Volunteer Qualifications and Time Commitments

Referee assignment:

Once volunteer form information is input at HQ into a spreadsheet, HQ sends that data to the Volunteer Coordinator, usually 6-8 weeks following the end of the prior year’s Conference. Later, Referees are assigned to Subject Area Chairs based on volunteers’ self-placement into a hierarchy of knowledge areas. Volunteers with high self-ratings in a specific area are assigned to that area’s SAC. Until the papers are submitted, it is difficult to know how many Referees will be needed in each area such that each paper is reviewed by 4 qualified Referees. However, the use of submitted abstracts can give a somewhat reasonable estimate of how many papers might be coming in for each area. Keeping that in mind, Referees are assigned so that SACs can qualify each volunteer for their areas. The Volunteer Coordinator makes the original assignments to each SAC and notifies HQ so that e-mail messages are sent to the SACs with volunteer names and info attached. SACs contact each of their assigned Referees and qualify them.
Names of volunteers who turn out not to be qualified for their initially-assigned areas are sent back to the Volunteer Coordinator (via an e-mail message) and are re-assigned based on input from the initial SAC.
Once papers are received at HQ, a better review of assignments to each area can be made. The Volunteer Coordinator maintains the list of Referees for each area and coordinates the moving of Referees to other areas as well as additions to the Referee lists by the chairs.
Also, a list is kept by the Volunteer Coordinator of any Referees who do not perform their duties in a timely manner. This information is passed along to HQ and will be used in following years to reduce the frustration of Referee-assignment tasks.
Assist the SACs as necessary to insure the Referee process operates as efficiently as practical.

Referee duties:

Once qualified by a Subject Area Chair concerning a prospective Referee’s expertise, Referees are to review assigned papers, generally in the June timeframe. Each paper might take 1 to 1 1/2 hours to review and comment on using the on-line Referee Evaluation forms at the CMG web site. Each Referee can expect to be assigned two to four papers, depending on the number of papers submitted to a subject focus area. Referees are not required to attend the Conference.

ERB assignment (Editorial Review Board):

Editorial Review Board (ERB) volunteers are matched up with accepted paper authors according to their expertise. The HQ spreadsheet provides the volunteer’s information. Once the Volunteer Coordinator has provided the assignments to HQ, HQ notifies each ERB with their specific assignment via e-mail.

ERB duties:

An ‘ERB’ provides an editorial review of an accepted paper, with a focus on getting that paper ‘camera-ready’ for publication in the Proceedings, the collection of papers presented at the Conference. Depending on the nature and range of changes to be suggested to the author, two to four hours may be needed. Guidance is available for the ERB via specific publication details as well as assistance from the Subject Area Chair or Conference Committee. ERBs are not required to attend the Conference.

Mentor:

Must be a CMG-published author and be willing to assist a first-time author in submitting an abstract and paper.
Are not required to attend the Conference.
10-30 hours, March through September.

Editor/Referee for the CMG Journal:

Assists in compiling papers for periodic issues of the CMG Journal.
No requirement to attend the Conference.
5-15 hours, published 3 times during the year.

ONSITE POSITIONS

Volunteers for the following positions will need to attend the Conference.

Onsite Mentor:

Must ATTEND the conference
Be willing and available to listen to and critique the author's presentation prior to their scheduled conference session.
1-2 hours at the conference.

Session Chair duties:

Session Chairs attend an explanatory session, which is required so that all chairs receive current procedural details, just prior to the Conference start. Session Chairs are responsible for maintaining control of a session, including following policies and timelines.
They introduce the speaker, estimate the number of attendees at the session, present the recognition award to the speaker at the end of the presentation, and get the speaker’s signature for the award. Attendance at the Conference is required.

Monitor assignment:

Monitors are needed at weekday sessions only, as Workshop Chairs perform modified monitoring duties such that only one person is needed then. During the week, functions require separate personnel for chairing and monitoring tasks.
Monitoring assignments are made starting approximately 4-6 weeks prior to the Conference start date. After the Preliminary Agenda is available on-line, HQ sends out an e-mail to all volunteers who stated they were interested in being Monitors. This request asks each to access the CMG web page that shows available sessions to monitor. That volunteer can choose one set of morning or afternoon sessions they are interested in monitoring. A volunteer may wish to monitor multiple sets of sessions but must enter each selection one at a time so that the CMG database can be updated correctly.
Prior to the Conference start date, HQ sends a personalized message to all assigned Monitors with specific session information. This e-mail acts as a confirmation to the Monitors. If deemed advisable by the Conference Delivery Coordinator, a mass e-mail in this timeframe can be sent to all registered attendees requesting consideration of volunteering for any available Chair or Monitor sessions, per the web site.

Monitor duties:

Monitors attend a pre-Conference explanatory session which is required so that they receive current procedural details. Monitors are responsible for maintaining contact with Session Control during a session (via a radio headset), responding to issues of room temperature and seating, handing out and collecting session evaluation forms, and checking attendee badges at the door of the session.
Monitors sign up for a set of sessions in a specific room for an entire morning or afternoon. Attendance at the Conference is required.

Session Control assignment:

Personnel on the Program Committee traditionally work Session Control as part of their duties. If needed, other members of the Conference Committee are asked to fill openings, and CMG Board members are asked if openings still remain. It is recommended that two persons work each morning and afternoon shift ‘behind the desk’ at Session Control, with the thought that the Conference Delivery Coordinator can be free to handle issues that require immediate assistance outside the Session Control area. Generally, few problems require the Conference Delivery Coordinator to be away from the desk while Session Chairs and Monitors are being signed in or out, but it is not unusual to have one of the people staffing the booth be assigned any sessions that require a Monitor or Session Chair due to last-minute absences or unfilled openings.
Requests for designated personnel to select several preferred timeframes go out from the Conference Delivery Coordinator 4-6 weeks prior to the Conference start date, with confirmation of selected timeslots and specific task details being provided to personnel 2-4 weeks prior to the Conference start date.
Session Control duties. At the Conference, previously-made Session Chair and Monitor assignments are available for use in the on-site Session Chair and Monitor assignment books used at Session Control. These books (one for Session Chairs and one for Monitors) show each day’s assignments, with a signature line by each name for use in tracking the return of any equipment or paperwork after assignment completion. These books are supplemented at the end of each session with paperwork from each Session Chair providing headcount and signature of authors receiving an award. HQ then takes this book back to the main office for use after the Conference.
Basic tasks of Session Control are to pass out radio headsets and Session Evaluation forms to monitors; pass out speaker awards and standard introduction paperwork to Session Chairs; collect completed Session Evaluation forms, session counts, and signed author receipts after the session; collect radio headsets from Monitors at the end of their timeslots; answer questions from attendees; thank Monitors and Session Chairs and give them designated gifts; and ask attendees to consider filling any openings for Session Chair or Monitor positions.
Session Control opens about 45 minutes prior to the first session of the morning or afternoon. Monitors should start checking in so that they can check out the rooms and be ready to check badges about 30 minutes before a session starts. Session Chairs should check in at least 20 minutes prior to a session. Once all Session Chairs and Monitors are signed in for a timeslot, Session Control may close so that folks behind the desk can attend sessions. The goal is that people come to see sessions and therefore Session Control should permit it’s workers to do just that, maintaining contact via radio headsets. Near the end of a session timeslot, one or both Session Control worker(s) should re-open Session Control.
It is recommended displaying a copy of the spreadsheet (taped to the Session Control desk) so it is visible to any passersby, to be used in showing Session Chair (or Monitor) open slots for the rest of the Conference. Attendees also seem to find it useful not only for signing up for open positions but also for verifying speakers, topics, and room location info. When someone wishes to sign up for an open position, Session Control volunteers place the name in the appropriate slot in the assignment books.
Session Control traditionally is part of the Program Office area on-site. The area should be lockable and secure due to gifts and equipment there. Ideally, a stationary desk-like area with a roll-top ‘window’, which can be closed and locked, is recommended for Session Control. It should be in an area that is readily accessible to attendees and the session rooms, making it easier for people to sign in and out and also check open Session Chair and Monitor positions.
Lastly, the Conference Delivery Coordinator speaks at the Volunteer Session just prior to the start of the main portion of the Conference. Here, policies and procedures for the Session Chairs and Monitors are reviewed and hard copies are available. After questions are answered, an opportunity is offered to sign up for remaining open Session Chair and Monitor positions. This is a great time to fill up many of the open slots.

Workshop Chair duties:

Workshop Chairs receive a pre-Conference explanatory e-mail message, providing them with current procedural details.
Workshop Chairs are responsible for maintaining control of a session, including following policies and timelines.
They introduce the speaker, take count of the number of attendees at the session, and wear a radio headset to maintain contact with Session Control to address room temperature or seating, author or audience issues, etc.
Attendance at the Conference is required, as is registration for Workshop sessions.

Signs:

Must ATTEND the conference.
Signs volunteers will be responsible for placing signage before and after sessions.

Breakfast, Lunch and PARS Access Control:

Must ATTEND the conference.
Check badges and take tickets at entry to ensure valid attendees
Work during Breakfast, Lunch and/or PARS (early access)

Collectibles:

Must ATTEND the conference
Assist in the Collectibles area.

Additional Onsite Positions:

Volunteers are also needed for miscellaneous onsite positions and filling in for a volunteer who couldn’t make it.
1-2 hours or more at the conference

INQUIRIES: Volunteer Coordinator,

CMGHQ
Computer Measurement Group, Inc.
151 Fries Mill Rd, Suite 104
Turnersville, NJ 08012 USA
Phone: (856) 401-1700
Fax: (856) 401-1708

CMG Volunteer Form