Frequently Asked Questions: ATTENDEES
Who should attend?
Is this event appropriate only for those working in public health?
I have attended the Institute in the past, should I come again?

Frequently Asked Questions: SESSIONS
What if I just want to see the offerings but am not yet ready to register?
For which sessions must I make choices, and for which can I just show up?
What if I want to change my schedule after I have registered?
What if I am closed out of a session?
How do I know if I can take an "intermediate" level session?
If I have more experience, should I avoid the "all levels" sessions?

Frequently Asked Questions: REGISTRATION AND PAYMENT
How and when do I pay?
How do I get a receipt?
What is included in the registration fee?
What if I can't attend the entire event, but would like to go for one or two days?
What if I have to cancel?
What is AEA's TIN number and mailing address?

ATTENDEES

Who should attend?

This event is appropriate for beginning-level and intermediate-level evaluators, and advanced evaluators wishing to refresh their skills or investigate new topics, consumers of evaluation such as funders and program administrators, and students in the social sciences wishing to explore an applied discipline with great employment potential. We anticipate approximately 500+ in attendance.

Is this event appropriate only for those working in public health?

The Institute is appropriate for those working in any area of application. Presentations will draw upon experiences in public health, non-profits, education, government, international development, and business settings. Our facilitators are drawn from the best in Atlanta, including the Centers for Disease Control, but also standouts from across the United States including some of the most well-known authors and leaders in the field. Look carefully at the 'Audience' section of each description when making your selections to guide you towards those appropriate to your work setting.

I have attended the Institute in the past, should I come again?

Approximately 30% of the presentations are new to the Institute this year. And, as in the past, there are multiple presentations offered during the training rotations. Repeat attendance will offer you the opportunity to sample something new or visit that session that you could not make it to in a past year.

SESSIONS

What if I just want to see the offerings but am not yet ready to register?

Peruse at will by using the agenda. There, you will find the schedule, the list of presenters, session titles, and session descriptions.

For which sessions must I make choices, and for which can I just show up?

The Institute consists of scheduled sessions which you must pre-registered for, except for the keynote sessions which all participants may attend. For each training rotation, you will choose ONE specific topic from the available choices in that timeslot. Note that many of the session topics are offered more than once. See the agenda for specifics. We ask that you please read the full session descriptions before making your selections to ensure the training sessions you choose are appropriate for your skill set. Each attendee is reserved a seat in the specific session they have pre-registered for therefore moving from session to session and schedule changes cannot be accommodated onsite.

What if I want to change my schedule after I have registered?

If you need to make changes to your schedule, after you have registered, it must be requested on or before Friday, May 25, 2012. Please send an email to info@eval.org indicating the training rotation you would like to change and the session number and name that you would like to move into. Please be sure to check the online agenda first to see that the session you wish to move into is available. If a session is closed it is noted as "FULL"  on the agenda page and we can no longer accept registrants, we do not maintain waiting lists. NOTE, schedule changes cannot be accommodated after Friday, May 25, 2012 or onsite, each session only has a specific number of seats available and prepared handouts based on pre-registration. This policy is adhered to across the board.

What if I am closed out of a session?

It is important to complete your registration and payment as early as possible in order to ensure your first choice of sessions. This is a pre-pay event and the individual sessions you requested cannot be reserved or guaranteed until payment is received. Many of the sessions fill well in advance of the Institute and we do not maintain waiting lists so if a session is noted on the agenda page as "FULL" and we can no longer accept registrants. Please note that many of the sessions are offered more than once so be sure to check all times for a session that you want but please be careful not to register for the same session twice. You can see which sessions are offered at which times in the pull-down menus on the registration form or by checking the schedule in the agenda.

How do I know if I can take an "intermediate" level session?

Selected sessions are labeled as "intermediate" sessions. These will present content at a more advanced level and are geared to those participants with a good grounding and some experience in the session topic, even if new to program evaluation. Look at the 'audience' information listed for each session to gain a better understanding as to whether you fit into the target audience for the offering. If you have questions about a specific session, please call the office and speak with Susan at 1-888-232-2275.

If I have more experience, should I avoid the "all levels" sessions?

Not at all. "All levels" means that the content of the session does not presuppose extensive knowledge of evaluation or of that specific topic. Nevertheless, with the exception of the classes marked "introduction to" the "all levels" sessions will contain information that will benefit even experienced evaluators by presenting innovations or other insights on the specific evaluation topic.

REGISTRATION AND PAYMENT

How and when do I pay?

Registration must be completed online through this website, regardless of how you pay. However, your registration is not official, and space in sessions will not be reserved, until you have paid. This is a pre-pay event!

Paying by credit card: This is the fastest option and will secure your space immediately upon receipt of a valid credit card number. We accept MasterCard or Visa (not American Express or Discover). Payment may be made by entering the card number directly into the secure registration form. If you are paying with your department's credit card, talk to your administrative staff in advance to get the necessary credit card information to input to the web site, or provide them with your course selections so they can register and pay for you.

If you are in a bureaucracy that requires that someone else provide the credit card number for your registration, and the credit card is not available for your use to complete the transaction at this time, please select the "pay via check" option. We will then have you in the system and in our pending files. Have your administrator call in with the credit card number within ONE (1) business day of your registration. Your sessions will NOT be held until the payment is received whether via credit card or via check.

Paying by check: Fill out the full registration form, select the payment by check option, and click "SUBMIT" at the bottom. You will receive a confirmation page that you should print off and send in with your check. Checks MUST be made payable to the "American Evaluation Association" and mailed to: AEA, 16 Sconticut Neck Rd #290, Fairhaven, MA 02719. Space in the Institute and in Individual sessions is reserved only once check is received.

Paying by purchase order:  We strongly discourage payment via purchase order as POs tend not to be paid on time and people using purchase orders in payment have the highest incidence of cancellation without payment. Space is reserved once the institutional purchase order is received in the office (not just the online form, but the PO itself) but payment must be received on the purchase order on or before, Monday, May 21. If we have not received payment on your purchase order in full by Monday, May 21 your space will be released.

However, if you must pay via purchase order, fill out the full registration form, select the payment by check or purchase order option, and click "SUBMIT" at the bottom. You will receive a confirmation page that you should print off and send in with your purchase order and then with your check. Purchase orders may be emailed to heidi@eval.org, faxed to 1-508-748-3158, or or mailed to: AEA, 16 Sconticut Neck Rd #290, Fairhaven, MA 02719. The check made in payment on the purchase order must be made payable to the "American Evaluation Association" and mailed to: AEA, 16 Sconticut Neck Rd #290, Fairhaven, MA 02719.

Payment Questions: Please email (heidi@eval.org) or call (1-508-748-3326) Heidi Nye in the AEA office with questions regarding payment or payment processing.

How do I get a receipt?

Once your payment is received, it will be processed in the AEA office and you will receive a receipt via email for the Summer Institute. Please note, it can take up to 3 business days to process your payment. The receipt will include the mailing address and TIN (52-1463557) of the American Evaluation Association.

What is included in the registration fee?

Registration includes three plenary sessions, five 3-hour training sessions chosen from the offerings in each timeslot, plus coffee/tea each morning and lunch on Monday and Tuesday. Please note, if staying at the the Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia, complimentary breakfast at Bistro 55 is included as part of your room reservation. On Wednesday, the Institute ends at 12:30 PM ET, in time for attendees to leave for lunch after the event. NOTE: the Pre-Institute one day workshops offered on Sunday, June 3, 2012 from 9:00-4:00 require an additional registration fee of $150.

What if I can't attend the entire event, but would like to go for one or two days?

We welcome attendees for one, two, or all three days. However, there is only a single type of registration and it covers the entire event. We have worked to keep the registration fee low to make it accessible to all who wish to come. On the registration form, each pull-down menu includes an option to indicate that you will not be attending during a particular timeslot. Please note that a single registration may NOT be split between two or more people.

What if I have to cancel?

Cancellations received on or before Monday, May 21, 2012 will receive a refund of their registration less a $50 processing fee. No refunds will be processed for cancellations after Monday, May 21. Please email cancellation requests to info@eval.org.

What is AEA's TIN number and mailing address?

AEA's Tax Identification Number (TIN) is 52-1463557 and its mailing address is: 16 Sconticut Neck Rd #290, Fairhaven, MA 02719. AEA's fax is 508-748-3158.