AIL: Forum Specials Guidelines

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In 1967, The Forum presented the first of many Forum Special programs. These events are generated and sponsored by a campus organization, office or department that would like the programming and logistical support of The Forum. Because these collaborative programs are planned on a far shorter timetable than formal Forum events, Forum Specials may take advantage of unexpected opportunities, center on current issues in the news, or prepare for formal Forum programs to come. 

Forum Specials have included public presentations by guests invited to campus for academic conferences; The Chomsky Seminar (history department), a series of seminars in advance of Noam Chomsky’s Forum lecture; the first ten seasons of the Ann Devroy Memorial Forum (communication and journalism department), an annual lecture featuring a prominent journalist associated with the Washington Post White House correspondent and UW-Eau Claire graduate; public presentations by UW-Eau Claire faculty; university-community panel discussions; poetry readings and theater presentations; and lectures by political candidates.

Funding for Forum Specials comes from a specially designated segment of The Forum program budget. The amount of the Specials program budget is determined at the beginning of each year by The Forum Committee. The Committee also designates segments of the production and promotion budgets for Forum Special expenses.

Forum Specials are selected by The Forum Committee, which must approve each program by majority vote. 
Campus representatives seeking Forum Special status for an event will submit program details to the Forum Committee, through its Executive Secretary, at least eight weeks before the program.

SPONSOR RESPONSIBILITIES    

The sponsoring group will deliver the following to the Executive Secretary at least six weeks before the program:
  • The program’s title
  • A list of all co-sponsoring groups
  • A print-resolution photograph of the speaker
  • Biographical information about the speaker (background, education, degrees earned, publications, specific information pertinent to the subject of the Special)

FORUM RESPONSIBILITIES

The Forum is responsible for the following promotional and production aspects of Forum Specials:
  • Room reservations
  • Ticket printing
  • Press release and/or Web page
  • Poster production and distribution
  • Technical arrangements
  • Printed program production
  • Usher corps at the event
  • Reception arrangements

Please contact the coordinator of the Artists Series and Forum in the Activities, Involvement & Leadership Office at 715-836-2787.