Host Institution Responsibilities

It is highly recommended that the host institution choose co-chairs for the conference to direct various conference and team responsibilities. Co-chairs should be sure that their institution supports the significant time commitment that will be required to plan and oversee the conference. The co-chairs will assemble a team of individuals from the host institution and most likely coordinate with various areas within the institution to help in all on-site decisions/planning. Hosting the Student Technology Conference is a large commitment. For the conference itself, the host institution is responsible for coordinating housing, registration, sponsor fair set-up/break-down, meals, printing of conference materials, reserving of space and equipment, and many other details. It is also expected that the host institution support the various needs of the Program Chairperson and Program Committee.The Board of Directors will coordinate sponsor solicitation.

Experience has shown that, depending on the level of delegation accomplished, the co-chairs should be able to dedicate a minimum of 5 to 8 hours a week during the fall, a minimum of 8 to 10 hours a week during the spring, and more time as the conference nears. Additionally, they will need to distribute some of the responsibility to current staff or may choose to supplement staff by hiring a conference coordinator (often the campus conference office). Past experience has shown that for the conference registration and vendor communication process alone, approximately .5 FTE should be allocated during the spring semester and increasing to full time at least 2 months preceding the conference and potentially for several weeks after the conference.

Financial Responsibilities and Budget

ResNet, Inc. maintains complete financial responsibility for the conference, including any earnings or loss. It is the responsibility of the bidding host to develop an initial proof of concept budget. A budget template is provided and should be followed as closely as possible, and should be filled in with estimates based on today’s dollar. Because the host institution does not receive a share of the earnings, it is important for the host to include an estimate of all expenses it will incur in the process of hosting, such as staff overtime and student help.