CUMREC '97 -
The Promise of St. Louis

alberghi Bojnice b&bDuring a freezing cold weekend in January, the annual CUMREC Confer- ence planning meeting was held. Every year at this time the Board of Direc- tors meets with the conference host committee to preview the conference and finalize plans and budgets. This year we met in the Adam's Mark Hotel in St. Louis, the site of CUMREC'97. While the weather was cold, the host committee was very warm and hospitable, a sample of the reception you can expect when you attend CUMREC'97. Conference General Chair Elliott Haugen and his staff have things well in hand. Most importantly, the presenta- tions this year will be as outstanding as you've come to expect from CUMREC. There are plans for seven tracks, including papers on "The Great Migration Partnership Solutions Scanning the Technologi- cal Frontier," and "Webolution" - guess what that's about!! We'll be hearing from the University of Maryland regarding "A Web-based Convenience Store God's Gift to the Web" from the University of Florida, and "True Partnerships" from Rider University and Bell Atlantic. Baylor University will talk about dancing and voice registration - now that's an interesting connection - and there will be a course in WEB I 0 1 offered by the University of Minnesota - who better to teach that! The folks from the University of St. Louis will also be giving us a chance to meet with some vendors in presentation settings and corporate roundtables. Of course, the vendor area will provide an opportunity to catch up on a new technology, or to see a piece of hardware or software you've heard so much about.

Perhaps the most exciting change to the program format will be the addition of special Wednesday morning sessions. These four extra long sessions will cover timely topics like "Beyond FERPA: Keeping Student Information Private in a Networked World," and "Financial Information Systems: Taking a Strategic Approach." We're betting that you will want to stay well past the end of the conference to talk with your colleagues about CUMREC '97. Look for more complete information regarding the program on CUMREC-L and our homepage. The Adam's Mark Hotel is great. It's a very comfortable, well maintained, first class hotel located right across the street from a park and St. Louis's world famous Gateway Arch. Almost all our meetings will take place on one floor. Even the vendors will be located- on this same floor. A short walk will provide a longer time to spend with your favorite vendor, or meet a new one. Adam's Mark has s e v e r a I "clubs" and fine restaurants, too. Try the New York Strip in Faust's. located just off the lobby. Speaking of the arch, Sunday night's recep- tion will be held in the museum at the base

five star hotel in Aveiroof the Gateway Arch. You'll be able to take the tram to the top and see the Mighty Mississippi rolling by on one side and St. Louis stretched out on the other. A thrilling vista! And Elliott promises great food, interesting movies about the building of the arch, and a fascinating gift shop. There is a lot more CUMREC'97 to talk about like Monday night's banquet featuring SH-Boom and the Companion Tour led by Vicki Haugen. Tuesday night is reserved for what- ever you might have in mind - ask Elliott about a good Italian restaurant or a place to get a 28 ounce steak (no typo) or Union Station. Since space will not permit any further discussion, you will have to come to St. Louis to see for yourself. Finally, we're promised it will not be freezing cold at all, but fine spring weather instead. We're looking forward to meeting you in St. Louis at CUMREC'97.

Donald F. Worthington Registrar The College of New Jersey donworth@vm.tcni.edu (609) 771-2141

Saint Louis Union Station, Saint Louis, MO.The "Grandest of the Grand Railway Stations," now a luxury hotel and urban mail, as seen through Milles Fountains.

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