OUR CHANGING GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT

Scientists and Engineers Designing Solutions for the Future

November 14–17, 2019
Monona Terrace Convention Center
Madison, Wisconsin
USA

Travel Information

1. Delegate Arrival & Departure: There will be a chapter development workshop and delegate orientation prior to the first assembly. Please plan to arrive prior by 10:00 am on Thursday November 14. The caucuses will follow after the first assembly and the second assembly will take place on Thursday. Please note: Saturday, November 16, there will be Chapter Delegate development workshop sessions throughout the day. Delegates are encouraged to attend these sessions to adequately represent their chapters at the Annual Meeting. The meeting will conclude Sunday, November 17, with the first Sigma Xi STEM Art and Film Festival. The festival is free admission and open to the public.  
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 three business days after online registration has been completed. Delegates are unable to book travel via the agency until after online registration has been received.
3. Travel Support for Designated (Voting) Delegates: Sigma Xi will offer up to a $400 subsidy to support the cost of travel to/from the Annual Meeting for all Designated Delegates. Reimbursement forms are available before the meeting as well as onsite at the meeting registration desk for those who do not book travel through the Sigma Xi travel agency. 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. Travel Restrictions:Travel by the most economical means available is currently based on 21-day advance purchase, round-trip, non-refundable fares. Travel costs will be paid only for Designated Delegates. 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.
5. Travel Agency: 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 registration then travel cannot be arranged through the agency.
6. Non-Reimbursable Expenses: The cost of travel to and from, or parking at, the airport nearest the home of the delegate is not reimbursed by Sigma Xi.
7. Automobile Travel: Designated delegates who wish to travel by automobile will be reimbursed from the $400 subsidy for mileage only at the government rate as of the meeting dates. Car rental fees, tolls, fuel, parking fees or other expenses associated with automobile travel are not paid by Sigma Xi.
8. Train Travel: Designated delegates who wish to travel by train will be reimbursed from the $400 subsidy for train travel, however the cost of travel to and from, or parking at, the train station is not reimbursed by Sigma Xi.
9. 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.
10. 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 Dane Regional County Airport and the Hilton Madison Monona Terrace, which connects with the Monona Terrace Convention Center, is six miles. Taxi Fare: Estimated US$24.00 (one-way).There is complimentary airport shuttle to and from Dane County Airport from the Hilton Madison Monona Terrace Hotel from 7 a.m.–10 p.m. Another complimentary airport shuttle runs 24 hours a day from the Best Western Park Hotel (hotel details are below, see “Hotel Information.”
11. 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.
12. 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 4. Mailing address: Sigma Xi, Attn: Michelle Taber, P.O. Box 13982, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.
13. Cancellation: Registration cancellations must be received in writing by October 15, 2019. No refunds will be made for cancellations received after this date. Refunds are subject to a $50.00 processing fee and will be issued no sooner than 4 weeks after the meeting. Written cancellations may be sent via e-mail to finance@sigmaxi.org.

Hotel Information

1. Meeting Location: The Sigma Xi meeting will be held at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison, Wisconsin.
   
   
2. Hotel Accommodations:The Hilton Madison Monona Terrace is the conference hotel and connects to the convention center, The address is 9 East Wilson St, Madison, Wisconsin. A second hotel room block is available only for Friday, November 15–Saturday, November 16, at the Best Western Park Hotel at 22 S. Carroll St, Madison, Wisconsin. The Best Western Park Hotel is located one mile from the Monona Terrace Convention Center and six miles from the Dane County Regional Airport.
   
   
3. Hotel Reservations:  Each delegate is responsible for securing and paying for his/her own hotel accommodations. Reservations received after the cut-off dates (see next section for dates) 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 call the Hilton Madison Monona Terrace hotel directly at (608) 251-4550, and then ask for Reservations. Book a room for the Sigma Xi group rate at the Hilton Madison Monona Terrace.  You may call the Best Western Park Hotel at (608) 285-8000.
   
   
4. Hotel Reservation Deadline:  The deadline to reserve a room at the Best Western Park Hotel with the group rate was October 12, 2019. The deadline to reserve a room at the Hilton Madison Monona Terrace to get the group rate has been extended to October 20, based on availability. Reservations made after the deadline are subject to the hotel's availability and prevailing rates.
   
   
5. Hotel Room Rates:

   Hilton Madison Monona Terrace: US $163.00 + tax for Single/Double and US$163.00 + tax for Triple/Quad occupancy per night. Book now!

   Best Western Park Hotel (November 15–16, 2019, only): Starting at $189.00 + tax for standard rooms. Book now!

   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:

   Hilton Madison Monona Terrace: Check-in after 3:00 p.m. Check-out is 12:00 noon.
   Best Western Park Hotel: Check-in after 3:00 p.m. Check-out is 12:00 noon.

7. Hotel Internet Access: Internet access is complimentary in your guest room. The hotel does not provide complimentary Internet access in any other area of the complex. 
   
   
8. Hotel Parking: On-site, hotel valet parking is US$20/day and self-park is $17.00. Sigma Xi cannot validate parking.