Fillable Printable Conference Planning Checklist - Rhode Island
Fillable Printable Conference Planning Checklist - Rhode Island
Conference Planning Checklist - Rhode Island
Conference and Scheduling Services ● Brown University ● ph: 401.863.3100 fax: 401.863.3955
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CONFERENCE PLANNING CHECKLIST
A Year of Planning and Coordinating
Planning successful events, from a simple meeting to a several day conference, takes forethought and
time and will require many months of planning and coordination. Brown Conference Services highly
recommends that any event be planned at least a year in advance to ensure that resources are
secured and spatial and temporal conflicts are avoided. Below is a chronological checklist put
together by Brown Conference Services to plan and coordinate a successful event at Brown University.
It is meant to keep both the directors of the conference and Brown Conference Services on track.
As Early As Possible (more than 1 year in advance):
Set Dates
Check the University Calendar for possible conflicts, such as major sporting events,
conferences, holidays, and University programs (such as Thanksgiving and Easter
services, Homecoming, Parents’ Weekend, etc.). Consider Spring Break or early
June. Dining Services, Media Services, and Facilities are incredibly busy during the
months of April and May, so try to avoid these months. Keep in mind that the
University prioritizes events on campus with those that align with its academic
mission. The University is a year round credit-bearing institution whose classes
and events take precedent.
Contact the Scheduling Office to reserve meeting rooms, breakout rooms,
workshop rooms, and/or banquet rooms. The staff at Conference Services can also
recommend what spaces on campus may fit your needs best.
Program Planning and Design
Look over and fill out the Conference Planning Worksheet (CPW).
Bring the CPW with you to the One-Stop-Shop Open Hours staffed by Media
Services, Facilities, Dining Services, and Conference Services.
Develop educational design (participant needs, program and participant
objectives, topics, speakers, and medium of instruction). Do NOT contact your
speakers until you have finalized your dates and time with Conference Services.
Determine publicity/advertising schedule and call for papers, if applicable
Check budget and provide a cost projection sheet with bid for services needed to
Conference Services. We can assist you with budget projections at Open Hours.
If high-profile speakers are being sought, earlier contact may be initatied.
Housing
Determine which hotel your guests will be staying during the conference. Keep in
mind the distance from the hotel to campus and consider potential transportation
services needed. Refer to the CPW for suggestions and descriptions of
surrounding hotels and other accommodations.
Hold a room block at the hotel and sign the contract.
9-12 Months
Registration/Website
Create a website for your conference. Include your hotel reservation, travel
information, agenda, etc.
Build the registration website with Conference Services.
Set-up the registration link on the conference website and include when the link
will go live for registration.
Conference and Scheduling Services ● Brown University ● ph: 401.863.3100 fax: 401.863.3955
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Conference Meeting
Create advertising brochures and call for papers.
Advertise conference to potential exhibitors of interest.
6-9 Months
Travel
If many of your guests are traveling long distance to get to Brown, you may want
to consider using a travel agency for better deals. Brown recommends Garber
Travel Agency for your guests. You can set up a purchasing order through Brown
Purchasing to establish a contract with Garber Travel. Speak to our staff at
Conference Services or visit their website directly at www.GarberTravel.com for
more information or if you have any questions.
Conference Directors:
Begin to finalize the Program Schedule. Please allow time for breaks, set start
times for plenary or introduction sessions to coincide with start time of classes,
assign session chairs, update program schedule on website, request CVs from all
participants.
Determine number of brochures needed for handouts and mailing. If you are
having anything shipped to Brown University for your conference, Conference
Services asks all external groups unrelated to Departments at Brown to purchase
mailing and storage space for their items. Conferences are responsible for
transporting their items. We recommend contacting the local UPS store for this
service. Their website and contact information can be found at
http://www.shipupsri.com/mailbox.htm
Contact Speakers
Request vita, address and phone number, social security number (for honoraria, if
needed), biography and head shot photo for publicity.
Speaker may want to make his/her own travel arrangements and submit travel
expenses at a later date. If speaker wants help with travel arrangements, you may
want to work through Garber Travel Agency.
4-6 Months Prior:
Conference Meeting
Meet with Catering, Facilities, Media Services, and Conference Services to go over
the final details of the CPW for menus, estimates, set up, and suggestions.
Determine the need for conference staffing and other volunteers (shuttle drivers,
registration table, ushers, and greeters at plenary sessions to hand out programs).
You may want to consider hiring students to staff your events.
Conference and Scheduling Services ● Brown University ● ph: 401.863.3100 fax: 401.863.3955
Page 3 of 5
3-4 Months Prior:
Conference Directors:
Finalize the Program Schedule. Please allow time for breaks, set start times for
plenary or introduction sessions to coincide with start time of classes, assign
session chairs, update program schedule on website, request CVs from all
participants.
Draft Conference Program
Update Budget
Finalize A/V equipment needs with Media Services at Brown.
o Microphones: you should have one podium mic and one lapel mic. Have
at least one, and preferably two audience mics for Q/A sessions. For panel
sessions, determine need for tables and table mics.
o Other AV needs: Overhead projectors (for plenary sessions, always have a
backup projector since they frequently go out), LCS projectors, screens,
slide projectors, video players and monitors, etc.
Conference Announcements
Send mail through bulk mailroom. Contact Brown Graphic Services for this service.
All you need is an excel spreadsheet of your contacts and addresses.
Mail brochure to each program participant and to everyone on mailing lists.
Consider email marketing in lieu of printed brochures. This could save you time
and money.
Registration
Go live for online registration and payment. Email the link to all potential
participants.
Gifts
Determine the types of giveaways if any, such as a tote bag imprinted with a
conference logo. Shipping time may depend on what you are ordering for your
guests. Please remember you are responsible for storing, mailing and transporting
your shipped items to the University.
Order your gifts.
2 Months Prior:
Conference Directors:
Finalize guest list for special events.
Update Budget
Confirm book list for bookstore sales.
Confirm needs for registered exhibitors. (Electrical, table, chairs, table drapes)
Produce printed program and get schedule to PR.
Produce conference poster, if appropriate.
Facilities
Schedule all table and chairs needed through Facilities by submitting online
service order request forms. You many also want to consider having a backdrop
behind the podium for your speakers. Also consider signposts, easels,
whiteboards, etc.
For greenery or floral arrangements, contact Facilities as well.
http://www.brown.edu/Facilities/Facilities_Management/fss.php
Conference and Scheduling Services ● Brown University ● ph: 401.863.3100 fax: 401.863.3955
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Bookstore
Notify Tova Beiser at the Brown Bookstore of major speakers for the conference. It
is also helpful to send Tova a list of book titles of each of the main speakers.
When configuring space by registration table, the bookstore usually takes 1 table,
depending on size of conference to set out books.
6 Weeks Prior:
Conference Directors:
Mail brochure to Brown Mailinglist through Graphic Services.
Update Budget
Transportation:
Contact Bobby McAllister from University Shuttle to set up vans and shuttles for
transportation. He can be contacted at (401)228-8588 or fax (401)228-8591.
1 Month Prior:
Conference Directors:
Finalize details and administrative responsibilities for the conference.
Obtain local maps and information from downtown Providence Convention and
Visitors Bureau.
Confirm Catering, Facilities, and Media.
Update Budget.
Request Honorarium for speakers. Submit voucher for each speaker to Accounts
Payable. Social Security numbers and home addresses are required. It is usually
best to have Accounts Payable call you for check pick up, so that these can be
given to speaker at the event.
2 Weeks Prior:
Email Letters of Confirmation
For main speakers: email/letter should include complete, specific schedule of the
speaker(s) stay at Brown University. Include flight schedule, the arrangements for
pick up at the airport, when and where they will be eating each meal, the pickup
time for the conference, when they are speaking, and when they will be dropped
off at the airport.
For registered participants: include map, shuttle schedule, and registration times
for the participant’s arrival at the conference.
For session chairs/introducers: include time of session, CV of presenter(s)
1 Week Prior:
Create/Assemble
Name tags
Registration listing of participants
Information packets:
o Program
o Map of Brown University
o Providence Maps
o Info on an institutes or centers involved and/or ongoing research and
Conference and Scheduling Services ● Brown University ● ph: 401.863.3100 fax: 401.863.3955
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scholarship pursuits at Brown University
o Providence Visitors Guide
o Restaurant List
o Transportation Schedule
o Giveaways and Goodies
Consider sending welcome letters and agenda to the hotel for distribution upon
check-in. (Note: 1-2 pages max. as most hotels will not be willing to distribute
more)
Signs for Registration, parking direction, if needed.
Signs to guide visitors to the proper lecture halls for each session – place on easels
throughout the venue.
Update Budget
Week of Conference:
Conference Directors:
Double check arrangements: confirm room reservations, particularly for after-
hours or weekend times.
Prior to the event, check room set up to make sure it is correct.
You may want to consider having students post flyers and posters around campus.
Update Budget
Put in an announcement in the Brown Morning Mail 2-3 days prior to as well as day
of the conference. The BMM can be found at http://morningmail.brown.edu/
Week After Conference:
Conference Directors:
Send thank you notes to all who helped with the conference. Include thank you
letters to all people and organizations (both Brown and external) that helped
and/or donated money toward the conference.
Finalize financial settlements for all speakers.
The preceding information has been provided based upon prior experiences in coordinating many
conferences at Brown campus. If you find any of this information inaccurate, or believe that others
may benefit from additional information, please send updates to [email protected].
Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Below are some important numbers and email addresses that
you may find useful.
Conference Services
(401) 863-3100
Brown Dining Services – Catering
(401) 863-2712
Department of Facilities Management
(401) 863-7800
University Scheduling Office
(401) 863-6217
Media Services
(401) 863-2197
