Request for Proposals – Hosting the AALS Alternative Dispute Resolution Works-in-Progress Conference

The RFP to host the AALS DR Section’s WIP Confernce in the fall of 2010 recently came out, and it appears in it’s entirety below.  Just an fyi, this year’s conference (at Harvard Nov. 13th and 14th) is shaping up quite nicely and we’ll have more information about it here shortly.

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The AALS Dispute Resolution Section is seeking a host for the 4th Annual Works-in-Progress Conference to take place in the fall of 2010.  The WIP Conference has proven to be quite successful, and it is quickly becoming one of the “must attends” in the ADR field.

The host institution is responsible for organizing all of the logistics for the conference, from picking dates, lining up hotels, and scheduling receptions and presentations.  The conference host, assisted by the Conference Planning Committee (consisting of representatives of previous host institutions), is responsible for choosing the papers to be presented.

 The Section’s Executive Committee will consider several criteria in selecting the next host institution, including:

  • Proximity to an airport and reasonably-priced hotels
  • Planned mechanisms to enhance attendance and participation by knowledgeable local professionals and academics
  • Planned outreach to attract junior faculty, reflecting a diversity of views
  • Planned mechanisms to enhance the rigorous yet collegial atmosphere of the program
  • Indications of institutional support for the conference (e.g., funds for meals, sufficient staffing)
  • Planned mechanisms for appropriate consultation with the Conference Planning Committee regarding conference preparation, publicity, and presenter selection
  • Demonstrated experience with hosting similar events
  • Any special circumstances that support an institution’s application

 The Executive Committee is committed to geographical diversity from year to year (East – Midwest – West) and prefers not to have the WIP Conference in the same region in two consecutive years.  However, applications from all regions will be considered. 

Proposals should be sent to Nancy Welsh, 2008-2009 Chair of the AALS Dispute Resolution Section c/o Lisa Woltz (lkw11@psu.edu) and Sherry Miller (slm20@psu.edu) by October 31, 2009.  (Please use both email addresses.)