FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs) - CONGRESS 2009

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Q. Who organizes the Congress?
A. The Congress is organized by the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences (CFHSS) and it is hosted by a different university across Canada each year.
   
Q. How do I register for the Congress?
A.

There are four ways to register for the Congress: Online, mail, fax or on‐site.

How to register online?
On the Congress website, click on "Registration" and then click on "Register". If you registered last year, click on "Returning user? Log-in now" you can use the same username and password and click on "Register for Congress" or create a new username and password and complete the form.

How to register by mail?
Complete the Registration Form in the Registration Guide, which was mailed out in January and is also available online and mail the form with payment prior to May 15, to CFHSS, 415 ‐ 151 Slater, Ottawa, ON, K1P 5H3. If you are paying by cheque, do not send the form by fax, we cannot process registrations without payment.

How to register by fax?
Complete the Registration Form in the Registration Guide, which was mailed out in January and is also available online and send it by fax with credit card information prior to May 15, to the Congress Secretariat, CFHSS, 613‐236‐4853. When registering by fax do not send form by mail.

Important:
Incomplete Registration Forms or forms sent without payment by mail or fax will cause a delay in processing your registration. All delegates must pay the Congress fee and the Association's meeting fee to attend or participate at Congress.

We do not send invoices, full payment must accompany all registration forms.

How to register on‐site?
On‐site registration will be located in the Fieldhouse at Carleton University as of May 22 - 31.
The hours of operation will be:
May 22 - 9:30 to 19:00
May 23 to 26 - 7:30 to 19:00
May 27 to 30 - 7:30 to 18:00
May 31 - 7:30 to 13:00

   
Q. When does registration begin?
A. Mid‐January 2009.
   
Q. When is the early registration deadline?
A. March 31, 2009
   
Q. What is the benefit of registering before March 31st?
A. A. Congress fees increase as of April 1 and again on‐site (see Registration form in the Guide).
   
Q. Is there a deadline to register?
A. The deadline to register by mail or fax is May 15 and you can only register online until May 20, since the Secretariat will be moving the registration system to Carleton University. On‐site registration will begin as of May 22.
   
Q. What is my username and password?
A. If you registered last year, go to the registration link and click on "Returning user? Log-in now." and click on "Forgot your log-in information?" If you are unable to retrieve your username and password, you can create a new username and password.
   
Q. What are the registration fees?
A. The fees are listed in the Registration Guide, which was mailed out in mid‐January and is also available on the Congress website. The Congress registration fees are listed on the Registration Form in the guide on page 28 (early, late and on‐site fees) and association meeting fees (listed on pages 19‐21 in the guide) vary depending on the category, retired, student, unwaged, postdoc or regular delegate (i.e. university professor, self employed, teacher, government employee etc.). The payment of Congress fees is compulsory for all delegates including speakers, presenters, panelists and session chairs and attendants. All delegates are required to indicate an association name and meeting fee on the form. This is not your membership fee, it is a meeting fee to participate at Congress.
   
Q. What is the difference between the general Congress registration fees and the Association meeting fees?
A. The Congress Registration fees go toward the costs associated with planning and organizing the Congress. The Association meeting fees are collected by the Federation (CFHSS), on behalf of the associations, to go toward the costs associated with planning their meetings or sessions at Congress.
   
Q. I have already paid my association membership fee. Do I still have to pay the association meeting fee?
A. All delegates are required to pay the association meeting fee to attend or participate in the association's sessions at Congress. The meeting fee is not your membership fee. The meeting fees are collected by the Federation on behalf of the association's at Congress and the membership fee you have either already paid to your association or will pay directly to your association, the two fees are separate. Membership fees are not usually collected at Congress, you can contact your association concerning your membership fees.
   
Q. How do I check my association membership status?
A. You should contact the association.
   
Q. Do I have to be a member of an association to participate at Congress?
A. You can register for the Congress as a non‐member of an association to attend sessions. However, if you are presenting at Congress or if you wish to become a member, you should contact your association, prior to registering.
   
Q. What are the payment options?
A.

The methods of payment are VISA, MasterCard, AMEX, Cheque (no cheques on‐site), added on site registrants may pay by Cash (Canadian funds only) and Interac. Registrations sent electronically or by fax must include a valid credit card number. Registrations sent by mail must include full payment by credit card, money order or cheque (Canadian funds only, made out to Congress 2009; no posted‐dated cheques).

A $25 administration fee will be charged in cases of insufficient funds or invalid credit card numbers.

   
Q. Problems registering?
A. It could be a number of issues, including an incomplete form (i.e. association meeting fee missing, incorrect credit card information, etc.) or a browser issue with your computer. If it is a browser issue, your computer may have to be updated or you may have to register from another computer. If the problem persists, send an email to congress@fedcan.ca.
   
Q. How do I verify my registration, make changes or add another association meeting fee?
A. Return to the online registration system and go to "Returning user?". Click on "Log‐in now" and enter your username and password and make the necessary changes or additions to your account.
   
Q. How do I cancel my registration and obtain a refund?
A. Return to the online registration system and go to "Returning user?". Click on "Log‐in now" and enter your username and password. Click on "Refund request" or simply send an email to
congress@fedcan.ca.
   
Q. What is the cancellation policy?
A. Cancellations will be accepted until April 15, 2009, subject to a $20 processing fee. No refunds will be possible after this date.
   
Q. What if I have special needs?
A. If you have a special need, please indicate so when prompted on your registration form. The host University will contact you prior to the Congress to make any necessary arrangements. We also recommend that you inform your association.
   
Q. I can't come to Congress, but a colleague wants to take my place. What should he/she do?
A. If your colleague brings a signed letter or email from you, we can change the name on the name tag and receipt.
   
Q. When and where do I get my receipt and name badge?
A. All delegates will receive a delegate's bag, receipt and name badge on site at the registration area in the Fieldhouse at Carleton University.
   
Q. Can a colleague pick‐up my name badge and receipt?
A. If your colleague brings a signed note or email from you, we will give them your name badge and receipt.
   
Q. How do I register as a community participant?
A. You can only register as a community participant on‐site in the Fieldhouse at Carleton as of May 23.
   
Q. Can I register as a community participant if I am presenting a paper?
A. If you are presenting a paper you cannot register as a community participant, you have to register with the Congress and pay the registration fee, as well as, the association's meeting fee.
   
Q. Who can register as a community participant?
A. Members of the community can attend any events that are open to the public, such as, Breakfast on Campus, the Book Fair, the Federation's annual Research in Society Lectures, as well as a number of sessions and keynote addresses planned by individual member associations and are open to the public.
   
Q. What is the cost to register as a community participant?
A. Community participant passes are available for purchase on‐site at $15 a day. There are a limited number of day passes offered for each day of Congress, exclusively at the Congress registration desks in the Fieldhouse at Carleton University as of May 23‐31. Day passes may not be reserved in advance; however, day passes may be purchased for advance days. Please check the website before traveling to campus to ensure that passes for your desired day(s) are available. For admittance to the Book Fair, no day pass is required.
   
Q. Is there a list available of events that are open to the public?
A. The Guide can be obtained at the registration site in the Fieldhouse at Carleton University and will also be made available online during Congress.
   
Q. How do I register as an international delegate?
A. Every year, the Congress attracts a considerable number of delegates and guest speakers from around the world. However, before you register, please be sure to check if a visa is required for entry to Canada. Citizenship and Immigration Canada provides a list of countries for which visa restrictions apply, as well as all other pertinent information you may require before making any travel plans. Give yourself plenty of time as the entire application process can take several months! Once this process is complete you can register for the Congress.
   
Q. Can the Congress provide a letter to international delegate to participate at Congress?
A. Please also note that the registration confirmation you receive from the Federation/Congress does not represent an invitation to attend the Congress for visa purposes. If you have indeed been invited by one of the participating associations, please contact them directly to ask if they can provide an official letter. The Federation is unable to send letters of confirmation of any kind other than the registration confirmation automatically generated and sent, by email only, once your payment has been processed.