[sigcomm] attendance policies for SIGCOMM-affiliated events

[Jennifer Rexford]

Hi folks,

Discussion on the attendance-policy issues seems to have wound down.  Vern
and I compared notes and took a stab at formulating the SIG's stance on the
issue: 

"SIGCOMM strongly encourages workshops and conferences to have open
attendance but also recognizes that some events benefit from attendance
restrictions, particularly in the first year or two.  Although most
SIGCOMM-sponsored events will have open attendance, the SIG may also sponsor
a small number of limited-attendance workshops or conferences, though the
attendance policy should be transparent and fair.  Limited-attendance events
should state their attendance policy, and the motivations behind the policy,
in the conference materials (e.g., the conference Web site, the call for
papers, and ACM conference approval forms)."  

To start moving toward closure, let's have a last call for comments, in the
form of alternative wordings or directions for the *SIG's* stance on the
issue, where we want to strike a good balance between the desire to support
autonomy/flexibility for conference organizers and support the values of the
SIG as part of a professional society.  

Thanks much...

-- Jen and Vern

-----Original Message-----
From: sigcomm-bounces at postel.org [mailto:sigcomm-bounces at postel.org] On
Behalf Of Jennifer Rexford
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2005 12:49 PM
To: sigcomm at postel.org
Subject: Re: [sigcomm] attendance policies for SIGCOMM-affiliated events

Hi folks,

FYI, I checked with ACM SIG Services on ACM's policies about restricted 
attendance events.  The policy is rather vague, though such events are 
indeed permitted.  See below...  I've asked for some clarifications but 
expect that the SIGs are permitted a fair amount of discretion to decide 
whether to hold such meetings, and what policies (if any) to have on how 
attendance is determined.

-- Jen

ACM Policy on Restricted-Attendance Meetings

Restricted-Attendance Meetings, as an extension of ACM conferences or 
workshops, and for circumstances in which it is clearly desirable to 
hold attendance down to the number of people who will be expected to 
contribute to the results of the session, shall have a place in ACM 
activities. In all cases, plans for such meetings shall be publicized 
and at least the opportunity to request permission to attend shall be 
extended to all members of cognizant ACM subgroups (such as SIGs and 
Chapters). For meetings of potentially broad general interest, such 
opportunity shall be extended to the entire membership of the ACM.
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