[Coral-List] Reducing the cost of ICRS

[Deb Cleland]

Hi all,

I've been watching the discussion about ICRS with interest, because, even as
an Australian student, the cost also may be too much for me - Cairns is an
expensive place to stay for a week, and domestic travel up from the south is
also not cheap.

I do like the suggestion made recently:
"To my opinion the solution is quite simple: do all the effort possibly
imaginable to cut down on the costs or find additional sponsorships, and
REDUCE the fees for this symposium considerably. And then lets meet and talk
and discuss about what we all do: Coral Reef Science. Isn't that the purpose
of the ICRS?"

But I'm wondering if the author and others are implying that THEY will now
make 'all this effort' or if the implication is SOMEBODY else should make
all the effort.

If we take the conference organisers at their word, they have already put a
great deal of effort into finding sponsorship, ie their effort is at maximum
capacity.

As a board member in a community organisation my tolerance threshold for
people suggesting that SOMEBODY should do such-and-such is at an all time
low. Our new policy is this: if you have a suggestion for action, make it
clear that you are going to contribute, or make it clear who has the
responsibility for doing so and why it is within their capacity to act.

I'm hoping our considerable collective brain power, enthusiasm and
networking skills will mean that anyone with the capacity, who thinks it is
important that students and scientists from all over the world are able to
meet together face-to-face will work to try find sponsors or to hold
fundraisers (as reducing the cost is probably outside our power now). I know
that is what I will try to do.

Best wishes to all in your endeavours
Deb