Conference abstract handbook & conference dinner reminder

Hi folks,

It’s just over one week (!) to the conference, and final preparations are, we hope, all in order.

The conference handbook, including all abstracts, is available here. This will of course also be provided in hard copy at the conference.

Lastly, there has been some confusion as to whether the conference dinner is included in the registration — it is in fact a separate option that needs to be checked when you register. You should be able to modify your booking using the link in the original confirmation e-mail from Conference Online. If you’re still having difficulties, please e-mail us or speak to us at the conference!

Updated conference schedule & call for registration

An updated conference schedule for The Unacceptable Conference is now available!

As we are now in the throes of trying to get the schedule finalised, we are asking all conference presenters to register in order to be included on the program.

We appreciate that this may seem harsh but we’ve put a lot of effort into organising themed panels and sessions, and want to be sure that there are no last-minute no-shows!

In order for your paper to be included on the program and abstract in the handbook, please register online by Tuesday 19 April 2011.

Please let us know if this presents any issues for you, otherwise we would appreciate registrations at your earliest convenience. Also, a reminder that registration for the conference dinner (Saturday 30 April) is administered by the main conference registration process.

Draft conference schedule now available

A preliminary schedule for The Unacceptable Conference is now available.

We have a great number of very fascinating-sounding sessions and presenters, and are really looking forward to seeing them!

Days will start before 10 (exact time depending on the day) and conclude at 5:30pm or later. Friday’s schedule incorporates two parallel sessions, while Saturday and Sunday have three parallel sessions (featured speaker sessions excepted). Sessions have been ‘themed’ to the best of our ability. There are substantial breaks throughout the day for lunch and for morning and afternoon tea, as well as the conference dinner on Saturday evening (more details on this soon).

P.S. We have tried to be as accommodating as possible regarding requests to present on specific days. Please consider that any requests for changes from now on will be more difficult to implement…

Accommodation options update — RMC

Robert Menzies College (RMC) has been added as one of the accommodation options for the Unacceptable Conference. This college is located within the grounds of Macquarie University and provides a convenient, cost-friendly option for conference attendees.

“At RMC we offer casual budget accommodation for individuals and groups, mainly during University vacations. We are conveniently located just 20 minutes from Sydney CBD, and a couple of minutes’ walk from Macquarie Shopping Centre, public transport, the University and North Ryde Technology Precinct. Our competitive rates and friendly service make RMC an ideal place to stay for conference delegates, visiting academic staff, researchers and students.”

Early-Bird registrations closing Friday

Early-bird registrations for “The Unacceptable” Conference are closing this Friday, 18 February!

Early Bird Registration (closes Friday 18 February 2011)
Student, 3-day: $150
Academic, 3-day: $240

Normal Registration (after Friday 18 February 2011)
Student, 3-day: $195
Academic, 3-day: $300
Student, 1-day: $75
Academic, 1-day: $150

Registration is here, and is securely administered by ConferenceOnline.com. Note that valid student ID must be shown at the conference for Student registration.

Also:
• The new Transport page provides more detailed information on how to get to Macquarie
• Accommodation costs for the Stamford Grand have been revised downwards.

New Featured Speaker announced

The Unacceptable Conference is delighted to announce another featured speaker — acclaimed film-maker Anna Broinowski.

Anna is well-known for her 2007 documentary Forbidden Lie$, about the literary hoax surrounding the book Forbidden Love. The film explores the life and and literary career of author Norma Khouri, who found fame and fortune in 2003 with her infamous ‘true story’ Forbidden Love, which documented the shocking honour killing of a childhood friend in Jordan. Anna has also written and directed the critically acclaimed documentary Helen’s War, a portrait of her aunt, anti-nuclear campaigner Helen Caldicott.

Visit the “Featured Speakers” page for more information.

Online registration now open!

Registration is officially open for The Unacceptable Conference. The registration system is administered by Conference Online, and a receipt will be e-mailed to you immediately.

Registration includes morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, and conference pack. You may choose to register for the Conference Dinner for an additional $40. Please indicate if you have any dietary preferences.

Payment is by credit card only, and amounts are in Australian Dollars.

Please click on the ‘Registration’ tab above, or to the right, or click here.

Acceptances sent

Acceptances for proposals were sent out on Monday 18 November. There was an overwhelming response and so, unfortunately, a fair number of proposals could not be accepted. Thanks to all who submitted — as we’ve said before, the quality of proposals was outstanding.

We are currently finalising an online conference registration system, and once that is done, details on registration costs will be made available. We hope to have this completed in the next couple of weeks.

Meanwhile, please see the new ‘Accommodation’ page for a range of accommodation options near Macquarie University and in Sydney’s CBD.

You may also want to keep track of what’s happening on this site by subscribing to the RSS feed, at left.

Lastly, a couple of inquiries have been made about travel subsidies or bursaries for conference delegates. Regrettably, we cannot provide any such assistance — please employ and investigate the options available to you from your institution.

CFP deadline passed

Thanks to all who have submitted abstracts for ‘The Unacceptable’ Conference. We are immensely gratified by the number — and quality — of submissions!

The abstract review process will continue until next week, and acceptances will be sent on Monday 1 November. Stay tuned for further information.

CFP extended until Friday 15 October

The official deadline for abstract submission (30 September) has now passed. We’d like to thank everyone who submitted an abstract. The quality of proposals so far has been very high, and the diversity of topics has been fascinating!

However, there have been several late submissions since then. In the interest of providing for those who perhaps wanted to submit but didn’t have time to put together a proposal by the formal deadline, we are extending the CFP by two weeks to Friday 15 October.

We anticipate that all abstracts will be reviewed by early November, and information on conference registration and cost will be available shortly afterwards.

Thanks again to everyone who has already submitted!