SIGUCCS Fall Conference: About the Conference

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About the Conference

SIGUCCS is a Special Interest Group (SIG) within the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) that targets Information Technology professionals working in University and College Computing Services (UCCS). Thus the name SIGUCCS. While most of the special interest groups within ACM target individuals involved in the science of computing, this SIG targets those in the service area of computing. The Fall Conference is intended for professionals who are involved in computing support and offers them the opportunity to gather, discuss, and learn about the many facets of service delivery and maintenance of technology in the educational environment.

Who Should Attend?

User Services Consultants
Help Desk Professionals
Instructional Technologists
Lab Supervisors
Information Technology Librarians
I.T. Managers and Directors
Media Specialists

Programmers
Systems Administrators
Technical Staff
Technical Writers
Trainers
Web Designers and Developers

Our attendees come from every area encompassed by the designation "Information Technology." Attendees hail from community colleges to large universities across the United States and several international locations. The ACM SIGUCCS Fall Conference is a premier conference for everyone involved in computing services in the higher education setting from entry level help desk personnel to Chief Information Officers.

See Who's Attending This Year!

Participation

There are many ways to participate in the conference: some participants prefer to help out with the operational aspects of the conference, others enjoy the opportunity to serve as a presenter. It is never too late to volunteer to work before, during, or directly after the conference. Read about the volunteer opportunities at the SIGUCCS 2003 Volunteer Web Site and sign up today using the convenient form below!

Volunteer Form

What to Expect

Tutorial Sessions

These are special half-day sessions that are held the day before the "official" opening of the conference. Tutorials provide participants an opportunity to explore a particular topic with greater depth. These offerings are not included in the regular registration price of the conference.

Technical Sessions

Technical sessions examine the many areas of computing services. Technical sessions drive the primary focus of the program. A technical session may include papers presented by two to three individuals with similar topics, a longer technical paper, or a panel of individuals discussing a topic and involving audience interaction. Sessions are offered in six different tracks: Training and Documentation, Customer Support, Management, Faculty Support, World Wide Web, and Technology. There are usually seven to eight different time slots when technical sessions are offered throughout the conference. Typically, programs from four different tracks are offered during each time slot.

Poster Showcase

The Poster Showcase provides both presenters and attendees an opportunity to share ideas and talk one-to-one with individuals from many different institutions. The Poster Showcase involves several dozen presenters in one or more of the conference venues. These presentations are displayed on tables using posters or a hands-on demonstration to illustrate their topic. Participants have the opportunity to chat directly with these presenters individually or in small groups to learn more about the subject matter being displayed. Many presenters also provide informational materials to give to participants to take back to their campuses.

Keynote Presenters

Keynote presenters are leaders in their field and provide participants a sense of the big picture. Keynote speakers address timely topics of interest related to college and university computing services or motivational addresses to energize participants.

Birds of a Feather Sessions (BOFs)

Birds of a Feather sessions (BOFs) are free-form sessions that provide participants the opportunity to come up with their own topics for discussion. At the end of each conference day, BOF attendees get together with others who are seeking information about or wish to share solutions for common subjects. This is another way for conference organizers to facilitate discussions pertaining to current issues at the conference. BOF signup sheets will be available at the Conference Information area. Individuals can create their own BOF or sign up for one that interests them.

Meals

On Sunday, attendees are required to provide their own breakfast and lunch. Participants registered to attend a morning tutorial will be provided a light fare at the break. Participants registered to attend an afternoon tutorial will be provided with an afternoon snack.

A light breakfast will be available on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday mornings. Lunch will be provided on Monday and Tuesday only. In addition, there will be snacks and beverages available for both morning and afternoon breaks.

Mosey on down the Riverwalk to the Buckhorn Saloon and Museum, sit a spell, and enjoy hors d'oeuvres served Texas-style. We'll have menus available from area restaurants so that participants can plan to enjoy one of the many tastebud-teasing culinary establishments on the "Paseo del Rio" with friends old and new.

And on Tuesday night, roll up your tee shirt sleeves and slick back your hair; or put on that poodle skirt, break out those bobbie socks and strap on your saddle shoes for a trip to the Ice Cream Social where you can enjoy ice cream and sodas while you dance the night away to the oldies. (If you're so inclined, 50's/60's attire is definitely encouraged! Who knows? We may make it a contest!)

The Hospitality Suite

The Hospitality Suite is the designated place to meet in a quieter social setting with other conference participants. Here, you'll enjoy a relaxed, informal setting in the conference hotel where you will have the chance to swap stories, talk about work with old friends and new ones, or you can simply kick back and relax! Be sure you stop in to check out this year's new spin on this time-honored tradition.

What to Pack

"Business casual" best describes the attire worn by SIGUCCS attendees. When packing for this year's conference, you'll want to remember the more "tropical' climate of San Antonio. We recommend that you pack shorts and short sleeved shirts for those times when you'll be outdoors and lightweight pants/skirts and shirts/blouses for indoor conference activities. In climates where the weather is warm, convention meeting rooms can become a bit too chilly due to over-compensation of air conditioning. We recommend that conference attendees bring a jacket or sweater along for added comfort during tutorials and sessions.

Additional Resources

San Antonio Info