The 118th annual meeting of the Association will be held January 8–11, 2004, in Washington, D.C., at the Marriott Wardman Park, the Omni Shoreham, and the Hilton Washington hotels. Hotel reservation information is on pages 48 and 49 of this issue of Perspectives and the meeting preregistration form is on page 50. The Program of the Annual Meeting will be mailed to members during the first week of October, along with copies of the preregistration and housing forms.

Many of the profession's most distinguished members will be present to deliver papers and more than 1,200 scholars—including 117 foreign scholars—will participate in the four-day meeting. In addition, 47 specialized societies and organizations will meet in conjunction with the AHA. Each society will hold its own sessions, luncheons, or meetings, as well as some joint sessions with the Association. James M. McPherson of Princeton University will deliver the presidential address the evening of Friday, January 9, and the AHA's book prizes, the Awards for Scholarly Distinction, the Eugene Asher Distinguished Teaching Award, the Beveridge Family Teaching Prize, the Gilbert Award, Gutenberg-e Awards, the John E. O'Connor Film Award, and the Nancy Lyman Roelker Mentorship Award.

Accommodations

The meeting hotels are the Marriott Wardman Park (2660 Woodley Road N.W.), Omni Shoreham (2500 Calvert Street N.W.) and Hilton Washington (1919 Connecticut Avenue N.W.) hotels. The Marriott Wardman Park will serve as headquarters and will house the AHA book exhibits, the Job Register and AHA and affiliate sessions. The Omni Shoreham will serve as co-headquarters and will accommodate AHA sessions and affiliate sessions. The Hilton Washington will accommodate additional affiliate events. A shuttle will operate every 15 minutes from the Hilton Washington to the Marriott and Omni hotels. The Capital Hilton (1001 Sixteenth Street N.W.) will provide additional (and lower-cost) accommodations for attendees.

Rates at the Marriott, Omni, and Hilton are $99.00 single and $119.00 double. Special rates have been negotiated with the Capital Hilton, $79 single and $119 double, for cost-conscious attendees such as students. It should be noted though that the hotel is a subway, bus, or taxi ride from the other hotels. All rooms are subject to city and state occupancy taxes of 14.5 percent per room, per night. Rates are in effect three days before the meeting dates (that is, from January 5) and are for a limited number of rooms only at each property.

Making a Hotel Reservation

Beginning September 2, 2003, hotel reservations must be made exclusively with ITS, the Washington, D.C. Convention & Tourism Corporation's exclusive housing vendor, based in Deerfield, Illinois. Requests for reservations will be accepted by ITS via the Internet (through a special link on the AHA annual meeting web page, http://www.theaha.org/annual, which will take the user to ITS's online services for the AHA meeting, as the AHA itself cannot process reservations), the ITS call center, fax, or mail (only if accompanied by a check deposit) through December 2, 2003.

ITS's call center (toll-free, 800-492-7886) will accept reservations from the United States and Canada 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., CST, Monday through Friday. International callers may call 847-940-4211 to make reservations during normal business hours. Phone reservations are limited to five per call—requests for more than five must be submitted in writing.

Faxes from the U.S. and Canada may be sent 24 hours a day, seven days a week to 800-521-6017, but will be processed during business hours. International attendees may fax to 847-940-2386. Reservations for suites can be made through the call center, by fax, or mail but cannot be made via the Internet.

Reservation requests can be sent by mail only if payments are made by check, and should be sent to AHA/WCTC Hotel Reservation Office, 108 Wilmot Road, 4th Floor, P.O. Box 825, Deerfield, IL 60015-0825. The checks should be made payable to AHA/WCTC Hotel Reservation Office, in U.S. funds, drawn on a U.S. bank.

Confirmation: A confirmation message will be sent by the housing bureau for all new reservations, modifications, and cancellations. The bureau will send out confirmations by mail, fax, or e-mail no later than 72 hours after processing reservations. Room reservations made by phone are confirmed immediately with a confirmation number. Please note that the individual hotels will not send out a separate confirmation.

Deposit: A deposit is required for all reservations. For standard room reservations, the deposit is $125 per room. The deposit is $250 for a one-bedroom suite and $375 for a two-bedroom suite. Deposits can be paid by credit card or by check payment. If payment is to be by check, a check made payable to AHA/WCTC Hotel Reservation Office, in U.S. dollars and drawn on a U.S. bank, must accompany the housing request form. If payment is to be by credit card, the card will be billed immediately. ITS accepts American Express, MasterCard, Visa, and Discover cards. The bureau does not accept money orders, wire transfers, or invoices for room deposits. Please note that reservations will not be processed without a deposit.

Cutoff Date: The cutoff date for the AHA's official block is December 2, 2003. After this date, remaining inventory in the block will be released and rooms will be available at the discounted convention rates only on a space-available basis. If all hotels sell out, the AHA will work with the bureau to secure additional hotel rooms.

Changes, Cancellations, and Refunds: Meeting attendees can continue to make and modify (depending on availability) or cancel reservations from September 2 through December 9, 2003, 5:00 p.m. CST through ITS by telephone, fax, in writing, or through e-mail. Attendees will not be penalized for any cancellation made on or before December 9. Cancellations processed prior to the cutoff date will be refunded through the same method of payment by which the attendee originally paid the deposit.

After December 15, attendees who wish to cancel must contact the hotel directly. Reservations canceled after December 9 but prior to 72 hours of arrival will be subject to an $18 processing fee.

Reservations canceled within 72 hours of arrival date are subject to forfeiture of the entire amount of the deposit.

Making Travel Arrangements

Association Travel Concepts (ATC) is the official travel agency for the annual meeting. As such, ATC has negotiated discounts with United Airlines, USAirways, Amtrak, and Avis to bring attendees special air, rail, and car rental rates that are lower than those available to the public. To take advantage of these rates and benefits, call ATC at 800-458-9383, fax 858-362-3153, or e-mail reservations@atcmeetings.com. A link to ATC's web site is also available through the AHA annual meeting web page, http://www.theaha.org/annual. ATC is available for reservations from 9:00 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday.

Airfares: By calling ATC, attendees will secure discounts of 10 to 15 percent on the lowest available fare for United Airlines (ID number 510CK) and US Airways (ID number GF60172758) tickets purchased more than 60 days prior to the meeting. For tickets purchased less than 60 days prior, the discounts will be 5 to 10 percent off the lowest available fares. Some restrictions may apply and service fees will vary. Discounts apply for travel Monday, January 5 through Wednesday, January 14, 2004.

ATC will also search for the lowest available fare on any airline serving Reagan National, Dulles International, and Baltimore-Washington International airports. ATC provides personalized service, advance seat assignments, special meal requests, frequent flier programs updates, electronic ticketing, e-mail access for convenient booking of your tickets, and more.

These cost saving options may also be booked online by going to the AHA's web site http://www.theaha.org/annual and following the travel link. Low fares available only on the Web can be found using the ATC search engine. Attendees can explore region-to-region flat zone rates and consolidator and net fares without a Saturday night stayover to find lower fares.

Train fares: Special high-speed Metroliner Service is available every hour along the Northeast corridor. To reserve seats, call Amtrak at 800-872-1477 or contact ATC at 800-458-9383. Refer to fare order number X5544A-968 when making the booking; discount fares are available January 5–14, 2004. The offer is not valid on Auto Train, Club, or Custom Class service. Discounted fares are valid on Metroliner Service during off-peak weekday travel and all departures on weekends.

Car rental: Attendees can also arrange to rent a car through Avis, with discounted rates effective January 5–14, 2004. Contact Avis at 866-629-6995, noting ID number AWDK609400. You can arrange car rental through ATC (800-458-9383).

Ground Transportation

From the airports:

The nation's capital is served by three airports: Dulles International Airport (IAD), approximately 30 miles west of Washington; the closer Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), located in Arlington, Virginia; and Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI), approximately 38 miles north of Washington. All three airports offer excellent ground transportation throughout the day with service available between airports to the hotels. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is served by taxi, Metrorail, and van. Taxicabs are available at the exits of each terminal with dispatchers to assist passengers. Separate lines form for destinations within Virginia and to the District so passengers should check with the dispatcher for the correct queue. A ride from the airport to the meeting hotels takes approximately 15 to 30 minutes, depending on time of day and traffic, and costs from $9 to $12. Metrorail, the region's rapid transit system, has a station on the Blue and Yellow Lines conveniently located near the airport adjacent to Terminals B and C. The Metrorail station is within walking distance from these terminals. Shuttle buses run from Terminal A to the Metrorail station. Passengers proceeding to the main meeting hotels should take the Blue Line to Metro Center and change there to the Red Line. The Marriott and Shoreham hotels are within a block of the Woodley Park–Zoo/Adams Morgan Station on the Red Line ($1.20 off peak and $1.90 peak; 30 minutes travel time); the Washington Hilton is four blocks from the Dupont Circle Station on the Red Line ($1.20 off peak and $1.70 peak; 25 minutes travel time); the Capital Hilton is two blocks from the McPherson Square Station on the Blue Line ($1.20 off peak and $1.20 peak, 20 minutes travel time). The system operates seven days a week, opening 5:30 a.m. weekdays and 7:00 a.m. weekends. It closes at midnight Sunday to Thursday and at 3:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

The SuperShuttle provides door-to-door van service to and from the airport to downtown hotels. At the airport, SuperShuttle stops are identified on the Ground Transportation level. The fare is $18 one-way and $32 round trip. Please note that the Washington Flyer motorcoach service no longer operates between Reagan National and downtown Washington.

Dulles Airport is served by taxi, motorcoach, and van. Washington Flyer Taxicabs serve Dulles International Airport exclusively with 24-hour service from the airport. Taxicab dispatchers are on duty 24 hours a day at the East and West ramps on the lower level of the Main Terminal. Approximate one-way fares to Washington, D.C., range from $44 to $50 and travel time is approximately 45 minutes. A Washington Flyer motorcoach service runs from Dulles to Metrorail's West Falls Church Station on the Orange Line. From this point, travelers can continue by Metrorail or by taxicab. The coach service operates seven days a week, beginning 6:00 a.m. weekdays and 7:30 a.m. weekends, with the last run leaving the airport at 10:30 p.m. daily. Coaches depart the airport every 30 minutes, except 10:20 a.m. to 6:00 p.m weekdays when it operates at 20-minute intervals. The one-way fare is $8 and round-trip is $14. Discounts are offered for groups of three or more traveling together and for seniors. Travel time from Dulles to the station is approximately 25 minutes, depending on traffic. Tickets can be purchased at the airport's ticket podium located inside the vestibule at Arrivals Level Door 4. Since there are no ticketing facilities for the return coach trip at the Metrorail station, passengers boarding there without a round-trip ticket must pay for the trip upon arrival at the Airport. From the West Falls Church Station passengers going to the Marriott and Shoreham (exit at Woodley Park–Zoo/Adams Morgan Station on the Red Line, $1.70 off peak and $2.55 peak; 40 minutes travel time) and the Washington Hilton (exit at Dupont Circle Station on the Red Line, $1.70 off peak and $2.50 peak; 35 minutes travel time) will need to change at Metro Center. Those proceeding to the Capital Hilton need not change as the McPherson Square Station (nearest to the hotel) is served by the Orange Line ($1.70 off peak and $2.35 peak, 22 minutes travel time).

The SuperShuttle provides door-to-door van service from Dulles airport to downtown hotels. The fare is $22 for the first person with $10 for each additional person. The SuperShuttle boarding area is located on the lower level, outside Terminals 1D and 1E.

BWI Airport is served by taxi, van, and rail. The BWI taxi stand is located just outside the baggage claim area of the airport's lower level. The airport is a 45-minute cab ride from Washington with an approximate fare of $55. SuperShuttle offers door-to-door van service from the airport to hotels. Passengers should go to the airport's lower level, following signs to the SuperShuttle desk located between bag claims 6 and 7. The ticket counter is open from 6:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. daily. Fares to downtown Washington hotels are $31 one-way and $62 round trip. Metrorail offers express bus service between BWI and the Greenbelt Metrorail Station on the Green Line. At the airport, passengers should go to the lower level of the International Pier, following signs marked "Public Transit." The service costs $2.50 one-way and runs every 40 minutes, 7 days a week, 25 times each weekday and 21 times on Saturdays and Sundays. At the Greenbelt Metro Station, attendees can take a cab (approximate fare $12), or Metrorail (Green Line—to Fort Totten for changing to the Red Line or to L'Enfant Plaza for changing to the Blue Line), fare varies according to destination (peak from $2.95 to $3.05 or off peak $2.20). BWI is also served by an Amtrak train station with more than 40 Amtrak and MARC (Maryland commuter) trains to Washington's Union Station. (Note, however, that MARC trains run only on weekdays.) The airport provides shuttle service from its terminals to the BWI Rail Station. Coach-class service from BWI to downtown Washington is $34 roundtrip, with a travel time of 25 minutes. Upon arriving at Union Station, attendees can take a cab or Metrorail to the hotels.

From Union Station (Amtrak):

Washington's Union Station is located at Massachusetts Avenue and First Street, N.E. Amtrak's ticket office at Union Station is open daily from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. A cab ride from Union Station to the hotels takes from 15 to 20 minutes and costs from $8 to $12. Union Station also has its own Metrorail stop on the Red Line. The trip, directly by the Red Line to Woodley Park–Zoo/Adams Morgan Station (for the Omni Shoreham and the Marriott Wardman Park) and to Dupont Circle (for the Washington Hilton) takes about 10 minutes and costs $1.20 to $1.30. Passengers traveling to the Capital Hilton must change at Metro Center to take the Blue or Orange Lines to McPherson Square. The trip costs $1.20 and takes about 10 minutes.

General Information

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 Sharon K. Tune, Convention Director (stune@theaha.org; fax 202-544-2422). Please specify preferred date, inclusive hours, attendance forecast, and any special equipment desired.

Business meeting: Resolutions for the business meeting signed by 25 members of the Association will be accepted until December 15; those received by October 15 will take precedence and 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, Michael Les Benedict, 106 Dulles Hall, Ohio State University, 230 W. 17th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210.

Resolutions are governed by the following bylaw (adopted by the Council at its meeting on May 15–16, 1980, and amended May 9, 1994), pursuant to Article VII, Sections 1–5, of the AHA's constitution: No motion, resolution, or other business shall be passed by a division of the members at the annual business meeting unless there is present a quorum of one hundred members in good standing.

Location of Offices and Events

AHA sessions will be held at the Marriott Wardman Park and the Omni Shoreham. The Local Arrangements Committee and Press office will be in the Marriott's Room 8226 and the AHA Headquarters/Staff Office in Room 8224, both on the lobby level. Registration desks and meal ticket cashiers will be in the Marriott's Atrium. The Job Register will be located in the Marriott's Exhibit Hall B North. The Book Exhibits will occupy the Marriott's Exhibit Hall A. The Messaging Center and cybercafe will be in the Marriott's Marriott Ballroom Salon III.

AHA Registration

Advance Registration: Intending participants are urged to preregister at the reduced rates of $75 members; $95 nonmembers; $45 student members; $55 student nonmembers; $45 unemployed; and $20 precollegiate teachers. The preregistration form is on page 50. Advance registration must be received by Friday, December 5, 2003. Please note that preregistration for the 2004 meeting will be handled by a processing service and forms should be sent to the address shown on the form and not to the AHA.

Registration at the Meeting: The registration desks at the annual meeting, located in the Atrium of the Marriott, will be open from noon to 7:00 p.m. on January 8; from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on January 9, and from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on January 10. Fees for registering at the meeting will be $90 members; $110 nonmembers; $50 student members; $60 student nonmembers; $50 unemployed; and $25 precollegiate teachers.

Admission to all sessions, exhibits, and the Job Register requires a registration badge.

Refund Policy: Advance registrants who are unable to attend the meeting may request a refund of their registration fee in writing. Requests should be postmarked by December 19, 2003 and should include a copy of the preregistration form that was submitted. Proof of payment—copies of front and back of cancelled check or copy of credit card statement—may also be required. All refunds are subject to a $10 processing fee. No refunds will be issued for requests postmarked after December 19, 2003.

Exhibit Hall

The exhibits will be located in the Marriott's Exhibit Hall A and will be open January 8 from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m., January 9 and 10 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and on January 11 from 9:00 a.m. to noon.

Job Register

The Job Register will be located in Marriott's Exhibit Hall B North. Hours of operation will be January 8 from 12:30 to 6:00 p.m., January 9 and 10 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and January 11 from 9:00 a.m. to noon.

Messaging Center

The Messaging Center, which will facilitate electronic communication among attendees and also make finding them easier, will be located in Marriott's Marriott Ballroom Salon III.

—Sharon K. Tune is the Convention Director for the AHA.