Maryland Population Research Center...

Each semester, MPRC hosts a seminar series featuring speakers from a variety of disciplines including economics, sociology, criminology and more. Typically, the series consists of 6 to 8 speakers, hand-picked by individual MPRC faculty. To better facilitate this process, MPRC has developed the following guidelines to increase the involvement of the faculty in the seminar series, to foster more interaction among members of the MPRC community during the speakers’ visits, and to ensure an enjoyable experience for speakers while here at the University. The guidelines are intended to clarify in which activities faculty can expect MPRC staff to assist and which activities are the domains of the faculty members involved.

Responsibilities of Faculty Hosts

MPRC faculty who recommend a speaker for the seminar series will be expected to “host” that speaker. “Hosting” includes inviting the speaker as well as setting up the speaker’s schedule while s/he is visiting. This includes ensuring the speaker has meetings with appropriate faculty and students and has appropriate faculty and students to join the speaker for lunch and/or dinner. Also, the host is responsible for introducing the speaker at the beginning of the seminar.

An issue in the past has been the decision to hold a seminar under poor weather conditions, particularly poor snow conditions. It is the responsibility of the host to make this decision. In the event that the host chooses to cancel a seminar because of weather, the faculty host should send an email to MPRC staff as early as possible. Because many faculty members have family obligations during snow emergencies, we suggest that seminars be canceled if the Montgomery county schools close because of weather. Faculty may use their judgment and cancel a speaker (often to reschedule) in advance if it seems appropriate. Faculty should feel free to check with the MPRC Director (Seth Sanders), the MPRC Associate Director (Rebeca Wong).

Responsibilities of MPRC Staff

MPRC will assist the faculty host in several ways. MPRC will forward the speaker’s schedule a few days before the seminar. MPRC will also support faculty by providing travel coordination and reimbursement for the speaker, advertising the seminar, and setting up MPRC facilities for the seminar. MPRC staff will also contact the speaker to ensure that the appropriate audiovisual equipment is available. MPRC staff can help set up lunch and dinner plans but will not do this unless specifically requested by the faculty host.

MPRC staff will also contact MPRC faculty by email and the speaker by email and telephone in the event of a cancellation due to weather. In such an event, MPRC staff will assist the speaker with travel arrangements.

Maryland Population Research Center
0124N Cole Student Activities Building (#162)
College Park, MD 20742
Phone: 301-405-6403
Fax: 301-405-5743