Larry,

I am not going to take sides in this issue, however I did want to pass along some information for the newcomers in the organization.  It is not intended to sway members one way or the other, but just be additional information.


Many years ago, when John Muffo and I started OAIR, we asked OCCUP if we could join with them in offering the fall conference.  OAIR met for the morning on a Thursday and OCCUP met in the afternoon and on Friday morning.  As there was considerable overlap in membership, this plan worked out very well, particularly as we tried to make the meeting theme similar for both groups each year.

As time went on the attendance on Friday started to slip and it was always difficult to plan where to put events so that people would stay for Friday.  Usually there was a main speaker on Thursday evening which tended to hold all but those near Columbus until the next morning.

I feel that you may face similar problems in the not too distant future if you expand to a two day program.  {Fore-warned is fore-armed.}

I have never stayed at the Embassy Suites even though the meetings have been held there for many years.  When I stayed over for the Friday meeting, I always stayed in one of the less expensive motels in the northern Columbus area.  If there is a problem for some with Embassy being too expensive, there are a number of suitable alternatives for overnight accommodations.  Meeting room rental costs and food costs may be less expensive elsewhere, too.

In closing let me just add a warning to the Executive Committee.  In your memo you expressed the desire to offer program content appropriate for the planners in the group.  I think there is a larger and more pervasive problem which I feel must be faced.

A few years ago when there was the consolidation in AIR with the Community College representatives, the "State presence" became almost overpowering.  I think it is obvious that each year there are fewer and fewer private college representatives at the meeting (never have been a large number) and it may get worse.  This is the case even though there are almost half again as many private institutions as public institutions in the state.

This is not intended as a criticism of the present or past leaders of the organization, nevertheless, for whatever reasons, the organization is not serving a large number of the higher educational institutions in the state and that is unfortunate.


Stu 

Stuart M. Terrass, Registrar
Mount Union College
Alliance, Ohio  44601

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>>> [log in to unmask] 04/30/01 12:10PM >>>
Hello fellow OAIRP Members!

I am writing you today to solicit your feedback relative to the OAIRP Fall Conference.  Your Executive Committee has been working diligently to produce a conference that will be interesting, fascinating, fun, and worth your time, effort, and money.  To that end, we (the Executive Committee) have made available for discussion the possibility of expanding the Fall Conference to a 1 ½ day to 2 day affair.  The arrangement would be a Thursday-Friday situation, and we would bring in as speakers nationally prominent personalities who have spoken at AIR and other such functions.  In addition, there could be "lighter" workshops for those new to IR, those looking for ways to better their current job situations (e.g., records management), etc.  In other words, it will not be "just" two days of "dry" meetings.  

We would view the expanded conference as a mini-NEAIR or a mini-mini-AIR (for those who are not fortunate enough to attend either of those forums).  Also, we would want to expand the options so that the "planning" side of the house would be represented.  

Of course, these are merely ideas.  That is why we would like your feedback.  We know that, as IR professionals, our time is precious.  We know that, especially in the Fall, our time is spent focusing on "mundane" activities, such as submitting HEI and IPEDS files, you know...small stuff like that!  Also, we know that our monetary resources are limited.  How many can afford a two-night stay in Columbus?  On the other hand, would a two-night stay in Columbus be more affordable than a four or five night stay in a hotel for the AIR Forum or the NEAIR Forum (and hopefully as beneficial)?  

These are things we would like you to consider.  Please e-mail your comments, either to me personally or to the listserv as a whole (yes, this is one time when it's ok to do that!), by May 7.  The dates we are viewing tentatively for this year's conference are October 18-19.  This may not become a reality this year (especially if you all do not approve of it!); perhaps it warrants more discussion (in Long Beach in June and in Columbus in October).  But, we would like your impressions as of this point in time.  

Remember, we are always looking to better the organization, but only with a consensus from you, the members.  We have the resources (both monetary and human) to make OAIRP one of the more vital, happening, and high-profile AIR-related associations in the nation.  But, only if you feel that is the way we should go.  Thank you for your time.

Larry Hunter
2000-2001 OAIRP President