2009 Conference Registration Rates
Conference registration rates are determined by your membership status, when you register, and whether you will stay in the Palmer House Hotel or a non-conference hotel (except for Chicago residents, who may register at the in-Palmer-House-Hotel rate). These rates are for attending the conference only and do not include hotel accommodations or meals. For hotel rates, click here. You are responsible for making your hotel reservations. The early-bird registration deadline is January 31, 2009.
MEMBER RATES through January 31, 2009* |
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| Type | Staying in Palmer House |
Staying in non-conference hotel |
| Professional | $120 |
$180 |
| Retiree or Graduate Student | $51 |
$71 |
| Undergraduate Student | $30 |
$30 |
NON-MEMBER RATES through January 31, 2009* |
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| Status | Staying in Palmer House |
Staying in non-conference hotel |
| Professional | $191 |
$251 |
| Non-Political Scientist Professional | $120 |
$180 |
| Retiree or Graduate Student | $88 |
$108 |
| Undergraduate Student | $35 |
$35 |
- After January 31 through March 30, 2009, rates increase $25 for all categories except undergraduate students. For example, a professional member staying in the Palmer House Hotel pays $145.
- After March 30, 2009, rates increase $50. For example, a graduate student staying in a non-conference hotel pays $158.
The Palmer House Hotel is the official conference hotel. If rooms sell out at the Palmer House Hotel, the MPSA will identify one or more official overflow hotels.
Note that registration fees are NOT refundable.
Why the conference registration fee is higher if you do not stay in a conference hotel:
When the MPSA negotiates a contract with a conference hotel, the association receives free meeting space in exchange for a guarantee that it will use a specific number of sleeping rooms. If attendees do not use the required number of sleeping rooms, the MPSA must pay the cost for these unused rooms, which could amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars. In addition, the more sleeping rooms that conference attendees use, the more attractive the MPSA conference becomes to a hotel, and the MPSA can negotiate even lower room rates. In essence, the attendees who stay outside the conference hotels are "free riders."