FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SDCA CONFERENCE:

Q. Who chooses the speakers and topics for the preconference workshops?

A. The topics and speakers are chosen by the Area of Specialty sponsoring the workshop. If you have ideas for presenters or topics, please share them directly with the leadership of the area of specialty to which you belong.

Q. Why don't we have more vendors with products to sell in the exhibit area?

A. Each year several different book vendors are asked to exhibit. Most vendors do not find out conference large enough to make it financially feasible to ship product to the conference site.

Q. How are the content sessions that are presented by members chosen?

A. Members submit their proposal via the Call for Programs form which is available in this newsletter or on our association web site. The proposals go directly to the SDCA Education Chair. The Education Chair uses a blind review process to select the programs. The sessions are then slotted taking into consideration length, AV needs, and care is taken to try to keep programs that would appeal to a like audience in separate time slots. Very rarely are any proposals rejected---in fact in 2005 we contracted for more space at Sioux Falls to be able to offer more programs.

Q. Some years there are more programs related to school than agency or visa versa or few programs related to employment counseling or issues related to the elderly. Why does the balance seem inconsistent?

A. All programs submitted are reviewed. Most years all programs submitted are accepted and presented. If you would like to see a program on a particular topic, SDCA would encourage you to solicit someone with expertise in that area to present, to discuss your request with your Area of Specialty leaders, or better yet to submit to present yourself.

Q. There are so many sessions and my time is packed from when I arrive until I leave. Why not put more break time and down time into the schedule?

A. Because many participants count on the CEU's they earn at conference, it warrants that we provide the maximum amount of programming time will allow. Participants are free to pick and choose what they would like to attend and plan for their personal down time at their own discreation.

Q. Who chooses the conference theme? How about the general session keynotes?

A. The SDCA President chooses the conference theme. President Marcia Price has chosen for 2006 the theme HOOKED ON HELPING. The SDCA Past President Jean Lakner is responsible for securing the keynote speakers.

Q. Why doesn't the Army National Guard sponsor a social as they did in the past?

A. The Guard has shared with us that they are not able to utilize their funds to purchase alcohol as they did in the past. They have been able to sponsor food or as in the case in Sioux Falls the Karoke. There are many comments each year on the conference evaluation forms about bringing back the Guard Social the way "it used to be". This is likely not going to happen due to restrictions from the Guard in how they use their funds and the liability associated with such an event for both the Guard and SDCA.

Q. Why don't we provide breakfast and food at breaks?

A. SDCA tries to solicit sponsors for break functions, and the break sponsors have the opportunity then to choose the break items served based upon their budget. As an example, sodas are $2.50 each in almost any hotel/convention center. 300 sodas at $2.50 each is a total cost of $750.00 for a break sponsor. Most don't have the budget to provide even that let alone any food items.

SDCA could choose to sponsor some of the breaks and/or breakfast but to do so would mean raising conference registration rates. An average continental breakfast would run approximately $5-$10 per person.

The banquet meals at hotels/convention centers are approx. $25.00 per person. (This is exactly what we charge for guest meal tickets so we are not making a profit on those.)

Q. Why don't some sessions don't have enough handouts?

A. It is suggested that presenters bring at least 35 copies of their handouts. SDCA also allows presenters to ask for a reimbursement of $10 for their presentation to help offset their copying expenses. Most presenters do not ask for the stipend. It seems unfair to ask presenters to bring an unlimited amount of handouts---likely at their own expense or that of their employers. Presenters were asked to send around a sheet to have those who don't get the handouts sign up and they were later emailed.