Organize a Session | Deadline February 1, 2020
Sessions in all areas of economics are welcome.
Organize your own session and take charge of all the details including the quality of the papers presented. Scheduling preference given to organized sessions. Paper submission fees are waived for all papers in organized sessions, however participants are required to register for the conference. WEAI members affiliated with a WEAI Institutional Member, and who organize a session, receive complimentary conference registration.
Organized sessions must include papers from various institutions. No more than 50% of the papers may be from the same institution. Each participant may author (or co-author) no more than two papers in the session. Proposals for workshops or roundtables should also include individuals from multiple institutions. Sessions are subject to review by a screening committee.
Please notify us of your intent to organize a session as soon as possible so that we are able to plan for the necessary space! Email [email protected].
Overall Responsibility
As the organizer, you have the following responsibilities:
- Maintain liaison between your participants and WEAI.
- Ensure that your session participants are well prepared and registered to attend by May 1.
- Make sure your session participants circulate completed papers by June 1.
- Keep the WEAI informed of changes to your session.
Typical Session Format
The session time allocation is one hour and 45 minutes. A typical session includes a chairperson, three to four papers, and discussants, with at least one discussant assigned to comment on each paper (paper presenters may serve as discussants on each others' papers). Other formats, such as panels or roundtables, may also be used. Must include at least three registered participants.
Session Scheduling Requests
If extenuating circumstances allow a participant to attend only part of the conference, please include a scheduling request with your preliminary session information.
Information Needed
After receiving commitments from session participants, send the following information to WEAI (suggested format):
- Session title.
- One JEL topic area code.
- Professional affiliations and e-mail addresses for all participants (including coauthors). Please indicate paper presenter with an asterisk (*).
- Paper titles (if applicable).
Program space is limited; please submit materials early. Please submit revised information with “track changes” turned on so that each revision is clearly marked.
Conference Format
The format is intended to promote active involvement by all attendees — most of the economists attending will be on the program. In addition to the keynote sessions, the program consists of small discussion groups meeting concurrently during each time period. Including program participants, session attendance may range from 6 to 60, depending on the time of day and the topic’s popularity, etc. However, the most fruitful discussions often occur among small groups of interested individuals. Your session can benefit by inviting experts besides those on the program to attend.
Registration Fees
All attendees, including WEAI Officers and Board Members, are asked to pay the conference registration fee to help defray the sizable cost of organizing the conference. Please inform prospective participants that they are responsible for their own expenses. Organized session participants may register at the member rate even if they are nonmembers, but are cordially invited to join the Association.
WEAI members receive complimentary conference registration if (i) they are employed by an Institutional Member, (ii) they organize a session in which at least three participants pay the usual registration fee, and (iii) everyone in the session registers by the deadline.
Waiver of Journal Manuscript Submission Fees
WEAI members can submit their conference papers to either Economic Inquiry or Contemporary Economic Policy without paying the usual manuscript submission fee provided the manuscripts reach the editors within six months after the conference.
Dates to Remember
- February 1: Session information is due to WEAI.
- May 1: Deadline for program participants to register.
- May 15: Deadline to take advantage of early registration discount.
- June 1: Verify that all session participants have received copies of all papers.