At the suggestion of my director, I found myself on an airplane on May 5, 1996, heading to Nashville to loin other CUMREC members for three days of information sharing and recreation. This was to be the first conference I had attended alone and I was a bit uncertain. However, my mentor contacted me before the conference and asked if I could join her in social activities prior to the First-time Attendee Reception on Sunday. Although our schedules didn't mesh and we couldn't meet until the Reception, I was secure knowing I wouldn't feel lost at the conference.

Opryland was a beautiful location for the event and though it was rainy through much of the conference, I stayed dry and had fun when CUMREC wasn't keeping me busy. The inner area of the complex was much like a greenhouse, and the cascades and tropical gardens pro- vided a peaceful place to unwind and talk to colleagues. The CUMREC social activities were a perfect end to each day. During line dancing on Sunday night, the dinner cruise on the General jackson on Monday night, and the "Southern Elegance" dinner dance on Tuesday, I took the opportunity to network with others in my field who shared the same professional interests.

As I attended sessions, I felt the presenters had planned the information sessions just for me, knowing in reality many institutions are coming to grips with the same key issues. It was some- times hard to choose which presentation to attend. Although many members probably stayed with a particular track, I jumped around finding much to meet my needs.

I joined the CUMREC-L discussion list shortly after I came to work at Johns Hopkins University. Reading replies and comments from CUMREC members, I found answers to questions raised in our department. One of the addi- tional benefits of attending the conference was putting people's faces with those names I'd read on CUMREC-L. Suggestions and offers of help became more real when I met the colleague from over 300 miles away who had welcomed me to visit and study their new Student Informa- tion System, and another who had offered information to help solve a different problem.

The Internet is a great source of information and support, but nothing can surpass the human contact and face-to-face communication a CUMREC conference offers.



Contributed by: Rita Baker Academic Systems Administrator Johns Hopkins University






Let me introduce myself, my name is Dan Westenhoefer of Guelph, Ontario, and I was a participant in the CUMREC '96 Companion Program. This is my second year on the companion tour. It was very nice to meet and talk with both new and returning participants of the companion tour.

While Susan, my wife, attended the regular conference, we were scheduled to enloy Nashville beyond the Opryland Hotel. Our spirits were dampened (pun intended) Monday when the scheduled trip to the jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg was called off due to rain. During a bus tour of Nashville, the guide made the best of the situation. We enjoyed conversation while seeing some of the local sites. Star homes, the grand sites of the Music City and other locations were available for viewing through the rain-streaked windows of the bus. Luckily, it cleared for the General Jackson showboat.

The weather was very cooperative on the second day. In the morning we visited the Bellemeade Plantation and had an entertaining guided tour of the mansion. Everybody enjoyed a mint julep on the veranda. How southern! A trip downtown to the Hard Rock Cafe and part of a show at the Wild Horse Saloon showcased the afternoon. We returned to the hotel and received a special surprise gift: a big basket of goodies, including treats from the jack Daniels Distillery, items. Somehow t~oLigIi,~ quickly became 'our' basket when I returned to the hotel room.

I am looking forward to the next CUMREC companion tour in St. Louis. I hope to see other returning companions again and meet new friends on future tours. I wonder, does St. Louis have rain in May?


Submitted by: Dan Westenhoefer, husband/companion of Susan Westenhoefer Ontario Universities' Application Centre Guelph, Ontario , Canada