Re: Is everyone going to Dallas?

[John G Bryan <bryanjg -at- UCUNIX -dot- SAN -dot- UC -dot- EDU>]

Re:  The cost of the STC conference

I'm going this year for three reasons:
        - I'm presenting a paper
        - I'm a committee manager and need to conduct some business
        - The conference is an excellent opportunity to learn, to
          meet people, to renew my acquaintance with industry (since
          I'm now an academic)

But, the cost is a killer.  In one earlier conference this year (ABC
in New Orleans) I used up my year's travel budget.  Not only will the
entire cost of travel, lodging, registration, and food come out of my
own pocket, as an academic I make a lot less than I used to make.
(In fact, I just got home from 4 hours on the picket line.  About 1000
of the 1900 faculty at the University of Cincinnati have gone out on
strike.  Although the principal dispute is over academic priorities
and governance issues, money is an indirect issue.  The Administration
would prefer to refurbish a football stadium than support faculty
travel, library purchases, etc.)  Anyway, the STC registration fee
seems to assume corporate/institutional support for members.  They need
to understand that across both the public and private sectors, money
is very tight.  Not only is membership more expensive than any other
organization I belong to -- aside from my union, the conference
registration is also by far the highest priced.  They also need to under-
stand that many members belong to other organizations as well and will
be forced to choose among them; as the most expensive, STC is bound to
lose over time.

Terrific organization, but just too expensive for many of us.

John Bryan