Dear Friends,

I promised I would keep you updated regarding the progress and issues surrounding the 2021 GCLS Conference in Orlando. To recap, late last fall, the GCLS Board grew concerned about all issues surrounding the pandemic and our scheduled conference in July, 2021. We were also approached individually by members who shared the same concern. We conducted a survey of all of those who’d registered for Albuquerque, recognizing that many of those attendees would also sign up for Orlando. We received a 52% return rate, an all-time high for us. 75% of those surveyed indicated they were not going, were leaning toward not going, or would only consider going if they had been vaccinated. 25% said they would attend, regardless of their vaccination status. We also asked people to sign their survey, if they felt comfortable doing so.

The GCLS Board’s feelings mirrored those surveyed. Most of us were not willing to travel, or at least, we weren’t willing to commit to traveling at this time. Moreover, many people signed their surveys, and it was apparent that a large percentage of our conference volunteers were not coming. Even if the audience attended, most of the people who make the conference happen—the board and key volunteers—would not be there.

Thus, we entered into a conversation with the Orlando Hotel (the Doubletree Universal) about our options. There were many phone calls as our conference liaison, a woman who serves many LGBTQ organizations, worked with the hotel management to an amenable outcome. Yesterday we received word that the hotel was willing to rewrite our contract and shift our conference date to 2024, at no additional financial penalty to us. This is huge, folks, from an industry that has suffered significantly over the past year.

We are greatly relieved and grateful to the Doubletree Universal, but we are heartbroken that we must once again forego an in-person conference. We believe this is the right decision as there is nothing more important than the health and safety of our members. While we hope that everyone is vaccinated by July 1st, fully protected from all strains of Covid-19, and back at work, we’re not confident that such optimism is realistic.

Furthermore, by making this decision in January—instead of March—we can turn our attention to creating a virtual conference that has many offerings, represents inclusivity and diversity as we know it can be, and connects our community, albeit two-dimensionally. We hope to open registration for GCLS: Virtually Everywhere in 2021, which will have tiered pricing, in mid-February.

By mid-week you will be able to access Master Class proposals, Presentation proposals, Panel Proposals, Moderator applications, and yes, Author Spotlight applications. This year we will hold Spotlight sessions LIVE.

If you’d like to be on a panel, please complete the panelist application.

To ensure all types of diversity are represented on each and every panel, all panel proposers will be expected to peruse this list prior to submission. Completing this application is the best way to connect with all panel proposers.

Following this message is a set of FAQs. We urge you to read them carefully, and if you still have questions, please complete a contact form. Someone will reply to you as soon as possible.

On behalf of the entire GCLS board, please stay well, please join us online this summer, and we hope to see you all in Albuquerque for the 2022 GCLS Conference.

Sincerely,

Ann Roberts

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do I get a refund for my registration?

Whether you have paid for Orlando directly or you rolled over your 2020 registration from Albuquerque, you have three options: ask for a full refund (or whatever amount was paid if on payment plan), donate the registration to GCLS (thank you), or a combination of both (i.e., donate $50 to GCLS and request the remainder as a refund).  As a note: we cannot offer other alternatives since the conference finances have become quite complicated with two canceled conferences.

What if I rolled over my sponsorship to 2021?

We will contact our wonderful sponsors individually in the very near future to discuss options.

What if I’d like to be a new sponsor of the Virtual Conference?

Absolutely! Sponsorship options and details will be announced on February 15^th.

What are the dates and times of the virtual conference?

Since all of the conference volunteers will be juggling the demands of work and home, we will most likely run the conference on 3 or 4 weekends as we did in 2020, most likely between Friday and Sunday.

If you were thinking of canceling Orlando in December, why didn’t you tell us?

Until we came to an agreement with the hotel, we were bound by the terms of the contract and required to act in good faith. To do anything that worked against those terms would have been a breach of contract and subjected us to a lawsuit.

If I fill out a panelist application, can I still propose a panel?

Of course!

If I received a GCLS scholarship for Orlando, what happens to that?

You will need to reapply for Albuquerque in 2022, but you will be given priority.

Will this virtual conference be free?

No, we will institute a reasonable pricing system. Our usual in-person conference makes some monies that help us support scholarships and our general fund. Since we hurriedly put together a program last year, at the last minute and with a platform that few knew at the time (Zoom), we didn’t feel right charging. This year, it’s imperative that we recoup some of those funds, and like many of you, we know our way around Zoom now.

When will registration open for the Virtual Conference?

Registration will open on February 15^th.

Will there be scholarships for the virtual conference?

Yes. When we open registration on February 15^th, we will also post a scholarship application.

Will receiving a scholarship for the virtual conference impact my eligibility for a scholarship to Albuquerque?

No, the Virtual Conference Scholarship is a unique situation and stands alone.

Will there be a program for the Virtual Conference?

Yes. We plan to have a comprehensive digital program.

Will there be ads sold for the Virtual Conference?

Yes, ads will be available at a special price since this is a digital program. However, an advantage of digital ads is the ability to directly connect to the advertiser’s webpage, Facebook page, etc.

Will there still be a Goldie Awards show?

Yes. We will run a show like that in 2020 with live acceptance speeches.

Will you need volunteers to help?

Yes, we would appreciate the assistance of tech-savvy, conference veterans to help be “Zoom Hosts.” Last year the board hosted all events, and it was very stressful to be responsible for so much. As we expand the offerings with this conference, we could certainly get by “with a little help from our friends.”