2014 Sigma Xi Annual Meeting & International Research Conference

November 6-9, 2014
(Student events on Nov. 7-8)
Renaissance Glendale Hotel 
Glendale, Arizona USA

Travel Information

1. Delegate Arrival & Departure: All delegates should arrange their travel in order to be in attendance at the first session which is the Assembly of Delegates I. The first session begins at 8:00 a.m. Local Time on Thursday, November 6th. Please note: Thursday, Friday and Sunday morning sessions are scheduled for conducting the Society's business. Delegates must attend during these sessions to adequately represent their chapters at the Annual Meeting. The meeting ends at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 9.   
2. Booking Travel: Delegates are responsible for booking their travel to/from the meeting. Delegates may use Sigma Xi's authorized travel agency to book travel online. Further travel information will be sent to delegates via e-mail within 3 business days after online registration has been completed. Delegates are unable to book travel via the agency until after online registration has been received. Registration opens on August 1st.
3. Travel Support for Designated (Voting) Delegates: Sigma Xi will pay the travel to/from the Annual Meeting for all Designated Delegates. See Eligibility and Restrictions below. For delegates making their own travel arrangements, reimbursement forms are available online (see below) and on-site at the meeting registration desk. Delegates are responsible for all other expenses including lodging, rental car and associated expenses, tolls, taxi, airport shuttle, parking fees, meals, registration fees, guests, etc.
4. Eligibility for Travel Support: The principal reason for paying travel costs is to ensure widespread participation by chapters in the Society's Annual Meeting. As voted by the 1996 Assembly of Delegates, subsidy paid for travel to the annual meeting by one delegate from each chapter in good standing: "shall be by the most economic means practicable and shall not exceed the round-trip coach fare on any scheduled airline between the airport nearest the home of the delegate and the site of the Annual Meeting. It shall not, in any case, exceed the cheapest air coach fare from the farthest point in North America (including Hawaii). Travel subsidy should not be withheld for a delegate from a chapter that meets all requirements for Good Standing except for the requirement of Bylaws III, 1 B (c)."
5. Travel Restrictions: Travel by the most economical means practicable is currently based on 21-day advance purchase, round-trip, non-refundable fares. Travel costs will be paid only for Designated Delegates who include a Saturday night stay-over in their travel arrangements. Pro-rating of travel based on the proportion of the Annual Meeting attended cannot be authorized. If more than one representative from a chapter attends, only the Designated Delegate's travel costs will be paid by the Society. Chapters may arrange for travel support to be shared among their representatives.
6. Travel Agency: Delegates may choose to book their travel through Sigma Xi's authorized online travel agency. Delegates are unable to book travel via the agency until after online registration has been received. Each delegate's name (as it appears on their driver's license or passport) and e-mail address are required by the travel agency. Specific travel agency instructions will be provided via e-mail within 3 business days after online registration has been completed. The agency will direct bill your most economical airfare to Sigma Xi. If your driver's license/passport name is not provided during online registraton then travel cannot be arranged through the agency. Registration opens on August 1st.
7. Air Travel: Special discounts may be available if reservations are made between 60 and 30 days in advance. Delegates are encouraged to make their airline reservations as far in advance as possible to take advantage of these special discounts. The cost of travel to and from, or parking at, the airport nearest the home of the delegate is not reimbursed by Sigma Xi.
8. Automobile Travel: Delegates who wish to travel by automobile will be reimbursed for mileage only at the government rate as of the meeting dates. The reimbursement will be up to but not exceeding the amount equivalent to a round-trip airfare as described in the Air Travel section above. Car rental fees, tolls, fuel, parking fees or other expenses associated with automobile travel are not paid by Sigma Xi.
9. Train Travel: Delegates who wish to travel by train will be reimbursed up to but not exceeding the amount equivalent to a round-trip airfare as described in the Air Travel section above. The cost of travel to and from, or parking at, the train station is not reimbursed by Sigma Xi.
10. Travel Cancellation Policy: If a delegate has to cancel their attendance to the annual meeting then notification must be sent to the Sigma Xi offices. If a delegate is unable to use travel arrangements that have already been paid by Sigma Xi then the delegate has two options:
    1. The delegate can travel, as the delegate from their chapter, to the next annual meeting. The delegate is responsible for contacting the appropriate travel or airline agency in order to make the required changes so that a new ticket can be issued under the delegate's name. The delegate is also responsible for paying all change fees and penalties associated with the new ticket. Sigma Xi will ONLY pay the difference in the travel cost between the two cities. Choosing this option does not require the delegate to reimburse Sigma Xi for the cost of the ticket, but only to pay ALL change fees and penalties in order to attend the next meeting.

       OR

    2. The delegate must reimburse Sigma Xi for the cost of the ticket and may then use the ticket for personal travel.
11. Ground Transportation: Each registrant is responsible for securing and paying for his/her own ground transportation to/from the hotel and/or airport. Estimated driving distance between the airport and hotel is approximately 20 miles.

     
    Taxi Fare: Estimated US$55.00 (one-way)
    Super Shuttle or 602-244-9000
    Zetian Limousine or 623-444-5050

12. Bus Transportation on Sunday: Sigma Xi will arrange for buses to take attendees from the hotel to the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) immediately following the conclusion of the final Assembly of Delegates on Sunday morning. A ticket will be required to board the bus and may be purchased during online registration. The Bus Ticket cost is US$15 each.
13. Supplemental Expenses: Designated Delegates are responsible for all other expenses such as lodging, rental car and associated expenses, tolls, taxi, airport shuttle, parking fees, meals, registration fees, guests, etc.
14. Reimbursement Form: For those delegates who chose not to book their travel through the Sigma Xi travel agency, a Delegate Reimbursement Form is available to download as a text, Word or PDF document. Forms will also be available at the registration desk of the Annual Meeting. Please see the 'Eligibility for Travel Support' section for restrictions. Completed reimbursement forms and any supporting receipts must be returned to the Sigma Xi offices no later than December 15th. Mailing address: Sigma Xi, Attn: Jasmine Shah, P.O. Box 13982, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.

Hotel Information

1. Meeting Location: The Sigma Xi meeting will be held at the Renaissance Glendale Hotel, Glendale, Arizona USA.
2. Hotel Accommodations: The Renaissance Glendale Hotel is the host hotel for the conference. The hotel is a non-smoking facility. The hotel address is 9495 West Coyotes Boulevard, Glendale, Arizona, 85305 USA.
3. Hotel Reservations: Make your hotel reservation online today! Each delegate is responsible for securing and paying for his/her own hotel accommodations. Reservations received after the cut-off date will be accepted only on a space availability basis, and may be at the hotel's prevailing rates. All reservations must be accompanied by a first night room deposit plus tax or guaranteed with a major credit card. The hotel will not hold any reservation unless secured by a room deposit or credit card. You may also call the hotel directly at 623-937-3700 then ask for 'Reservations'.
4. Hotel Reservation Deadline: Saturday, October 4, 2014 - Reservations made after the deadline are subject to the hotel's availability and prevailing rates.
5. Hotel Room Rate: $169.00 + tax for Single/Double or Triple/Quad occupancy per night. Room rates are subject to any applicable taxes that are in effect at the time of check-in. The group rate expires with the reservation deadline.
6. Hotel Arrival & Departure: Check-in after 4:00 p.m. Check-out is 11:00 a.m.
7. Hotel Internet Access: Internet access is complimentary in your guest room and in the hotel lobby. The hotel does not provide complimentary Internet access in any other area of the complex.
8. Hotel Business Center: Attendees may also make use of the hotel's full service Business Center for copying, printing, faxing, computer use, internet access and shipping services. Please see the hotel's web site for details on cost and services.
9. Hotel Parking: On-site, self parking at the hotel is $4 for the first hour then $1 for each additional hour. Hotel valet parking is $15/day. Sigma Xi cannot validate parking.
10. Room Sharing: If you want information on sharing a hotel room, please e-mail meeting@sigmaxi.org or call 800-243-6534 or 919-549-4691 ext. 236. Please provide the dates of your check-in/check-out at the hotel. Sigma Xi will maintain a list of registrants interested in sharing a room at the conference hotel with another registrant to help minimize costs. While Sigma Xi will not make the actual room assignments or reservations, it will facilitate contact between interested parties.