Frequently Asked Questions

Need an answer to a question not covered in our FAQs? The AAR helpdesk email will be answered from 9:00 AM EST to 5:30 PM EST on November 30, December 1 to 3, and December 7 to 10. Please note: If you are experiencing technical difficulties with the virtual platform—when submitting your email, include a screenshot and note whether you're using the mobile app or the desktop planner and, if it's the latter, the browser you're using.

General

  • How do I join sessions at the Virtual Annual Meeting?
    Our step-by-step guide walks you through accessing the virtual platform for the first time. You can also find answers to other common questions about attending sessions on our attendee FAQ page. To join sessions, you will need to be a registered attendee. Not registered yet? You can sign up here.

  • What are the plans for the 2021 Annual Meeting?
    The AAR is currently planning an in-person Annual Meeting in 2021. The meeting is set for November 20-23 in San Antonio, Texas. You can view a list of dates and host cities for future Annual Meetings.

Registration

  • How much is registration for the online Annual Meeting?
    The registration fee for the online Annual Meetings is the same as the early-bird rate for the in-person meeting ($200 for professional members, $80 for students and retired members). Note that this rate will not increase. Registration is currently open for the online Annual Meetings and you can register online (registration cannot be accepted by phone).

  • Are there any registration discounts?
    Yes. Student members and retired AAR members pay a discounted registration rate of $80.

  • If I had already registered for Boston, what do I need to do?
    In a word, nothing. Your registration will automatically be good for the online Annual Meeting. If you wish to cancel your registration, you may do so without any cancellation fee through October 21.

  • What is included in the registration fee?
    Registration fees include access to all sessions and the virtual exhibits, except where an additional registration fee is noted (mostly pre-conference workshops).

  • Why is the registration fee for online Annual Meeting the same as the registration fee for the in-person meeting?
    The registration fee ($200 for professional members, $80 for students and retired members) helps to offset a portion of the substantial costs that come with producing an Annual Meeting of this size, even an online one. Such costs include the online platforms that will host numerous sessions and exhibits, the development of the mobile and desktop apps that will deliver and manage the content, the staff who plan the logistics of the Annual Meeting, and the necessity of hiring additional support to ensure that many sessions run as smoothly as possible in an environment that will be unlike any previous Annual Meeting. The revenue of the Annual Meeting also helps fund the mission and work of your AAR year-round. We hope that, since the registration fee is a relatively small portion of the total cost (travel, lodging, etc.) of the typical in-person meeting, registrants will see a significant overall cost reduction for participating in the 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.

  • What is the registration cancellation policy?
    Registration fees will be 100 percent refundable with no cancellation charge if you cancel before October 21, 2020. Registration refunds must be requested in writing to reg@aarweb.org.

Housing

  • I booked a hotel room when I registered for the Boston Annual Meetings. What do I need to do?
    If you reserved for a hotel room through the AAR Annual Meeting registration process, your hotel reservation has already been cancelled; there is nothing you need to do at this time. If you booked a hotel independently (i.e., not as a part of your AAR registration), you will need to cancel on your own.

Membership

  • I don’t remember my AAR Member ID.
    Your new AAR Member ID is your email associated with your AAR membership. If you did not receive information on your new membership ID, contact the AAR Membership Department.

  • Why do I have to be a member of AAR to register?
    You don’t need to be an AAR member to attend the Annual Meeting, though you will miss out on the discounted member registration rates.

  • How do I renew my membership so I can register for the Annual Meeting?
    You can renew online.

Venue and Schedule

Annual Meeting Schedule

  • Session Schedule
    A full schedule can be found in the Online Program Book and the Virtual Meeting Planner.
    • November 29 — Workshops
    • November 30 to December 3 — AAR, SBL, Affiliates, and Other Event sessions
      • Most AAR sessions are held in three time slots:
        • 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM EST (UTC-5)
        • 1:45 PM – 3:15 PM EST (UTC-5)
        • 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM EST (UTC-5)
    • December 6 — Special programming
    • December 7 to December 10 — AAR, SBL, Affiliates, and Other Event sessions
      • Most AAR sessions are held in three time slots:
        • 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM EST (UTC-5)
        • 1:45 PM – 3:15 PM EST (UTC-5)
        • 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM EST (UTC-5)
  • Publisher Spotlight Schedule — November 29 to December 10
    The Publisher Spotlight allows you to see all the publishers that have chosen to participate in the Virtual Annual Meeting. By clicking on a publisher, you can see links to their webpages, uploaded catalogs, coupon codes for attendees, and sessions that they are hosting featuring their authors, new releases, and meetings with acquisition editors.
  • What arrangements are made for those with disabilities?
    AAR has information available about Annual Meeting accessibility. For specific requests, or for more information, please contact annualmeeting@aarweb.org.

Program

  • My paper was accepted for the Boston Annual Meeting. What does that mean for me?
    While the specifics of some session plans may shift in the coming weeks, we are committed to finding a place for every accepted paper to be presented as a part of the online Annual Meeting. Please watch for communication from the Program Unit Chairs as well as from the AAR Scholarly Engagement staff.

  • 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.

  • How can I contact Program Unit Chairs?
    Contact information for chairs can be found by going to the Program Units page, selecting Units or Seminars, and clicking the specific Units and Seminars you wish to contact.

  • How many sessions may a Program Unit have at the Annual Meeting?
    Dependent on the Unit’s tier, it could be one to eight sessions of varying length. Seminars have one 2.5-hour session or two 90-minute sessions; units may each receive one additional session if they co-sponsor a session with another unit.

  • There was a misprint in the Online Program Book, who should I contact?
    Please email annualmeeting@aarweb.org and provide your name, institution, the misprint, and the session number (A#). Session numbers are found in the online Program Book.

  • When can I access this year’s Mobile App?
    The AAR & SBL 2020 Annual Meetings mobile app is available in the App Store and on Google Play. Problems installing from Google Play or trying to install on your Kindle Fire? Download the app directly.