SACC Great Lakes Regional Conference

Society for Anthropology in Community Colleges (SACC)

Great Lakes Regional Conference at the Field Museum

Saturday, April 27, 2024

The Field Museum, Chicago, Illinois

Organized by Evin Rodkey, Ph.D. of Muskegon Community College in Muskegon, Michigan and Isabel Scarborough, Ph.D. of Parkland College, a community college in Champaign, Illinois

Come Join Us to…

PRESENT AT OR PARTICIPATE IN ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS!

ENJOY AN INSIDER’S GUIDED TOUR OF THE FIELD MUSEUM!

EXPLORE THE MUSEUM ON YOUR OWN WITH FREE TIME!

The Society for Anthropology in the Community Colleges (SACC), a section of the American Anthropological Association (AAA), is holding a Great Lakes Region conference at the Field Museum in Chicago. This is a one-day conference taking place on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Though a regional conference, no matter where you are located, you are welcome to attend!

This conference is intended to bring together anthropology instructors, students, and interested others, including from outside anthropology, to discuss issues relevant to teaching, learning, and otherwise engaging with material relevant to anthropology. Two major features of this conference are an approximately one-hour guided tour of select exhibits and their connections to contemporary museum practice, plus 2-3 hours of free time to explore the Museum all included in the (see below – very cheap) registration fee!

Check-in opens at 9:00 am at the west entrance and at 9:30 am we will begin with roundtable-style discussions, which can include visual presentations using a projector and poster presentations as well. These sessions will be arranged by the organizers according to the topic proposals received. There is no specific theme; we welcome a wide range of topics relevant to the material we deal with in anthropology.

A lunch break will follow the presentations and discussions. You are welcome to bring your own food, which will be safely stored, though note refrigerators, freezers, microwaves, etc. will not be available. You may also purchase food from either of the two Field Museum eateries: The Field Bistro on the main level (open 8:00 am – 4:30 pm), which, per the Museum website, features “locally sourced food and quick grab-and-go service” or The Explorer Café on the ground level (open 10:00 am – 4:00 pm), which, per the website, offers “family-friendly foods in a casual environment.”

Following lunch, we will be treated to a one-hour guided tour of select exhibits conducted by Mario Longoni, Lead Environmental Social Scientist at the Keller Science Action Center in the Museum, who has been with the Museum for over 25 years. Through the exhibits “Abbott Hall of Conservation: Restoring Earth,” “Maori Meeting House, Ruatepupuke II,” and “The Changing Face of Science,” Mario will illustrate shifts in the Museum’s methods and goals as a teaching, change making, and representing institution. He will also highlight “Chicago’s Legacy Hula” and “Native Truths: Our Voices, Our Stories” as key exhibits you can visit on your own.

Following the tour, you will then have 2-3 hours of free time in the Museum!

The conference then officially ends at 4:45 pm, ahead of the Museum closing at 5:00 pm. We will meet at a designated location in Stanely Field Hall (the main area at the center of the Museum) to close out. And we will make plans to meet in the evening for dinner for those who can and would like to!

TO SUBMIT A PRESENTATION PROPOSAL:

You may and participate in the discussions attend without presenting. But if you would like to officially present, please provide an abstract or simply a brief description of your proposed topic to BOTH Dr. Evin Rodkey and Dr. Isabel Scarborough (please, call them Evin and Isabel) at ude.ccnogeksum@yekdor.nive AND ude.dnalkrap@hguorobracSI. Your abstract or description must include a title, your name, affiliation information, and phone number. It must be no longer than 125 words and must be received no later than MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2024. Please send a Word document or PDF only.

All submissions will receive an immediate confirmation-of-receipt email and then a notification of acceptance (or request for modifications or, though unlikely, rejection) of proposals will be emailed no later than Wednesday, April 3, 2024. If you have any questions or issues regarding any aspect of the conference, please contact BOTH Evin and Isabel at the email addresses above.

TO REGISTER:

Note that AAA or SACC membership is NOT required to attend this conference. However, registration must be completed through the AAA website, which means you must create an account there if you don’t already have one.

• Early registration (non-students): $25: Must be received by Monday, April 8, 2024 through the AAA website as indicated above
• Regular registration (non-students): $40: After April 8 and up to Thursday, April 25 at the AAA website
• Student Registration: only $10!
• On-Site Registration for Anyone: $50

For planning purposes, and to ensure we can accommodate you, we strongly prefer all attendees register prior to the conference, and as early as possible. Note if registering on site, only cash or check can be accepted. Debit and credit cards CANNOT be accepted on site! Checks should be made payable to the American Anthropological Association with a memo stating: “SACC Registration.”

Cancellation policy: Cancellation requests received (send to BOTH Evin Rodkey and Isabel) 14 days or more before the day of the conference will receive a full refund. No refunds will be issued after that.

INFO ON PLACES TO STAY, DINING, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, PARKING, ETC.:

A note from conference co-organizer Evin Rodkey on this:

I lived and worked in this area of Chicago for many years. I now live in Michigan and still visit frequently. If you are not familiar with the area, I am happy to help with guiding you toward hotels, a nearby hostel, using public transportation, food options, and so on. Please feel free to contact me directly at the email address above!

If you need to drive all the way to the Museum, parking is available at Solider Field (the football stadium of the Chicago Bears) next door. As far as I know prices range from $35-$45 for the day.

For a resource beyond me, the following website for hotels and dining may help:

https://www.choosechicago.com/plan-your-trip/find-hotels/

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!