FYI: [SCMSL] URGENT -- SCMS CONFERENCE CANCELLATION

[Mark Roberts]

Very unfortunate news.

Begin forwarded message:

> From: SCMS Membership List <scmsl at lists-cmstudies.org>
> Date: May 13, 2009 11:36:39 AM JST
> To: "scmsl at lists-cmstudies.org" <scmsl at lists-cmstudies.org>
> Subject: [SCMSL] URGENT -- SCMS CONFERENCE CANCELLATION
> Reply-To: scmsl at lists-cmstudies.org
>
> Dear Colleagues:
>
> It is with a very great regret that we are announcing the  
> cancellation of the SCMS conference in Tokyo scheduled for May  
> 21-24, 2009.
>
> Late last week we learned that the Government of Japan and the  
> Chiyoda District Government had requested that Josai International  
> University cancel the conference due to concerns about containing  
> the H1N1 ("Swine Flu") virus.  That request, and the conditions that  
> were subsequently imposed under which the conference might occur,  
> resulted in daily discussions among the officers of SCMS, members of  
> the Board of Directors, the Society's legal counsel, and  
> representatives of Josai.
>
> We have determined that proceeding with the conference under the  
> conditions ordered by the government presents too many risks for our  
> members and the Society.  These include the personal risks to  
> individual members (including possible quarantine, additional  
> expense, and considerable stress), potential liability to SCMS, as  
> well as pressures on the Society's small infrastructure.  Moreover,  
> the survey conducted yesterday (564 of 748 registrants replied)  
> indicated that almost one-third of those responding chose to  
> withdraw from the conference.  Many of those who said that they  
> would still attend indicated that they would do so out of a sense of  
> obligation or said that they would spend minimal time at the  
> conference.  It was also clear that some registrants who did not  
> respond to the survey, but who communicated in other ways, were  
> waiting for more information before making a decision.
>
> We are extremely grateful for the efforts of JIU, on behalf of SCMS,  
> for negotiating with the national and local governments to create  
> conditions under which the conference could move forward.  But it is  
> clear that members felt that those conditions would not be conducive  
> to a satisfactory conference experience.  The high cancellation rate  
> - with more likely - presented us with a depleted program rather  
> than the robust intellectual and social experience our members have  
> come to expect of the SCMS conference.
>
>     * You are urged to cancel your hotel reservations and flights  
> immediately, unless you plan to travel to Japan for pleasure.  You  
> should contact your airline to arrange for credit on your airfare.   
> We will be working with Japan Travel Bureau to reduce or eliminate  
> hotel cancellation penalties.
>     * Conference fees will be refunded, or individuals may request  
> that their registration fee be used for the 2010 conference in Los  
> Angeles.  More details will follow.
>     * We are working on plans to retain as much of the Tokyo  
> conference as possible as a part of our Los Angeles conference.  We  
> will provide more information as soon as possible.
>     * We will be creating a forum on the SCMS website for  
> individuals to register their comments.
>     * If you have already arrived in Japan and need assistance,  
> please contact the SCMS office staff as soon as possible.  Others  
> can expect their e-mail messages and phone calls to be answered in  
> the order that are received as soon as the staff can respond.
>
> This has been a severe trial for the SCMS leadership, and we realize  
> that the uncertainty caused by this global health situation has  
> created great confusion and anxiety among our members.
>
> We are extremely disappointed that we have had to make this  
> decision, especially in light of the tremendous amount of planning  
> and work that our members, the SCMS staff, and our exhibitors  
> committed to this conference.  Again, we offer our heartfelt  
> gratitude to the Chancellor of Josai and Josai International  
> Universities, Dean En Fukuyuki, Shinozaki Kayo and the rest of the  
> staff at JIU who generously offered his or her services above and  
> beyond any duties, responsibilities, or obligations and on top of  
> their already considerable responsibilities at JIU.
>
> We are saddened that we will not be able to meet in Tokyo, but when  
> the dust settles, we look forward to a combined Tokyo/Los Angeles  
> conference to celebrate our fiftieth anniversary, which will  
> represent the very best of who we are and what we do.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Patrice Petro, President
> Anne Friedberg, President-Elect
> Stephen Prince, Past-President
> Eric Schaefer, Secretary
> Paula Massood, Treasurer
> Scott Curtis, Member of the Board
> F. Hollis Griffin, Graduate Student Representative
> Michele Hilmes, Member of the Board
> Priya Jaikumar, Member of the Board
> Victoria Johnson, Member of the Board
> Charles Wolfe, Member of the Board
> Michael Zryd, Member of the Board
> _______________________________________________
> SCMSL mailing list
> SCMSL at lists-cmstudies.org
> http://lists-cmstudies.org/mailman/listinfo/scmsl_lists-cmstudies.org

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