Publication Date

September 1, 1990

Perspectives Section

AHA Annual Meeting

The 105th annual meeting will be held in New York City at the New York Hilton, Rockefeller Center and the Sheraton Centre Hotel. Please use the reservation form for hotel accommodations on page 17 (this form may be copied as needed) of this issue of Perspectives.

The Program of the Annual Meeting, will be mailed to AHA members during the first week of October and will contain the meeting preregistration form.

Many of the profession’s most distinguished members will be present to deliver papers, and over 700 scholars, including forty foreign scholars, will participate in the three-day meeting. In addition, over two dozen specialized societies will be meeting in conjunction with the AHA. Each society will be holding its own sessions, luncheons and/or meetings, as well as some joint sessions with the Association. David Herlihy, Brown University will deliver his presidential address the evening of December 28, and the Association’s book awards, honorary foreign members, the Awards for Scholarly Distinction, the Troyer Steele Anderson Prize, and the Eugene Asher Distinguished Teaching Award will be announced.

 

Accommodations

The AHA has reserved substantial blocks of rooms at three midtown Manhattan hotels: the New York Hilton, the Sheraton Centre, and the Grand Hyatt. The Hilton, 1335 Avenue of the Americas at West 53rd, will serve as headquarters and will house the AHA book exhibits. The Sheraton, serving as co-headquarters, is directly across the street from the Hilton at 811 Seventh Avenue and 52nd Street and will house the Job Register. AHA sessions, affiliated society sessions, luncheons, receptions, and other events will be held at both hotels. In addition, a block of rooms has been reserved at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, located at Park Avenue at Grand Central (42nd Street). Room rates at the Hyatt will be $62.00 single and double; $72.00 triple; $82 quad. Cost-conscious attendees (such as students) or those planning to arrive in New York before the holidays are encouraged to take advantage of the substantial savings offered by the Hyatt, however, be aware that the Hyatt is a 14 block walk or a bus (current fare $1.15) or a cab ride (approximately $3.00 plus tip) to the co-headquarters. In addition, for attendees checking in at the Grand Hyatt on or before December 23 for at least five consecutive nights, the hotel will provide a complimentary stay on Christmas Eve, as well as complimentary breakfast voucher and newspaper daily.

Reservations must be made IN WRITING on the Housing Form and mailed to the AHA Housing Bureau at Two Columbus Circle, 6th Flr., New York, NY 10019. Upon receipt of your reservation, the bureau will send an acknowledgement to the individual. The acknowledgement is followed by an actual confirmation by the hotel. No direct telephone reservations with the hotels or Bureau will be accepted; this year for the first time, however, attendees can FAX their housing form to the Bureau in New York at (212) 245-5943. Any subsequent changes should be made directly with the hotel—the telephone number will appear on your housing confirmation. Cancellations should be made directly with the Housing Bureau in writing up to twenty days prior to the meeting; or if cancelling within the last twenty days, contact the hotel directly.

Transportation

Airfares: Special airfares have been negotiated with American Airlines and the Pan Am Shuttle for members travelling to the annual meeting. The American fares are valid for round-trip travel between December 26 and 31. American is offering a 45% discount off the full round-trip coach fare and 5% off the lowest available published fares such as Supersaver with 7 days advance purchase. Guaranteed fares requiring 14 days advance purchase are also available—a sample listing of fares will be included in the November issue of Perspectives. The special fares require advance reservations and may have cancellation penalties. The Pan Am Shuttle will provide air transportation between Washington, DC and Boston to New York’s La Guardia Airport with a seven-day minimum advance purchase.

For information and reservations for either American or the Pan Am Shuttle, call American’s toll-free number 1-800-433-1790 and ask for Star file number S.04D0BD. Tickets will be issued and mailed directly by Zenith Travel, 16 East 34th Street, New York, NY 10016. Since the number of seats at discount fares on each flight is limited, members are urged to make their travel arrangements promptly. These fares are available only to those who make reservations through the toll-free number listed above.

Raffle: American Airlines and Zenith Travel have donated two (2) positive space coach tickets to any American Airlines European destination. The tickets will be raffled, and the winner will be announced at the Annual Business Meeting, December 29, 4:45 p.m. in the Hilton’s Beekman Parlor. To be eligible, AHA members must make their reservations by calling 1-800-433-1790, and the tickets must be issued by Zenith Travel. These tickets, which are valid for one year, may not be used over certain blackout dates.

 

Ground Transportation to Hotels

Arriving by Air: The three hotels are roughly 13 miles from LaGuardia Airport (approximately 45-50 minutes); 17 miles from Kennedy Airport (approximately 1 hour); and 16 miles from Newark Airport (approximately 50 minutes). Limousine and taxi service is available from all airports to the hotels. Average fare to mid-Manhattan is $20 from LaGuardia, $28 from Kennedy, and $30 from Newark. Express bus service to and from LaGuardia and Kennedy is provided by Carey Transportation. ÿThe bus operates nonstop between the two airports and the hotels: from LaGuardia every 20 minutes at $6 each way and from Kennedy every 30 minutes at $8 each way. Olympia Trails Coach is the bus service between Newark International Airport and Grand Central Station and operates every 10 to 20 minutes at $7 each way. Shared minibus/van service is also available at LaGuardia and Kennedy through Giraldo Limousine and Abbey’s Transportation; fares range from $8-$15 each way.

Arriving by Train: Both Grand Central (Park at 42nd Street) and Penn (7th Avenue at 31st Street) stations are approximately one mile from the two co-headquarters hotels and a cab ride is roughly $3 plus tip each way. The Grand Hyatt is located just next door to Grand Central Station and is 12 blocks from Penn Station.

General Information

AHA sessions will be held at the Hilton and Sheraton hotels. The Local Arrangements Committee office and Press Room will be in the Hilton’s Morgan Suite and the AHA Headquarters/Staff Office in the Hilton’s Bryant Suite. The Job Register will be located in the Sheraton Hotel. Registration desks and meal ticket cashiers will be located in the promenade off the second floor of the Hilton, one floor up from the hotel registration area. The Book Exhibits will occupy the Rhinelander Gallery adjacent to AHA registration on the second floor of the Hilton.

Group Meetings and Reunions: Societies and groups that have not already made arrangements to hold sessions or other meetings should send their requests for room space as soon as possible to Professor Carol Gruber, chair, Local Arrangements Committee. Please specify preferred date, inclusive hours, attendance forecast, and any special equipment desired. Dr. Gruber’s address is: Department of History, William Paterson College, Wayne, NJ 07470.

Business Meeting: Resolutions for the business meeting signed by twenty-five members of the Association will be accepted until December 15; those received by November 1 will take precedence, will be published in the December Perspectives, and must be no more than 300 words in length. Resolutions should be sent to the Executive Director at the AHA office, with a copy to the Parliamentarian, Professor Michael Les Benedict, 106 Dulles Hall, Ohio State University, 230 W. 17th Ave., Columbus, OH 43210. At its meeting on May 15-16, 1980, the Council adopted the following bylaw pursuant to Article VII, Section 14, of the constitution: There shall be a quorum for the annual meeting of one hundred members in good standing.

STEP Awards Cancelled: After many years of supporting the involvement of foreign students in AHA annual meetings through a grant of the Institute of International Education (IIE) for the Short Term Enrichment Program (STEP), the United States Information Agency has phased out financial support for IIE-STEP due to budgetary constraints. Unfortunately, additional funds are not available and no grants will be awarded this year.

AHA Registration

Advance Registration: Members are urged to preregister at the reduced rate of $40.00 or $60.00 for nonmembers; and $20.00 for the unemployed or students. The preregistration form will be enclosed in the Program mailed to members in early October. Advance registration must be received by December 8. Registration at the Meeting: The registration desks at the meeting will be open from noon to 7:00 p.m. on December 27; from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; on December 28; and from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on December 29. Registration rates during the meeting are $55.00 members; $75.00 nonmembers; and $25.00 unemployed/students.

Admission to all sessions, exhibits, and the job register requires a Registration Badge.

Book Exhibits

The exhibits will be located in the Rhinelander Gallery of the Hilton and will be open December 27 from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m.; December 28 and 29 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; and on December 30 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.

Job Register

The Job Register will be located in the Sheraton hotel. Hours of operation will be December 27 from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m.; December 28 and 29 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; and December 30 from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Deadline for reserving table or suite space in the Job Register is November 16.