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All Attendees

About Your Badge

Attendees must carry their badges with them at all times while at the convention center. The badge includes a bar code that contains name and address information provided during registration. With an attendee’s approval, exhibitors may scan the bar code to easily obtain the name, postal mail and e-mail addresses, and phone number information for follow-up after the meeting.

 Everyone (including children) is required to have a badge for admittance into the Exhibit Hall.

Statement on Open Meetings

Throughout the week, AMS Committees, Boards, and the Council will be meeting at various times and locations. These meetings are, in principle, open to all members of the Society, although portions of some meetings may be held in executive session when dealing with personnel issues, awards, or other matters of a confidential nature.

As a matter of courtesy and to ensure adequately sized meeting rooms, members wishing to observe a particular Committee, Board, or Council Meeting should contact its chairperson in advance. Members may request a place on the agenda by following a similar procedure. Please feel free to contact Joyce Annese (tel: 617-226-3902; e-mail: [email protected]) at AMS Headquarters for assistance.

 

Professional and Respectful Conduct at AMS Meetings

AMS is committed to safe and productive meetings for all attendees. Harassment, intimidation, or discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated at any meeting or event associated with the meeting. All communication should be appropriate for a professional audience including people of many different backgrounds. Those who violate the standards of professional and respectful conduct may be asked to leave the meeting immediately and without refund, may not be considered for service on AMS Boards and Committees, and may be subject to additional legal action.

Harassment, intimidation, or discrimination includes offensive verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion; sexual images in public spaces; deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following; harassing photography or recording; sustained disruption of talks or other events; inappropriate physical contact; and unwelcome sexual attention.

This statement is meant to cover all meeting-associated events, including those sponsored by organizations other than AMS but held in relation to AMS events. This includes the scientific program and exhibitions, as well as receptions, town hall meetings, and other informal or formal gatherings associated with AMS.

Any attendee who believes he or she may have witnessed or have been subjected to behavior that violates professional and respectful behavior, should contact a senior member of the AMS staff. This may be done by talking with any AMS staff (identified with a staff badge) or by sending an e-mail to [email protected] or leaving a message at 617-226-3965 with the appropriate contact information. A senior AMS staff member will be in contact in a timely manner. (In the unlikely event a reply is not received within 12 hours of sending an e-mail or leaving a voice-mail message, follow-up with an AMS staff member at the meeting is advised to ensure that the original message has been received.) Anyone witnessing or experiencing behavior that constitutes an immediate and serious threat, is advised to call 911 or the local police first.

The AMS takes any breach of professional conduct at an AMS meeting or related function very seriously. Attendees are encouraged to report any unprofessional conduct in the knowledge that AMS staff members will do their best to maintain the confidentiality of all parties to the extent possible while taking appropriate actions. In situations for which additional action is warranted, the AMS will cooperate fully with the appropriate authorities.

Americans with Disabilities Act

It is the Society's sincere desire to comply fully with both the letter and the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. Attendees with special needs at the convention center are kindly asked to notify the AMS Meetings Department (617-227-2426, option 4) four–six weeks prior to the meeting so that necessary services such as real-time captioning (communication access realtime translation, CART), special printing needs, reserved seating, or wheelchair-accessible service for the hotel shuttles can be arranged.

If issues arise on site in Atlanta, please visit the AMS Registration Desk, Lobby of Exhibit Hall C3, or contact the AMS staff at 404-222-5800 during the following hours: Sunday, 2 February,12:00–5:30 p.m.; Monday, 3 February, 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; Tuesday, 4 February, 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; Wednesday, 5 February, 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; and Thursday, 6 February, 7:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

Special housing needs should also be requested when hotel reservations are made. AMS wants to ensure that each attendee's stay at the 94th Annual Meeting is a pleasant and productive one.

Accessibility at the Georgia World Congress Center

Accessibility is a top priority at the Georgia World Congress Center. From parking to the trade show floor, the GWCC is fully accessible to all guests. There are ramps at all entrances, and restroom facilities for disabled patrons are provided throughout the facility.

The GWCC was originally designed to provide full access to guests with disabilities. The GWCC offers ample designated disabled parking, several passenger dropoff areas, and convenient curb cuts for easy wheelchair access.Other services include Braille instructions on elevators and assistive-listening devices at the Information Desks in the main entrance lobbies.

The GWCC has manual push wheelchairs available for use by attendees while in the building. A credit card is required for a deposit; however, there is no rental charge for use of the wheelchair. Wheelchairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis and can be found at the Information Desks in Buildings B and C. FedEx Office Business Centers located in the main lobby of Buildings B and C offer mobility scooters and wheelchair rentals.

Special Meals

Attendees with special dietary requirements (e.g., vegetarian or kosher meals) should make the proper selection when registering. At the banquet, attendees may simply notify their server of the preferred meal choice.

Photo Release

From time to time AMS uses photographs of conference events in its promotional materials. Unless this permission is revoked in writing to the AMS, by virtue of their attendance all conference visitors agree to the use of their likeness in such materials

Attendee Lists

The AMS will make attendee lists available to any registered attendee. Attendees who do not want their name and address information included on the list must note this on their registration forms. A card is available at the Registration Desk to request a copy of the list. The list will only be delivered in an electronic format and will contain name, address, and affiliation (if provided). No phone numbers or e?mail addresses will be provided.

Child-Care Services

For attendees that are in need of childcare while in Atlanta, a few options are available:

  1. Nanny Poppinz (www.NannyPoppinz.com) is a nanny service that will travel to an attendee’s hotel. For additional information, please visit their website or contact Dana Callahan (postal mail: 925B Peachtree Street NE 660, Atlanta, GA 30309; tel: 678-608-2769.
  2. Atlanta also has two drop-in daycare centers that are within a mile of the Georgia World Congress Center:
    1. Carols Daughter Learning Center, 222 Pryor Street, Atlanta, GA 30303 (tel: 404-549-8510; website: http://www.majesticacademy2.com/)
    2. G-P for Kids, 133 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA 30303 (tel: 404-652-2600; website: http://childcarecenter.us/provider_detail/g_p_for_kids_atlanta_ga)