admtl.com.
    L'Aérobus is the shuttle service from Montréal-Trudeau Airport to the Montréal Central Bus Station as well as five downtown hotels: Delta Montréal, Sheraton Centre, Delta Centre-ville, Fairmont Queen Elizabeth, and the Marriott Château Champlain. The L'Aérobus shuttle service runs every 20 minutes, 7 days/week. Current fares are CN$13.00 one-way, CN$22.75 round-trip.
    Taxi and Limousine. For rapid and convenient access to downtown Montréal, use the available taxi or limousine services. Some drivers do accept American funds, however, provincial rules specify that clients must pay in Canadian dollars. The one-way rates listed here include taxes and are subject to change without notice: Taxi CN$31.00, Limousine CN$50.00.

Travel Documents

    The easiest way to avoid delays in immigration and customs when crossing national borders is to carry an official passport from your country of origin. However, US citizens are not yet required to carry a passport for travel between the US and Canada. For US citizens, a birth certificate with a raised seal and a state-issued drivers license should be sufficient. Nonetheless, ASA does recommend that meeting attendees seriously consider getting passports to ensure their swift transit between countries for the 2006 Annual Meeting.
    For anyone who needs additional documentation of the meeting for border-crossing purposes, ASA can provide a copy of a letter recognizing the ASA Annual Meeting as a registered meeting by the Canadian government. Please contact Meeting Services staff at meetings@asanet.org, or 202-383-9005 ext. 305.
    International Attendees. Due to current travel restrictions, all individuals requiring VISAs to attend the ASA Annual Meeting are urged to begin making travel arrangements and obtaining necessary VISAs up to six months prior to attending the meeting. Please contact ASA Meeting Services staff (meetings@asanet.org, phone 202-383-9005 x305, fax 202-938-0882) to request a letter of invitation to the Annual Meeting, should you need one to acquire a VISA.