Venue and Schedule
- What is the closest airport to the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center?
- The closest airport is San Antonio International Airport (SAT).
- Session Schedule
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Saturday, Nov. 18 9:00-11:00 AM; 11:00 AM-12:30 PM; 12:30-2:30 PM;
3:00-4:30 PM; 5:00-6:30 PM
Sunday, Nov. 19
9:00-11:00 AM; 11:00 AM-12:30 PM; 12:30-2:30 PM;
3:00-4:30 PM; 5:00-6:30 PM
Monday, Nov. 20
9:00-11:00 AM; 11:00 AM-12:30 PM; 12:30-2:30 PM;
3:00-4:30 PM; 5:00-6:30 PM
Tuesday, Nov. 21
8:30-10:00 AM; 10:30 AM-12:00 PM
- Registration Schedule
11:00 AM–6:00 PM
Saturday, Nov. 18
8:00 AM–5:30 PM
Sunday, Nov. 19
8:00 AM–5:30 PM
Monday, Nov. 20
8:00 AM–5:30 PM
Tuesday, Nov. 21
8:00 AM-10:00 AM
- Exhibit Hall Schedule
- Saturday, Nov. 18
8:30 AM–5:30 PM
Sunday, Nov. 19
8:30 AM–5:30 PM
Monday, Nov. 20
8:30 AM–5:30 PM
Tuesday, Nov. 21
8:30 AM-12:00 PM
- Where will the sessions be held?
- The majority of the sessions will be held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center and attached Grand Hyatt Hotel. Because of other public events being held at the convention center at the same time as the 2023 Annual Meeting, we urge you to use the Lila Cockrell Theater entrance located at 900 E Market St, San Antonio, TX 78205. Sessions will also be held at the Hilton Palacio del Rio, Marriott Rivercenter, Marriott Riverwalk, and Westin Riverwalk hotels.
- What is the dress code?
- Annual Meeting attire is business casual. Comfortable shoes are a must! We recommend you dress in layers as temperatures in session rooms can vary.
- What arrangements are made for those with disabilities?
- AAR has information available here about Annual Meeting accessibility, and other commonly requested accommodations. For specific requests, or for more information, please contact Sandy Stevens at 404-727-7972 or at [email protected].
- Where are the lactation rooms located?
- Lactation rooms are available in the convention center and Grand Hyatt.
- Convention Center, Room 1212 (Street Level) – Long Lobby Corridor (Street level) and Room 2137 next to room 215 (Concourse level)
- Grand Hyatt, 3rd floor, Independence Room
- Where are the all-gender restrooms located?
- All-gender Restrooms are available in all meeting properties, with locations marked on the map available in the app.
- Convention Center - near Room 208
- Grand Hyatt - near Lone Star Ballroom
- Marriott Rivercenter - near conference room 20/21
- Marriott Riverwalk - Family restroom next to the other bathrooms
- Hilton Palacio del Rio Conference Center
- Hyatt Regency- Floor 1 in the Garden Terrace directly behind the elevators
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What are the Annual Meeting COVID protocols?
- We encourage testing prior to traveling and will offer refunds to those who test positive and are unable to attend. If you test positive, be sure to get in touch with [email protected].
- Free masks will be available at the registration and mobile app desks located in the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.
- If you need to test while in San Antonio, here is a list of nearby pharmacies that supply rapid Covid tests:
- Rivercenter Drug Store | Located in Shops at Rivercenter | 849 E Commerce St #383, San Antonio, TX 78205| Phone: (210) 688-4107 | 9 AM - 9 PM Monday - Saturday, 11 AM - 7 PM Sunday
- Timeout Drug Store | Located in Shops at Rivercenter | 849 E Commerce St #704, San Antonio, TX 78205 | Phone: (210) 530-4574 | 10 AM - 8 PM Monday - Thursday, 10 AM - 9 PM Friday & Saturday, 12 - 6 PM Sunday
- CVS | 211 Losoya St, San Antonio, TX 78205 | Phone: (210) 224-9293 | 7 AM - 12 AM daily
Registration
- When will registration close for the Annual Meeting?
- Registration will remain open through Tuesday, November 21 at 10 AM.
- Do I have to register online?
- Yes, registration must be completed online only. Phone registrations will not be accepted. On-site, in-person registrations will also be accepted.
- What are the registration fees?
- Onsite registration fees:
- Member: $500
- Student: $190
- Retired Member: $195
- Spouse/Partner: $360
- RSO: $555
- Non-Member: $945
- Daily rate: $265
- Exhibit Hall Only Pass: $55
- What is included in the registration fee?
- Registration fees include access to all sessions, except where an additional registration fee is noted (mostly pre-conference workshops). Meals, travel, transportation, workshops, tours, and housing are at your expense.
- What is the cancellation policy?
- Until July 27th, 2023 - All conference registration cancellations will be accepted and refunded in full until July 27th, or can be converted to a donation to the AAR/SBL
- From July 28th – Oct. 17th, 2023 – All conference registration cancellations will incur an administrative fee of $40; alternatively, the full amount can be converted to a donation to the AAR/SBL
- After Oct. 17th, 2023 – Refunds for conference registration cancellations will only be issued with a valid doctor’s excuse. A $40 administrative fee will be incurred.
- Please send meeting cancellation requests to[email protected]. There are no refunds for tours. Registrations, tours, or workshops cannot be switched to another person’s name. Proof of payment may be required. AAR reserves the right to cancel a tour if the minimum required attendance is not met. Hotel reservations may be added or changed within the registration system through October 17, 2023.
Housing
- How far are the hotels to the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center?
- All hotels in the AAR and SBL room block are within walking distance to the convention center, as well as many restaurants and shops. Click here to view a map of the Convention Center and the conference hotels.
- How do I reserve a hotel room in the Annual Meeting room block?
- At this time, all reservations made prior to October 19 have been sent to the respective hotels to be uploaded into their system. Hotels honoring the group rate will be listed on the AAR website. Modifications to hotel reservations should be made directly with the hotel after you’ve received your reservation confirmation from them.
- Why should I book my room through the Annual Meeting room block?
- SAVE MONEY $$ — The AAR and SBL hotel rate will be the LOWEST rate offered at each property during the Annual Meeting timeframe. Additionally, concessions have been included in the room rate, such as complimentary Internet.
- KEEP REGISTRATION RATES LOW – AAR and SBL have negotiated great rates at 13 different hotels, giving you a range of choices for prices and amenities. In exchange, we are able to negotiate a better rate for convention center meeting space and thus keep registration rates very affordable – much less expensive than other comparable events. For this reason, we ask that you please book your hotel rooms within the designated block in order to continue to keep future Annual Meetings affordable for all.
- NETWORK - By staying at the contracted hotels, you enhance your opportunities to meet with colleagues and share experiences and ideas.
- EARN REWARDS – If you are signed up for a particular hotel brand’s loyalty program, you still receive loyalty points and benefits by booking through AAR and SBL’s room block.
Membership
- I don’t remember my AAR Member ID.
- Your AAR Member ID is your email associated with your AAR membership. If you need assistance with finding your AAR Member ID, please contact [email protected] to reach the AAR Membership Department.
- I don’t remember the password to my member record. How do I reset my password?
- Visit www.aarweb.org, click the Sign In button at the top right, then click the Forgot password link to reset your password. If you need assistance with resetting your password, please contact the membership team at [email protected].
- Do I have to be a member of AAR to register?
- You do not need to be an AAR member to attend the Annual Meeting, though you will miss out on the discounted member registration rates. Note: Participants in the Annual Meeting must be registered for the meeting by July 28 per Program Committee policy in order to remain on the program. This is an almost universal practice amongst the ACLS organizations.
- How do I renew my membership so I can register for the Annual Meeting?
- How can I get a receipt for my Annual Meeting registration?
- A link to your registration receipt is in your confirmation email, which is automatically sent to the email you listed on your registration.
Program
- Are there options for virtual participation?
- There will not be virtual participation options. However, if the room has the appropriate AV set-up, there might be an option to show a pre-recorded video, or you can prepare remarks for someone to read. If you are unable to attend in-person, please reach out to the presider and program unit chairs, as soon as possible. For more questions, please reach out to [email protected].
- Do session participants have to be a member?
- Yes. If you are presenting (presider, panelist, paper presenter, respondent, or business meeting presider) in an AAR session, you must be a member of the AAR and registered for the Annual Meeting by July 28. If a presenter is not in the field of Religious Studies or Theology, the Program Unit Chair of the session can fill out a registration waiver form.
- How can I contact Program Unit Chairs?
- Contact information for chairs can be found by going to the Program Units page and clicking the specific Units and Seminars you wish to contact.
- How many sessions may a Program Unit have at the Annual Meeting?
- Depending on the Unit’s tier, it could be two to six sessions. Seminars have two 90-minute sessions; units may each receive one additional 2-hour session if they co-sponsor a session with another unit. Each Unit’s tier is listed under their Program Unit pages. Go to the Program Units page and select the Unit or Seminar you wish to see.
- When can I access this year’s Mobile App?
- This year’s Mobile App is currently available in the Apple App Store and Google Play under AARSBL23.
- How do I access the Online Program Book?
- The online program book can be found here.
- There was a misprint in the Online Program Book, who should I contact?
- Please email [email protected] and provide your name, institution, the misprint, and the session number (A#). Session numbers are found in the online Program Book.
- I want a Paper Program Book. Can I still get one?
- While we advise you to use the Online Program Book and the Annual Meeting Mobile App for the most up-to-date information, you will be able to pick up a physical program book at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.
- How do I confirm the AV set-up in the room where I am presenting?
- The presider of the session should be in touch with this information but if not, please reach out to [email protected].
Mobile App
- Can I use the app from 2021 or 2022?
- No. A new app is released each year. You may see other SBL/AAR apps in the app store, please download the current year version.
- How do I access the mobile app?
- Download the new app by searching SBL/AAR in the App Store (for Apple users) or Google Play (for Android users). Find AAR & SBL 2023 Annual Meetings and download.
- Can someone at the Annual Meeting help me navigate the app?
- Yes! We have a mobile app help desk that is staffed for the entire Annual Meeting. We will be located in the Convention Center. Visit us for any of your mobile app needs.
- What should I do after I download the app?
- Open the app, and navigate to the app login page by clicking “more” on the bottom right of the screen, then select, “Login Settings.” Then, enter your registration reference number and the last name with which you registered. Your registration reference number can be found in your in your registration confirmation email, or by following these instructions.
- What is the best way to navigate the mobile app?
- You can see a menu of options on the tab at the bottom of the app screen.
You can search for sessions by tapping “Search” and typing keywords into the search bar. The best way to peruse the program is by going to “Browse Sessions by Day.” on the home screen.
You can scroll through all the sessions each day by selecting the date located under the search bar. Use the filter option to further sort each day’s sessions.
- I don't understand the session page...
- To view details of sessions, tap the session. On the session page you can see all the information including abstracts, any full papers or handouts for the session (if the session opted to do this), participants, and locations. Below is an example of a session page.
- How often should I update the app?
- After logging into the mobile app with your information, you should check that the content on your app is most up-to-date. The SBL/AAR teams refresh the mobile content regularly, so our members have the timeliest information. To ensure that your app has the most current content, look for a Data Update Available bar at the top of your home page, and once the download passes 100%, tap the bar to update your app content each time the bar appears.
