We have organised a special event this Autumn for the Blackboard (UK) User
Group - it's taking place in the Taliesin Theatre at University of Wales
Swansea on 5th September 2002 - we have picked this date to try and avoid
ALT-C and the start of term but recognise that no date will suit everyone!
Blackboard have promised to fiel a team which will include appropriate
staff from the US (relevant to answer the issues raised) not just the
sales people - they are also contributing financially towards running the
event.- the day will have three main features;-
Presentation by Blackboard on a large cinema size screen of Blackboard 6
A forum session to deal with issues of concern to Blackboard Users
An exhibition of software content creation vendors
In addition there will be the opportunity to chat informally with the
Blackboard team over lunch and after the formal session
There will be a nominal charge of £10 for attendees to help offset
catering expenses, and reasonably priced en-suite accommodation is
available on campus
For those of you who wish to stay  the night before we will be organising
a "Swansea Night Out"
Full details of the event and an on-line registration form can be found
at  http://bug.swan.ac.uk
if you are using a browser which cannot for any reason read ASP (Active
Server Pages) then this will link you to an html version
http://www.swan.ac.uk/lis/blackboard/BUG/bug_news.htm
This will present a unique opportunity for the user group to meet and
discuss issues with Blackboard, and is positive step on their part towards
building better UK customer relationships  - I hope that all user
institutions in the UK will respond by making every effort to send at
least one person. The Taliesin is a large venue and so there is at the
moment no restriction on the number attending

Clive Richards
Blackboard Administrator

PS My apologies if you have already received this through the discussion
forms on the user group blackboard site