Presider Guidelines

Please print this page and bring your printed presider schedule of sessions for use at the conference.

Conference Presiders/Session Chairs are essential to ensuring that the paper presentations progress smoothly. The conference very much appreciates your contribution to the conference.

• Introduce Yourself: Please arrive a few minutes early to the session, of course, bring a watch, and introduce yourself as the session presider to at least the first presenter. Inform them that you are there to assist and help maintain the presentation schedule. Ask them how they would like to be informed of the remaining time; do they want a warning with 5 minutes, 2 minutes, etc. remaining. Introducing the presenters is optional and your choice.
• Maintaining the Schedule: One primary responsibility is to ensure that the presenters begin and finish their presentations on time. Maintaining the presentation schedule within the session hour helps to fairly ensure that all presenters receive their allocated time. The presider has the authority to stop a session that has run overtime and is requested to report overages to the Registration desk staff.
• Full Papers are scheduled 2 to an hour, and each presenter should present for 25 minutes only – this includes time for questions and equipment changeover.
  • Example hour for Full Papers:
    #1: 10:05-10:30
    #2: 10:35-11:00
• For Brief Papers, each presenter has 15 minutes including questions.
  • Example hour for Brief Papers:
    #1: 10:05-10:20
    #2: 10:25-10:40
    #3: 10:45-11:00
• No Shows: In instances where a presenter, who is not last in the hour, is not present or has cancelled, please wait to begin the next paper until the scheduled time, so that all who planned to attend the remaining paper(s) can.
• Technical: Prior to each session, a technical support person will connect all of the equipment for the presenters. Presenters should refrain from connecting or moving equipment themselves, as each room is scheduled for particular equipment and uses. If the presenter has a technical problem that they cannot resolve, please contact either a conference technical person near the meeting room or the Registration desk for assistance.

If you have any additional questions, contact the Registration desk staff. And thank you again for serving as a conference presider.