FYI: [SCMSL] URGENT -- SCMS CONFERENCE CANCELLATION
Mark Roberts
mroberts37 at mail-central.com
Tue May 12 22:57:12 EDT 2009
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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