Frequently Asked Questions

General

Why will the 2020 Annual Meetings be online?
The 2020 Annual Meetings hosted by AAR and SBL will be online because both organizations have determined that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot safely conduct an in-person meeting this year. The health, safety, and well-being of members is of paramount importance to us. We are mindful that some of our members are at high risk for significant health effects from the virus. In addition, global travel remains heavily restricted, and some areas of the United States, including Massachusetts, are requiring a quarantine period when traveling into the state. We also carry a concern for the city of Boston and its inhabitants and how a meeting as large as our Annual Meetings could impact them during this uncertain time.

When will the online Annual Meeting take place, and what are the plans for it?
The online 2020 Annual Meetings will take place November 29 to December 10, lasting for a longer period than the typical in-person meeting in order to accommodate paper presentations and time zones. We are committed to providing stimulating scholarly exchange, professional development, exhibitions of the latest publications and resources, and ways to network with colleagues old and new. At the same time, we are excited for the new opportunities that come with an online meeting such as making it more broadly available to scholars across the globe and incorporating technology to improve accessibility for differently-abled members.

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.

How much is registration for the online Annual Meeting?
The registration fee for the online Annual Meetings will be 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.

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.

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.

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.

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 will I know when my session will be?
The final program information will be available online by October 1.

When can I access this year’s Mobile App?
The Mobile App is usually released at least two weeks prior to the Annual Meeting and can be found in the App Store and Google Play.