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Eta Sigma Phi 2008 Convention Information
The 80th Annual Eta Sigma Phi Convention will be hosted by Epsilon Omicron Chapter at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. March 28-30, 2008. The convention will begin with a registration and reception from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., followed by a welcoming program and certamen at 7:00 p.m., on Friday, March 28, and will end at approximately 12 noon on Sunday, March 30, with the election and installation of new national officers.
Hotel Information The Campus Center Hotel is located on the UMass campus at 1 Campus Center Way, Amherst MA 01003. The convention room rate is $110 per night. The rooms have two double beds for up to four people per room. To make a hotel reservation, please contact the Campus Center Hotel directly by telephone at 413-549-6000. Please mention the Eta Sigma Phi group code: 2020. This discounted price will not be available after March 14, 2008, nor can hotel reservations be guaranteed after this date.
Need a roommate? Anyone who would like to share a room should contact Andrew Carroll, the local chair at mtcicero86@gmail. He will collect names and send them to other delegates looking for roommates. Please indicate whether you are male or female, and include your e-mail address, postal service address, and phone number.
Traveling Directions By Air: The nearest airport is Bradley International Airport in Hartford, CT, approximately 45 miles from the UMass campus. The local committee is in the process of working out transportation possibilities from the airport, but daily shuttle service is available from Valley Transporter, Inc. (800-872-8752) for $45 one way. Advance reservations are necessary. By Automobile: For driving directions, see http://www.umass.edu/visitorsctr/Directions_to_Campus/. Note: Parking is free on campus between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., Monday - Friday, and on weekends in any non-24 hour lot, in any space that is not marked as a special reserved space. For further information, see : http://parking.umass.edu/index.php/home/. For a campus map, see http://www.umass.edu/visitorsctr/Campus_Map/ or pdf version.
The registration fee includes all meals on Saturday, including the banquet, plus breakfast on Sunday. Delegates will be on their own for dinner on Friday night and for lunch on Sunday. Registration options:
1. Mail
in: $70 per person. A printable registration form is available
at 2. On line registration: $75 per person. Payable via PayPal. To register on-line, go to http://department.monm.edu/classics/ESP/Conventions/On-LineRegistration2008.htm.The cost of on-line registration will increase to $80 per person after 3/10/08. Note: Members submitting proposals to be presented at convention must pay their registration fee by 2/1/08. All registration fees are non-refundable.
Dress Dress will be casual, with the exception of the banquet on Saturday night, when somewhat "dressier" clothes will be appropriate and ancient costume is optional. There will be a "best-dressed" vir and "best-dressed" femina contest and fashion show at the banquet.
Chapter Reports During the business sessions, one delegate from each chapter will report on the activities of the chapter since the last convention. Reports should be no more than five minutes long. Faculty sponsors of chapters, even those who do not send delegates to the convention, are asked to send an edited and signed electronic copy of their report to the Executive Secretary (toms@monm.edu) by April 15, 2008 for publication in the newsletter. No written reports will be accepted at the convention. Remember that submission of annual activity report is one way to maintain the active status of a chapter.
Chapter Service
Project Award
Convention Highlights Following the Friday night registration, reception and welcome, there will be a certamen, very much like the College Bowl. Chapters that have at least four delegates will have their own teams, and delegates from other chapters will join to form four-person teams. There will be book prizes for the winning team. Business sessions will be on Saturday and Sunday mornings. The convention will conclude by about 12 noon on Sunday with the installation of the new national officers and the selection of a host chapter for the 2009 convention. Saturday afternoon activities include a trip to the Mt. Holyoke Art Museum, a Classics movie in Herter Hall, and a trip to the Emily Dickinson House.
Undergraduate members of Eta Sigma Phi are invited to submit proposals for presentations at the convention. An artistic (musical, dramatic, etc.) performance may be proposed in lieu of a paper. The presentations should deal with some aspect of classical civilization or language and be directed to an undergraduate audience. Members proposing an artistic performance should submit a videotape or CD along with a detailed written description of the performance, its goals, and its relevance to classical civilization. Papers should be typed, double-spaced, and presentations should be readable in 15 minutes or less, or 20 minutes if the presentation is illustrated or performed. If a presenter plans to use Powerpoint, the Powerpoint script intended for the presentation must be included in the “Notes” section of the Powerpoint. Each submission should contain a cover sheet with the author’s name, address, phone number, e-mail address, chapter, and institution. Electronic submission of papers, or of the written portions of proposals for artistic performances, is encouraged. Send proposals to: Dr. Anne Groton, Chair of Program Committee, Department of Classics, St. Olaf College, 1520 St. Olaf Ave., Northfield, MN 55057-1098. E-mail : groton@stolaf.edu. Proposals must be postmarked by February 1, 2008. Before submitting proposals, students should be certain that they will be able to attend the convention. The non-refundable pre-registration fee must be paid on or before February 1, 2008 in order for a proposal to receive consideration. All proposals will be judged anonymously, and the three delegates whose submissions are selected for presentation at the convention will have their registration fees remitted. In addition, the student whose presentation is judged the best will receive a cash award of $50, and the other two presenters will receive awards of $20 each.
Is your chapter interested in hosting the next convention? Proposals for hosting the 2009 national convention will be considered at this year’s convention. If your chapter is interested in making a proposal, some things to consider are (1) the support of your adviser; (2) the availability of lodging, either on campus or at a motel or hotel; (3) travel to the convention by air, train, bus, and automobile; and (4) financial support of the chapter, the Department of Classics, the institution, or state and local organizations. For further information see the Call for Bids at: http://department.monm.edu/classics/esp/Conventions/CallforBids2009.htm.
Are you interested in running for a national office?
Nominations for national officers (prytanis, hyparchos, chrysophylax
and grammateus) will be accepted at the business meeting on
Saturday, with the election and installation at the business meeting
on Sunday. For information about the duties of national
officers, see
REMEMBER: The deadline for submitting proposals for
presentations is February 1, 2008. The cost of registration increases to $80 per person after March 10, 2008.
Check the Eta Sigma Phi website at www.etasigmaphi.us for last minute updates about the convention. |