Thanks for the reply.
Maybe you could consider alternating the day of the conference?
David
-----Original Message-----
From: From: Local-History list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Ian Anderson
Sent: 10 November 2006 13:24
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Conference: Digital Deluge: History in the 21st Century,
IHR, 17 November 2006
Dear All,
I have hesitated to reply to the comments about our conference as I'm
not
sure that this is the appropriate forum, however, given the number of
replies and the obvious strength of opinion I feel I must.
Until this year our conferences have typically been held on a Saturday.
W hen this was the case participants from new universities averaged 14%.
This y ear participants from this sector are running at 28%.
The decision to switch to a weekday followed numerous complaints over
man y years that Saturday conferences prevented people attending because
of fam ily and/or childcare commitments. Given the extended hours
academics in all sectors work it was felt that expecting them to give up
their weekends as
well was increasingly unrealistic. The evidence so far would indicate
tha t the switch to a weekday is broadening, not narrowing,
participation.
I agree that Friday is not the ideal day on which to travel,
particularly by rail, but it was the only weekday available to us when
booking the venue.
Nor does holding a conference on a Saturday entirely prevent the problem
of Friday travel for those unable to travel there and back on the day.
As an academic working north of the border I'm acutely aware of
metropoli tan bias and the pull of the 'golden triangle'. I can assure
you, however, th at the decision to hold the conference in London is due
to neither of these factors. None of the AHC-UK committee works in the
golden triangle, and a ll but three live and work north of Birmingham.
The committee comprises memb ers from old and new universities, data
providers, independent scholars as we ll as spanning ages from under 40
to retirement.
The decision to hold the conference in London is entirely pragmatic.
Whet her we like it or not, it remains the most convenient and cost
effective location for the majority of our members to attend. The AHC
Committee has
considerable collective experience in organising events throughout the
country and it remains a fact, a sad fact admittedly, that people are
far
more willing to travel to London than locations elsewhere. The IHR is a
prestigious venue, but it is also convenient, efficient and provides
flexible facilities at a very reasonable cost. This is an important
consideration for a small subject association run on an entirely
voluntar y basis.
I am sorry that the date and location of our conference has prevented
som e of you from attending. Whatever date and location we choose we
will not please everyone. However, none of this is set in stone. We will
always consider alternative dates and locations where we think this best
serves the interest of members.
Yours
Ian Anderson
Convenor AHC-UK
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