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University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
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Organizing Committee (co-chairs): Adam Leibovich (UPitt), Vittorio Paolone (UPitt), Manfred Paulini (CMU), Andrew Zentner (UPitt)
Plus: John Alison (CMU), Brian Batell (UPitt), Joe Boudreau (UPitt), Scott Dodelson(CMU), Steve Dytman (UPitt), Ayres Freitas (UPitt), Joni George (UPitt), Tao Han(UPitt), Tae Min Hong (UPitt), Tina Kahniashvili (CMU), Arthur Kosowsky (UPitt),Rachel Mandelbaum (CMU), Jim Mueller (UPitt), Donna Naples (UPitt), JeffNewman (UPitt), Diana Parno (CMU), and Ira Rothstein (CMU)
Venue: Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown hotel and conference center
Total cost:$566k (registration: $570 pp)
Additional apples-to-apples questions
Coffee break prices for 1000 people for 10 days: $95,644.80 (or $95.6 per person)
Banquet cost per person is a flat $75/person and the reception is $35/person anywhere from 250 - 750 people.
Additional continental breakfast service with a cost of about $15 per person
Their personnel cost is low because they plan to subsidize the helpers and the conference center will work the rooms and AV. Of course, all the sites plan to subsidize student workers. Pittsburgh will contribute $40k to that, so you can consider it part of the cost if you assume all of the other sites added it in, but without claiming a subsidy up front.
Questions to the organizers
Pro
Con
add your comments as bullet points. Nest if you like.
Hotel environment will feel very claustrophobic for a whole week, compared to a campus
Hotel costs are high, compared to dorm rooms
Bob B: I don't understand $95k for coffee breaks. We looked up the costs and sent Prisca a typical menu. With inflation and tax we estimated ($10.19 now, 8% tax, 2% inflation, round up a little) $12.50/person/break. 10 days*2 breaks/day*$12.50/break = $250/person vs. what I think is meant as $95.60/person, or $25/person/day vs $9.56/person/day. In any case it's a ratio of 95K/250K. Maybe their estimate is just coffee? One break per day? We should find out. I also looked in the proposal and “conference food” is $261K (not $95K) but then they talk about an optional continental breakfast and teas and a light snack being available. I don't think we're doing muffins-to-muffins here.