Re: [802SEC] visa policy (was Re: [802SEC] Plenary Meeting locations)
Roger, I'm afraid you are too late. We've already been doing that for over a year; we just didn't want to publicly advertise it in fear that we would suddenly get a rash phoney Visa problems from folks just trying to avoid the late cancellation fee. But everyone who wound up in that situation did get the full refund because we consider that falls under the extreme hardship or circumstances beyond ones control, which have always been given special consideration with respect to penalties.
Thanx, Buzz
Dr. Everett O. (Buzz) Rigsbee
Boeing - SSG
PO Box 3707, M/S: 7M-FM
Seattle, WA 98124-2207
(425) 865-2443 Fx: (425) 865-6721
Cell: (425) 417-1022
everett.o.rigsbee@boeing.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Roger B. Marks [mailto:r.b.marks@IEEE.ORG]
Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 4:19 PM
To: STDS-802-SEC@listserv.ieee.org
Subject: [802SEC] visa policy (was Re: [802SEC] Plenary Meeting locations)
I would like to propose a policy of full refunds for registrants who promptly submit evidence that they applied for a visa at least 60 days before the session and were subsequently denied it.
This would serve several purposes. It would:
(1) encourage people to apply early enough for their visa, increasing the chance they will get it. [I recommend that people apply 90 days in advance, but I think that the refund policy should use a smaller number than that.]
(2) give people a fair chance to preregister, without risk, even if they are still awaiting their visa.
(3) give 802 a source of statistics on visa denial. While we perceive a problem of people not getting visas, it's very hard to understand the problem unless we understand how early they applied.
Roger
At 11:31 -0800 2004-12-13, Rigsbee, Everett O wrote:
>Jesse, It has never been more than one or two per Plenary Session that
>I am aware of, and those were mostly due to insufficient lead time to
>get the Visa approved prior to the meeting dates, not that the Visa
>would not be granted. With our improved process for registration and
>facilities for providing advance session invitations we expect the
>numbers to drop to virtual zero. It just took us a while to understand
>exactly what impact the new homeland security policies were having and
>the requirements to compensate for them effectively.
>
>I think we are over the hump on this one now. :-) We did have
>18 attendees from the Peoples Republic of China at our San Antonio
>session and I don't believe anyone had to cancel for Visa reasons.
>
>Thanx, Buzz
>Dr. Everett O. (Buzz) Rigsbee
>Boeing - SSG
>PO Box 3707, M/S: 7M-FM
>Seattle, WA 98124-2207
>(425) 865-2443 Fx: (425) 865-6721
>Cell: (425) 417-1022
>everett.o.rigsbee@boeing.com
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Walker, Jesse [mailto:jesse.walker@intel.com]
>Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 11:05 AM
>To: Rigsbee, Everett O; Bruce Kraemer ; p.nikolich@ieee.org
>Cc: stuart.kerry@PHILIPS.COM; 802 @F2F Dawn S; Darcel Moro @F2F; 802
>@F2F Jennifer Hull; 802 Exec
>Subject: RE: Plenary Meeting locations
>
>Does anyone have statistics on the number of people who signed up for
>the meetings but then canceled due to visa problems? If not, how are we
>going to determine how much of a problem U.S. plenaries are causing? If
>so, can you share the statistics with us? This would be useful
>information to apply to lobbying efforts to reform the U.S. visa rules.
>
>
>From: Rigsbee, Everett O [mailto:everett.o.rigsbee@boeing.com]
>Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 10:00 AM
>To: Bruce Kraemer ; p.nikolich@ieee.org
>Cc: stuart.kerry@PHILIPS.COM; Walker, Jesse; 802 @F2F Dawn S; Darcel
>Moro @F2F; 802 @F2F Jennifer Hull; 802 Exec
>Subject: RE: Plenary Meeting locations
>
>Bruce, This issue has been discussed at length by the 802 ExecComm and
>the following observations were noted:
>
>1. It is extremely difficult and expensive to hold 802 Plenary
>sessions for 1600+ individuals in non-North American locations because
>of the lack of large facilities, and the difficulty in coordinating
>with multiple foreign venues. The cost problems have been severely
>aggravated by the recent decline of the US dollar, and many of our
>attendees already claim that the cost of attending 802 Plenaries is too
>high for their company. The US is currently a relative bargain for
>foreign travelers and we do have some excellent facilities scheduled.
>
>2. However IEEE 802 has a strong desire to show itself to be a truly
>international organization by holding sessions abroard.
>
>3. WG's have been doing that successfully with their smaller interim
>sessions, but it would still be important to have an all-802 session
>abroad.
>
>4. Therefore IEEE 802 will make a best effort attempt to hold an
>802-Hosted Interim meeting for all 802 WGs in a non-North American
>venue (now currently targeted for January 2007). Choices with
>estimated costs for venues for this meeting will be presented at our
>March 2005 Plenary in Atlanta, GA. We are still expecting our new
>China Liaison, Roger Marx, to provide some sponsor contacts for
>possible venues inside China itself.
>
>I hope this helps to address your concerns.
>
>Thanx, Buzz
>Dr. Everett O. (Buzz) Rigsbee
>Boeing - SSG
>PO Box 3707, M/S: 7M-FM
>Seattle, WA 98124-2207
>(425) 865-2443 Fx: (425) 865-6721
>Cell: (425) 417-1022
>everett.o.rigsbee@boeing.com
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