Beating the Costs of Meetings

Frank Sottile
University of Wisconsin
Madison Wisconsin, 53706
sottile@math.wisc.edu

 Originally appeared  as Item #5 in 

            *Concerns of Young Mathematicians*
                    Volume 3,  Issue 1
                       Jan. 11, 1995


   We all recognize the value in attending mathematics meetings.
Unfortunately, attending these meetings is often costly, and you may not
have access to travel money.  I see four main expenses: registration fees,
travel, food, and lodging.

   Registration fees are often either negligible or may be waived if you
write an organizer.  An exception for this is a large meeting of a
professional society, such as the AMS.  In any event, they are often fixed.
The cost of travel is also largely fixed, although some airlines offer
student discounts. Some meetings are inconveniently located and you may feel
a need to rent a car.  Here, you can often rely upon the goodwill of others,
and organizers often arrange some (often inadequate or inconvenient) local
transportation.  It is hard to control the cost of food, since much
important socializing occurs at meals, and this is one of the main reasons
for attending a conference.  When not doing such socializing, I don't eat at
a restaurant.  A sandwich counter or fast-food stand is an acceptable
alternative when I am with other young people.  When eating alone, I prefer
to graze at a grocery store (if available).

   Lodging is perhaps the biggest expense under your control.  Big meetings
are often in fairly expensive hotels.  My room at a conference is primarily
a place to sleep and shower, and there are usually cheaper places than the
conference hotel.  At the 1994 winter meeting of the Canadian Mathematical
Society in Montreal, I stayed in the Montreal youth hostel for $18/night.
The dormitory accommodations were fine for me, and I saved quite a bit as
the hotel was $100 ($50 if I had found someone to share a room).  Besides
the Youth hostel, there was also a YMCA at $30 for a single room.

   While the Montreal hostel was two subway stops from the conference hotel,
for the 1995 Joint winter meetings, a San Francisco youth hostel was across
the street from the Hilton.  The $34 room that I shared with my wife was
adequate for our needs, and about 1/2 the price of the cheapest AMS
alternative.  While I did not investigate, there were other places
intermediate between the Youth hostel and the hotels offered through the AMS
in both price and comfort.  These could be arranged by phone, or (now, in
1998) via the Internet.  While such Spartan accommodations are not for
everyone, not everyone needs luxury accommodations at a conference.

   If anyone has a suggestion or tip on beating the cost of attending
meetings, feel free to share it with the readers of this newsletter.

   (1998 update: It is worth noting that since this article appeared, the
AMS has begun listing cheaper alternative accommodations for the Joint
meetings.)