INTRODUCTION
This Preliminary Program Book provides brief listings of presentations, registration information and forms, and travel and hotel information. Each session is listed with a title, abstract, tentative room assignment/time and presenter(s). In addition, the Web site has Forum registration information and forms, hotels, general information about Toronto and the Online Personalized Scheduling Tool.
Online Registration
Attendees can register online via the AIR Web site at http://airweb.org
instead of filling out and mailing a hand written form. This online registration
supports people paying for their registration with a credit card or using
a purchase order (purchase order means that you will receive an invoice
for payment). Online registrations will be processed before registrations
received by mail or fax. Anyone paying by check will need to mail
their registration form and check to: PO Box 900, Tallahassee, FL 32302.
Online registration is recommended if you plan to attend a Pre-Forum Workshop.
Some workshops do sell out and mailing delays processing by more than
a week.
Anyone mailing a registration form and check should
not fax a copy to the office. Please use only one method
of registration.
The Online Personalized Scheduling Tool The Online Personalized Scheduling Tool, which can be found at the AIR Web site http://airweb.org, and click on 2002 Forum, allows you to view Forum sessions by Track, Presenter, Day and Time, Location, Presenter Institute/Organization or by Date, without an ID and password. In addition to viewing the session title and summary information, the full abstract can be viewed by clicking on the session title.
A click will place any selected session on your personalized schedule, which can be reviewed, updated, or printed with the sessions you have selected listed with the title and summary information. The Online Personalized Scheduling Tool builds a Forum schedule for your use, but does not commit you nor reserve space for you.
Special Sessions
There are numerous special sessions sponsored by AIR's External Relations
Committee. Note the Best Paper Presentations from the 2001 meetings of
state and regional AIR groups and the sessions being presented by members
of IR-International. The richness and diversity of these presentations
demonstrate the vitality and depth of the state and regional conferences
and the quality of the institutional research work being done in other
parts of the world.
In addition, there are AIR Showcases, Table Topics, Demonstrations and Contributed Papers.
World Wide Web and E-Mail Service Availability
Several workstations will be available for use by attendees to access
the Web, to use and print updates to their Forum Personalized Scheduling
Tool and to access E-Mail. A new Web-based remote E-Mail service may provide
easy access to your regular E-Mail account (http://mailstart.com).
You will need your E-Mail address and your password.
GENERAL INFORMATION
2001-2002 Board of Directors
DAWN G. TERKLA (President), Tufts University
RICHARD A. VOORHEES (Vice President), Community Colleges of Colorado
MICHAEL F. MIDDAUGH (Immediate Past President), University of Delaware
FRANCES L. DYKE (Treasurer), University of Oregon
DENISE P. SOKOL (Secretary & External Relations), University
of Colorado at Denver
ICTOR M.H. BORDEN (Forum Chair), Indiana University, Purdue University
Indianapolis SANDRA K. JOHNSON (Associate Forum Chair), Princeton
University
JOHN H. MILAM (Higher Education Data Policy Chair), University
of Virginia
MYRTES D. GREEN (Membership Chair), Stillman College
MARY ANN COUGHLIN (Professional Development Services Chair), Springfield
College
ROBERT K. TOUTKOUSHIAN (Publications Chair), University System
of New Hampshire
2001-2002 Forum Committee
Victor M.H. Borden (Forum chair), Indiana University Purdue University
Indianapolis
Sandra K. Johnson (Associate Forum chair), Princeton University
Local Arrangements Committee
Alex R. Harrington (local arrangements co-chair), University
of Guelph
Ann E. Hollings (local arrangements co-chair), University of Guelph
PROGRAM TRACKS AND PEER REVIEW COMMITTEES
The 2002 Forum program is organized into five tracks. Each track committee is responsible for recommending programs (contributed papers, panels, showcases and demonstrations) in its subject area. The tracks focus on the major function of an institution (students and academic programs), the management of these functions (resources and governance), and the role of institutional research in the functioning of higher education. While these functions may overlap, presentations are assigned to the most appropriate track.
Track 1—Student Life and Learning
Research and practice related to student development and satisfaction,
including student academic, social, and emotional gains. The defining
characteristic for this track is a focus on student outcomes.
David X. Cheng (chair), Columbia University
Ellen A. Kanarek (associate chair) Applied Educational Research
Incorporated
Track 2—Academic Programs, Curriculum, and Faculty Issues
Issues related to the development and management of academic departments,
programs, curriculum, and faculty activities. The kind of information
that a faculty member, department chair, dean, or chief academic officer
would use in evaluating the status of academic programs.
Sandra Bramblett (chair), Georgia Institute of Technology
Anne Marie Delaney (associate chair) Babson College
Track 3—Institutional Management and Planning
Campus-level planning, evaluation, and management are the focuses of
this track. The types of information and analyses that would be of primary
interest to senior campus-level administrators for campus-wide planning
and improvement.
Dawit Teklu (chair), William Rainey Harper College
Roddy Beggs (associate chair) University of Aberdeen
Track 4—Higher Education Collaborations, Policy Issues, and Accountability
This track emphasizes issues that go beyond the campus, including accountability of individual institutions to external publics, as well as multi-institutional collaborations (e.g., data exchanges, learning consortia, and articulation agreements), system-level issues, and public policy related to higher education.
Kathi A. Ketcheson (chair) Portland State University
Archie A. George (associate chair) University of Idaho
Track 5—The Practice of Institutional Research: Theory, Techniques,
Technologies, Tools, and Ethics
Research that focuses on the practice of institutional research. This
includes organizational, ethical, methodological, and technological aspects
of the profession.
Jacquelyn Stirn (chair) Community College of Denver
Fred Lillibridge (associate chair) Dona Ana Branch Community College
Table Topics and AIR Showcases
This subcommittee is responsible for recommending and coordinating
arrangements for informal roundtable discussions at the Forum.
Robert J. Ploutz-Snyder (chair), State University of New York
- Cortland
Jennifer A. Brown (associate chair), University of Massachusetts-
Boston
Computing Technical Support
This subcommittee coordinates arrangements for presentations using
computers.
Mark A. Figueroa (chair), Claremont Graduate University
Robert W. Gottesman (co-chair), Auburn University
Newcomers
This subcommittee plans and coordinates activities for individuals
new to the Forum and/or the Association.
Jacquelyn L. Frost, (chair), Purdue University
Alan Sturtz (associate chair) Connecticut State University System
Evaluation
This subcommittee provides an assessment of the current year's
Forum in time for it to be of value to the Forum Committee for the next
year.
Karen DeMonte, (chair) University of Delaware
Yves M. Gachette (associate co-chair) State University of New York
at Buffalo
Kevin J.C. Snider (associate co-chair) Indiana State University
Special Interest and Associated Groups
The coordinator acts on requests from state, regional, and other special
interest groups for time slots at the Forum and assistance on site is
provided by AIR staff.
Denise P. Sokol (secretary and external relations chair), University of Colorado at Denver
Pre-Forum Professional Development Offerings
This subcommittee has responsibility for soliciting and reviewing proposals
for half-day and full-day workshops and for submitting the Professional
Development program sessions for inclusion in the Forum program.
David L. Preston (chair), Brazosport College
Forum Publications Editorial Advisory Committee
This is a function of the Publications Committee
Dolores HopeVura (chair), California State University-Fullerton
MONDAY NIGHT EVENT
Casa Loma: Dinner and Dancing
A truly "Torontonian" Monday night event, dinner and dancing at the Casa Loma. Built as a private home in the early 1900s, the construction of Casa Loma was considered at the time to be the most romantic thing ever to happen to Toronto. With its stately towers, soaring battlements and sweeping terraces, the castle was described by one critic as a "mixture of 17th century Scotland and 20th century Fox". Today it is one of Toronto's most glamorous landmarks and most popular tourist sites.
There will be shuttle buses to transport us between the Forum hotel and Casa Loma. Tours of the castle and the surrounding, recently restored gardens are available before dinner. There is a minimal cost to tour inside the castle. Our dinner takes place in 3 rooms; the Great Hall, the Library and the Conservatory. This will be a sit-down affair, with full service and a cash bar. We will be entertained with carefully selected music provided by Mandell Entertainment Group. Dinner will be followed by dancing until the wee hours. Space at this event is limited, so be sure to book early.
Price: $58.00 (U.S.) per person (Transportation is included in the cost. Alcoholic beverages are not included.)
HOTEL INFORMATION
Special Rates
Special Forum rates are guaranteed until May 4, 2002. The room rates cannot be guaranteed after this date. Reservations will be made in the order in which they are received. All hotel room rates are subject to 5% pst and 7% gst, and subject to change without notice. All reservations are to be made by contacting the hotel directly by telephone. The direct phone number is: Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel: (416) 361-1000. Make sure to reference that you are attending the AIR FORUM Conference. DO NOT USE AN 800 NUMBER, AS THE HOTEL OPERATOR WILL NOT BE AWARE OF SPECIAL FORUM RATES.
Extended Stay The Sheraton will honor the Forum Conference Rate 3 days prior and 3 days after the conference dates.
Changes/Cancellations
If you wish to make changes after receiving confirmation, please contact
the assigned hotel's reservation office directly at the phone number listed
above. If you cannot attend the Forum at all, please cancel your room
reservation promptly so that the room can be reassigned. Individual cancellations
must be received at least 48 hours prior to the intended arrival or the
deposit will be forfeited.
ROOMMATE REFERRAL SERVICE
The AIR Executive Office will operate a prospective roommate locator service as a way to lower Forum attendance costs. You must still make your own reservations with the hotel. If you are looking for a roommate, please complete the on-line form at:
http://www.fsu.edu/~air/roommateform.htm
or E-mail: air@mailer.fsu.edu. You may view all roommate requests at:
http://airweb.org/forum02/roommate.html.
Please no phone calls for this service.
HOTEL LISTING
Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel
123 Queen Street West
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5H 2M9
Tel: (416) 361-1000
Fax: (416) 947-4854
Email: reservations@sheratoncentretoronto.com
Forum Rates:
- $196.00 (Cdn.) Single/Double
- $130.00 (U.S.) Single/Double*
-$226.00 (Cdn.) Triple
* Roll-aways or cribs can be provided at no charge, based
on availability
- Check in at 3:00 p.m. Check out at 12:00 p.m.
- Valet Parking is available 24-hours for $28.00 (Cdn) a day - Self Parking
is NOT available at the hotel**.
- Currency exchange available at front desk with $100.00 American dollar maximum per stay with current drivers license and major credit identification, and subject to other check-cashing protection requirements of the hotel.
Offered in Each Sleeping Room:
-Coffee / tea maker
- Iron and ironing boards
- Personal hair dryers
- Data ports
- 24-hour room service
Offered in Hotel:
- Pool, indoor/outdoor 25 meter
- Fitness centre, 2500 square feet
- Waterfall gardens and terraces 2.5 acres
The above rates are subject to 5% pst and 7% gst, and subject to change
without notice. Additional person charge $30.00 Cdn. Children under 18
may stay free of charge in their parent's room.
*The approximate U.S. exchange rate is based on the current exchange rate of 1.6%, subject to change. Currency exchange rate offered by the hotel is 46%. Local banks and currency exchanges are currently offering 42-48%.
**The closest self-parking is available at City Hall Parking, located across the street from the hotel and connected the to the hotel via an underground walkway. They currently charge a max of $13.00 (Cnd)/day plus and overnight charge of $4.50(Cnd).
The Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel is located in the heart of Toronto's live theatre, business and entertainment districts - and directly connected to the Eaton Centre shopping complex, featuring more than five miles of shops and services.
Guest Services consists of: Business Center; Concierge Service; 24-hour Room Service; Gift Shop; Laundry/Dry Cleaning; Valet Parking $28 daily; and Currency Exchange
Innovative Business Centre, located in the retail plaza area on the lobby level of the hotel, can provide guests with services such as faxing, photocopying, graphic design and secretarial services. They also handle all guest faxes and packages in the hotel. They can be reached at ext. 4692. Their hours are:
Monday: Thursday: 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Friday: 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sunday: 12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Gift Shop
International News is located on the concourse level of the hotel. They offer a selection of newspapers and magazines, snack foods, souvenir items and clothing. They can be reached at 416-955-9634. Their hours are:
Monday - Saturday: 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sunday: 8:00 a.m.- 10:00 p.m.
Tour Desk
Toronto Tours operates the concierge desk located in the hotel lobby. They provide such services as booking tickets for local tours, restaurant reservations/recommendations, maps, brochures, theatre tickets, etc. They can be reached at ext. 4785. Their hours are:
Monday - Sunday: 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Traders Bar and Grill, 416-361-6363 - Grilled fare and a selection of over 30 beers on tap. Newly renovated bar located in the lobby. Hours are 11:00a.m.- 1:00 a.m., 7 days a week. Casual dress.
Le Biftheque Steakhouse - steak house chain on the lobby level. Hours are, Sunday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m.- 11:30 p.m. Casual dress.
Bistro on two - Fine dining restaurant; Breakfast, lunch, dinner and Sunday Brunch on the 2nd floor, Queen Tower. Hours are 6:00 a.m.- 10:00 p.m., 7 days a week. Average prices are $9.00 (Cdn) for breakfast, $15.00 (Cdn) for lunch and $30.00 (Cdn) for dinner. "Smart Casual" dress.
Kids and Quackers Play Centre -The Sheraton Centre Hotel offers a children's program in it's 2,900 square feet of play and activity centre for children 18 months to 12 years of age. Open weekends (Friday evening, Saturday, Sunday) September through June. Open daily July through Labour Day.
AIRPORT TRANSPORTATION
Super Shuttle service is available from the airport and no reservations are needed. The shuttle runs from the airport to the hotel property every 30 minutes. A one-way trip costs $17.50 (Cnd) and a round trip costs $29.75 (Cnd). There is a $1.00 off coupon with the registration materials.
Taxi Service from the airport to the Sheraton will cost $40.00 (Cnd).
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF AIR
(especially if it's your first time around)
Some practical tips for first-time Forum attendees and others who want to get the most out of the AIR Forum.
SCOPING OUT THE PROGRAM
If this is your first Forum, you'll be amazed at the variety of programming. Sometimes it's hard to narrow down the presentations that are pertinent to your interests.
There are five Forum tracks or broad subject areas: 1) Student Life and Learning; 2)Academic Programs, Curriculum and Faculty Issues; 3) Institutional Management and Planning; 4) Higher Education Collaborations, Policy Issues, and Accountability ; 5)The Practice of Institutional Research: Theory, Techniques, Technologies, Tools, and Ethics
The Forum is structured to maximize the opportunity to exchange ideas and participate in a dialogue involving subjects related to each of the tracks. Meeting sessions are in several formats: papers,
demonstrations, panels, posters (AIR Showcases), informal table discussions (Table Topics), keynote plenary sessions, and vendor booths and presentations. You should explore the advantages of each format as you plan which sessions to attend.
There are a wealth of Pre-Forum Workshops on specific IR topics and skills which are listed on pages 9-13 of this Preliminary Program book.
On the social side, be sure to take note of the Saturday night Early Bird Reception, Sunday evening Forum Reception, Monday night Special Event, the International Coffee and International Symposium on Monday, the Forum Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, and the wind-up party Wednesday evening.
PLANNING A TENTATIVE SCHEDULE BEFORE THE FORUM
The first event to mark on your schedule is the Early Bird/Newcomers Reception on Saturday nightat 5:45 p.m. This is an opportunity for newcomers to mingle with other Forum attendees. We plan on having some fun activities and you'll also have the opportunity to hook up with a dinner group here.
Many people find it helpful to plan a tentative schedule ahead of time. You have a couple of options:
1. Use the on-line scheduler at http://airweb.org and click on 2002 Forum. Here you will find listings of Forum presentations and events which you can preview, build a schedule on-line and then print it out.
2. Use the Preliminary Program book to highlight panels and presentations of interest to you.
3. Then go on-line and enter these into the scheduler for a targeted schedule.
If you did not receive a Preliminary Program book you can request one from AIR. Final programs will also be available at the Forum in your registration packet.
When planning your schedule, keep in mind that presentations are subject to change so consider having backups.
VENDOR EXHIBITS
On Monday and Tuesday from 9:40-10:10 a.m there will be Morning Coffee and from 2:40-3:10 p.m. there will be Afternoon Tea sponsored by the participating vendors. Forum attendees will have the opportunity to talk with Vendors about exciting products and services they offer. In addition, this provides everyone a great time to network with colleagues.
PACKING FOR THE FORUM
We're a reasonably informal group, so pack to be comfortable as well as professional. There are often impromptu gatherings and explorations after official programs for which you may want to put on your walking shoes. If you are up for morning walks, there are usually planned routes and plenty of like-minded walkers to join.
Bring a stack of business cards. You'll use these to leave with presenters who run out of papers and for networking, entering drawings, and leaving messages on the message board.
Consider packing a package of post-its to mark pages in the program and a highlighter if you feel the need to transfer preliminary program information to the final program.
ONCE YOU ARRIVE IN TORONTO
Find the Registration area in the Sheraton. Be sure to sign in and pick up your registration materials. There will be people to answer your questions and help you get oriented. In the meantime, here are a few tips and items of interest.
Take a quick tour of the Forum facilities and locate areas where presentations will be made, the location of the Forum office, and general session halls. You'll be glad to know the lay of the land when you are scurrying from one session to another.
Red Dot - if you are a first-time Forum attendee you'll be given a red dot on your name tag. This identifies you as a newcomer. Veteran attendees will probably acknowledge this by saying hi, asking if you have any questions, and making you feel welcome.
Message Board - there is a message board near the registration area. Be sure to check it throughout the Forum in case someone needs to reach you, or use it if you need to contact someone.
Morning AIR - this daily newsletter contains program changes with which you'll want to keep up. Morning AIR copies are available in the Registration area, hotel lobbies and Forum Office.
ATTENDING SESSIONS
If there is a "must go to" session in your schedule, get there early. Chances are great minds will think alike.
If you can't get a copy of the paper for a presentation you attended (or ones you missed), don't despair:
- Many papers will be available on-line after the Forum,
- You can leave a business card with the presenter,
- Many presenters will leave extra copies in the AIR office, or
- If the presenters submitted a copy to AIR, you can have it copied for
the cost of copying.
NETWORKING
One of the most valuable aspects of attending the Forum is the extent of the knowledge and talent your fellow attendees bring to the Forum. Most are willing to share and listen to ideas. Take advantage of this asset by talking with people.
Attend the Table Topics and the AIR Showcases. Even if you're not sure you have anything to share or don't feel comfortable participating, just listening can be a valuable learning experience.
Look into the SIGs (Special Interest Groups). It's amazing to know how many people are tackling the same issues you are facing. You might just take home some solutions.
You'll find that the contacts you make here can benefit you throughout your career.
2002 AIR FORUM - PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO TORONTO
Planning your trip to Toronto
Toronto has much to offer, and if at all possible you should take advantage of the opportunity to explore this beautiful city and the surrounding area. June is a busy time in Ontario, so if you are planning to extend your stay to visit such worthwhile destinations as Muskoka, Georgian Bay, Algonquin Park, the Bruce Trail or Niagara Falls, you should make your arrangements early or you'll find everything booked. Check out the Ontario tourism Web site at www.ontario.worldweb.com. Since Niagara Falls is so close to Toronto, we hope to arrange day trips during the opening weekend of the 2002 Forum. Check the AIR Web site (http://airweb.org) for updates on activities as the Forum approaches.
Canada is a foreign country, so be sure you have proof of citizenship for entering the country, and returning home. You must have your Passport or a copy of your Birth Certificate and government issued photo ID when entering or leaving Canada. (REVISED NEWS) Apart from this, the biggest thing that will remind you where you are is the money. Prices are in dollars and cents (with pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters). There is also a one dollar coin (the loonie) and a two dollar coin (the toonie). Bills are different colours, and come in fives, tens , twenties, fifties and hundreds. One U.S. dollar gets about 1.6 Canadian dollars so you should be able to take advantage of the exchange rate. All major credit cards are accepted at most shops. There are bank machines almost everywhere, but you may wish to check with your bank to ensure that your card will work outside the U.S.
Driving Directions
From the West and Toronto International Airport -Use 427 South
Follow Highway 401 East to the 427. Take 427 South and follow signs for QEW (Queen Elizabeth Way). QEW turns into the Gardiner Expressway (eastbound). Follow along on Gardiner and watch on right for York St. Exit. Take York St. exit ramp slowly. Stay on left side of ramp and follow York Street until it ends at Queen Street. Turn right onto Queen. Motor entrance for hotel immediately on the right.
From the U.S. and Niagara Region
Follow QEW (Queen Elizabeth Way) into Metro. QEW turns into
the Gardiner Expressway. Follow Gardiner and watch on right for York
St. exit. Take York St. exit slowly. Stay on left side of ramp and
follow York Street until it ends at Queen Street. Turn right on to
Queen. Motor entrance for hotel immediately on the right.
From the East
Follow Highway 401 West to the Don Valley Parkway (DVP).
Take DVP South all the way to the Richmond St. exit. Get into right lane
of Richmond once at Bay Street - the hotel is on the right at the
corner of Richmond and York Streets.
If you're driving, you'll find that the city follows a
straightforward grid pattern, with streets running north and south, east and
west. Streets are labelled East or West depending on their direction from
the central north/south road Yonge Street. There are also many
taxis available in the downtown area; these come in a variety of colours
but all reputable cabs have a light on top of the car roof.
Transportation
Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) provides bus, streetcar and subway service to just about every corner of the city. It costs $2.25 (Cdn) per trip, payable in exact cash or by tokens (5 for $9.00) obtained from subway stations or stores displaying a "Ticket Agent" sign. Full details including transit maps will be available on site at the Hospitality Table.
Attractions
Visit the Toronto Web site at www.city.toronto.ca/visitors/index.htm for a complete listing of the activities available in June. Some are summarized here:
Chinatown - a lively and bustling area about a 10-minute walk from the hotel
Centre Island - Reachable by ferry across Toronto Harbour, a peaceful and pleasant community and park.
Hockey Hall of Fame - If you're a hockey fan you won't want to miss the chance to see all the memorabilia from the history of hockey.
Harbourfront Antique Market - A massive array of antiques with many dealers, held each weekend during the summer.
St. Lawrence Market, Kensington Market - These are true markets in the old European style, worth a visit just to see the vendors in action. Also the best place to take advantage of fresh fruits, vegetables, fresh baked goods.
Baseball - The Blue Jays may be in town during the Forum and the Sky Dome is a short walk from the hotel.
The CN Tower - Don't miss the chance to go to the top of the tallest free-standing structure in the world. Also walking distance from the hotel.
Shopping - There is every kind of shopping imaginable within easy reach of the hotel. If you like traditional-style malls, try the Eaton Centre on Yonge Street, only a block from the Sheraton hotel. For those whose tastes run to the very exclusive, try Yorkville, which is full of designer shops such as Hermes, Gucci, and Marina Renaldi. For the more eclectic tastes, there are dozens of small boutiques along Queen Street. A more complete listing will be available at the Hospitality Table at Forum.
Ontario Place - Built literally on top of Lake Ontario, Ontario Place has outdoor concerts all summer. Attractions not available at press time.
Museums and Art Galleries
The Royal Ontario Museum and the Art Gallery of Ontario usually have major exhibits all year. Both also have impressive and extensive resident exhibits well worth visiting. In addition there are hundreds of smaller art galleries catering to every taste. Check the Toronto Web site for more details.
Theatre
Toronto has an impressive theatre community. There are many small "factory" theatres, offering new and non-traditional material, and there are large venues with more standard plays, often on their way to or from Broadway. Within walking distance from the hotel, the Royal Alexandra Theatre on King Street will have "Mama Mia!" (the story of musical group Abba), the Princess of Wales Theatre a few doors down has "The Lion King", and starting June 4, the Hummingbird Centre will be offering "Blast!", an explosive and energetic show of music and dance.
Dining and Nightlife
Whatever your culinary or musical taste, there's a place for you in Toronto. There are restaurants offering Italian, Chinese, Indian, Italian, Peruvian, French, Vietnamese, even American food! Your Local Arrangements Committee will make every effort to sample as many restaurants as possible before June, in an effort to provide you with our personal recommendations.
As for music, Toronto is a great place to hear jazz, rock and roll, or country. Roy Thompson Hall (again within walking distance from the hotel) is the place for opera and classical, and the Hummingbird Centre often has ballet. There are many nightclubs with standup comedy and dinner theatre. There are also a vast array of sports bars, featuring large screen views of your favourite sports. If the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team or the Raptors basketball team are in the playoffs, sports bars will be full, loud and raucous.
Weather
The weather in June is comfortable, usually low to mid-70s. Rain and thunderstorms are very possible at this time of year. Nights will be cool, possibly dropping to low 60s. Humidity and smog can be a problem, particularly if the temperature rises to the 80s.
Clothing
In the city, just about anything is acceptable, from business attire to sweaters and jeans. Canadians are fairly casual people and generally
dress to be comfortable. You should bring good walking shoes, and a sweater or light jacket for evenings.
Car Rental
BUDGET is the official car rental company for the Association for Institutional Research. Special discount rates start at a daily rate of $38.00 (Cdn) and a weekly rate of $228.00 (Cdn) for a compact four-door car. These rates are guaranteed one week before through one week after the meeting dates, subject to car availability, and include unlimited free mileage. In addition, at the time of reservation, when using the Budget exclusive meeting ID VCFN. For reservations, call Budget at 1-800-561-5212 or (905) 673-3322 locally and refer to ID VCFN. Standard rental conditions and qualifications apply, including minimum rental age. Check with your Budget representative for other details.
Budget has an affiliation with Toronto Parking Authority. When driving a Budget vehicle, customers receive 12 hours of free parking at select Green P lots in downtown Toronto. Budget can also waive the drop charge if customers want to pick up at a downtown location for example and return the vehicle at the Toronto Airport.
Budget is conveniently located in the terminals of Pearson International Airport and have more than 50 locations in the Greater Toronto area.
If arriving by Air
Delta Airlines is one of the official airlines for the 42nd Forum in Toronto, Canada. Delta operates in excess of 5,000 flights each day to more than 300 cities in more than 40 countries. Internationally, Delta offers the most daily flight departures, serving the largest number of nonstop markets, and carrying the most passengers of any U.S. airline. Delta will handle each call, regardless of your departure city.
Call Delta Meeting Network Reservations at 1-800-241-6760, Monday through Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. eastern time. You may also have your travel agent call the above number. When making your reservation, please make sure that you or your travel agent refer to file number 183534A.
United Airlines is the other official airline for the 42nd Forum. United Airlines offers special meeting fares for all AIR Forum attendees who use the Special Meeting Desk to book their reservations. Book early and take advantage of the promotional fares that give you the greatest savings!
Please call Monday through Sunday, 7:00 a.m. to midnight (or have your travel agent call) 1-800-521-4041 and refer to Meeting ID Number 553SC. Mileage Plus members receive full credit for all miles flown to this meeting.
FORUM SERVICES AND INFORMATION
Forum Office
The general office for Forum 2002 are the Carlton and Oxford rooms on the Mezzanine level of the Sheraton. Office personnel will generally be available during the same hours as registration and hospitality.
Hospitality Center
The AIR Hospitality Center (near the Registration area in the Sheraton) will be open during the same hours as registration.
Hours are:
Saturday thru Tuesday: 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. in Forum Office
The Center will be staffed by people who know the Toronto area.
You will be able to check restaurant menus, get information on area attractions and receive answers to other questions you may have.
The AIRstore
The AIRstore will be Sheraton Hall, Lower Concorse, in the Sheraton. This is your source for AIR logo items: shirts, hats, coffee mugs, and other items to help show off your AIR membership.
The Speaker Ready Room
The Speaker Ready Room will be available for Forum presenters, located in Conference Room A, Mezzanine, in the Sheraton. This room provides you an opportunity to check A/V equipment or computers and otherwise prepare for presentations.
Messages
The Message Board is located near the Hospitality Center within the Registration area in the Sheraton. Please check it regularly. All incoming telephone calls must go through the hotel switchboard operator, who will refer them either to your hotel room or to the Forum office.
The Morning AIR
The Morning AIR is published daily by the Toronto Local Arrangements Committee; it includes official announcements, session time/room changes, and late-breaking "things to do." Copies are available in the Registration area, hotel lobby and Forum Office.
Employment Clearinghouse
The Association for Institutional Research hosts the third Employment Clearinghouse at the Toronto Forum. The Clearinghouse provides opportunities for employers and job applicants to meet face-to-face. Employers are asked to pay a small fee to register and provide copies of the job descriptions.
There is no charge for anyone seeking employment. Anyone seeking a position must be registered for the Forum and bring 10 copies of their resume or vita for inclusion in the viewing binders and should also bring sufficient copies to hand to prospective employers. There will be a small copier on site and you may copy resumes or job descriptions. The cost is $3.00 (U.S.) for each job description and for each resume.
Employers will have a chance to look through resumes and applicants can browse job descriptions and contact each other to arrange for interviews. All information is confidential. Full details will soon be available on the Forum Web site (http://airweb.org).
Employers will be charged $25.00 to register with the Clearinghouse. To submit a job description, employers must hold a current AIR membership and be registered for the Forum. Please send an electronic copy of the job description to air@mailer.fsu.edu by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, May 24, 2002. Late additions can be submitted at Forum and copies made on site.
Hours of operation are:
Sunday, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon, 1:30-4:30 p.m.;
Monday and Tuesday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; and
Wednesday 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Badges
Badges are required at all Forum sessions and events. In an effort to ensure fairness to all registrants, selected sessions will be monitored.
Copies of Papers
Authors will be asked to bring to the Forum a copy of their contributed paper on a disk for uploading to the Web, along with 50 copies to distribute at their sessions. Authors who wish to submit papers to be considered for possible publication should bring eight (8) copies to the Forum Office by noon Tuesday, June 4.
Displays
If you would like to display your fact books, planning documents, reports and other publications and materials of interest to institutional researchers for perusal in the Sheraton, please bring the materials with you. A table will be set up to display your materials.
In addition to the work produced in offices of Institutional Research and Higher Education Institutes and Centers, AIR and AIR-sponsored publications (and the famous AIR Photo Museums), selected vendors of software, publications, and other items of professional interest to AIR members will be available.
Forum Evaluation
Overall evaluation of the Toronto Forum will take place at the Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, June 5. In addition, members of the Forum Evaluation Committee will ask some Forum attendees, including one group of first-time attendees, to take part in more in-depth focus group evaluation interviews. Session evaluation forms and early-leaver questionnaires will also be distributed. The Committee encourages and appreciates your participation.
Questions about the evaluation process should be directed to:
Karen Demonte
Research Analyst, University of Delaware
325 Hullihen Hall
Newark, DE 19716
Phone: (302) 831-2021; Fax: (302) 831-8530;
E-mail: kdemonte@udel.edu
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