CCEI Conference Planning Guidelines
Prepared by Roy Brixen
CCEI Conference Coordinator, North
June 1998


A.  Location and Lodging

It is recommended that you use school facilities as much as possible.  On Friday, assume Registration will be at the campus, try for junk food till about 4:30ish via food services, and then do the Friday dinner at the dining commons.  This keeps the cost down and lends a school flavor to the whole conference.

On Saturday, have the breakfast juice, coffee, and pastry done at the school.  Plan for the same dining commons for the business lunch.

Book your hotel for 20 to 30 rooms (a mix of singles and doubles).  Remember, a quality program at an easy to get to location draws a crowd.

For all food service, be prepared to offer alternative meal such as vegatarian, low sodium and/or low chloresterol.


B.  Suggested Planning Pattern for Conference.

Friday:

Registration-Noon till start of Friday night meal-Plan for two tables.  These will be manned by the registration officer from the Board            and a student from the school to answer general questions and give         directions. 

Food Service-Coffee, soft drinks, and donuts for early arrivals

 
6:30 PM-Friday night meal-cost covered by conference fee.
                         
Friday Program-Open labs from Noon on till the evening
                meal.  Have a senior or grad student
                stationed in each lab to give tour and  
                answer questions.  Have plenty of info
                about your program available.

                Vendor area set up and running from about
                1:00 PM till the evening meal-All you
                need to provide is the space and the      
                tables (two per vendor).  A board member
                will handle signing up vendors and
                getting the information to them.        
               
                Plan on 10 vendors, therefore space for
                20 tables.  Keep the vendor area close
                to registration and junk food service so     
                the folks have a real opportunity to visit
                the vendors.  Give them plenty of space so
                they are not right on top of each other.

                Plan two to four sessions devoted to the
                theme of the conference.  They should
                run about 1 hour each unless special topics
                or circumstances demand more time. 

                3 PM to 6 PM activity such a field trip to
                local industry is a nice option for those
                folks that enjoy such tours.  Those who
                arrive later can register, eat munchies,
                tour the facility, attend a session,
                and visit the vendors.  Use a bus for field 
                trip if you schedule one.  NO CAR POOLS. 
                Load the cost into the conference fees.

                6:30 to 8:30-Friday night meal
               
                7:30 to 7:45-Opening Remarks by Host
                School Conference Chair-usually outlines
                the remainder of Friday and all of
                Saturday's activities.

                A short keynote talk is nice but not
                mandatory.  If you use one, keep it
                short, entertaining, and on topic.

                8:45 till ??-Happy Hour in CCEI
                Hospitality Suite at Hotel-reserve this
                suite as part of the package.  Usually,
                the hotel will give or discount the suite
                when a block of rooms are booked.

                9:00 till 11:00-Board Meeting at Hotel.
                Reserve a small hotel conference room
                for this activity so the distractions are
                minor and work can get done.

                Women's Program-Wives usually hang
                with the husbands during the Friday
                evening activities and are invited to
                any field trips as well as the Friday
                night meal.  Plan a wives
                trip from mid-day Friday if the program
                is loaded with sessions or if no field
                trip is scheduled.

Saturday:

Registration-7:00 AM till Noon.  Same setup and
                expectations as Friday

Food Service-Coffee, juice, and pastry for light breakfast
                Coffee, cold juice, and cold soft drinks
                all day
                12:15 sit-down lunch (see above location
                comments)

Saturday Program-7:30 to 8:00-Food, Vendors, and Visiting

                8:00 to 8:15-ALL attend welcome
                presentation.  Have your Pres. or Dean
                welcome group.  Have your department head        
                welcome group.  Briefly lay out the
                activities of the day including women's
                activity.

                8:15 to 8:45-SHOWCASE the program at
                your school.  What do you do that is
                different and unique?

                9:00 to 10:15-Technical Sessions 1A and
                1B.  Add a 1C if you need it.

                10:15 to 10:45-Food, Vendors, and Visiting

                10:45 to 12:00-Technical Sessions 2A and
                2B.  Add a 2C if you need it.

                12:00 to 1:00-CCEI Lunch at Dining
                Common

                1:00 to 1:30-CCEI Business Meeting

                1:45 to 3:00-Technical Sessions 3A and
                3B.  Add a 3C if you need it.

                Don't run anything after 3:00.  Lots of
                people will leave by this time to return
                home and you just will not get the turnout. 
                Unless, it involves a neat field trip or
                a give-away or building a project.

                Women's Program-From 9:00 till 3:00, have
                something cool for the ladies to do. 
                Arrange for transportation if the women need to be
                moved.  Don't rely on car pool--it may not
                happen.

At the close of the Conference it is expected that the conference host will send thank you letters to any  and all conference presenters.  It is also expected that the Immediate Past-President will send a thank you letter to the conference host and his/her immediate supervisor.