All individuals who are registered for the event, and/or attend the event are bound by these terms and conditions.
Throughout these terms and conditions, we use the term "attendee" as shorthand for anyone who is registered for the event, or attending the event, or both. By the term “we”, this document refers to the General Chairs of the Halfway to the Future symposium, who are all employees of the University of Nottingham. By the term “event”, “symposium”, or “conference”, we refer to the Halfway to the Future symposium event at the Albert Hall Conference Centre, Nottingham and the symposium dinner at Park Plaza Nottingham.
Code of Conduct
As an attendee of the event, you are required to consent to and abide by the Halfway to the Future Code of Conduct. Please do read this code of conduct. We are also applying the ACM’s Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment for Members and Event Attendees.
Attendees asked to stop any inappropriate behaviour, as defined by but not limited to what is covered by the code of conduct, are expected to comply immediately.
If a person engages in any inappropriate behaviour, we may take any action we deem appropriate, including (but not limited to) warnings, expulsion, and banning, with no eligibility for reimbursement or refund of any type. We may also withdraw any associated publication that you have had accepted into the symposium proceedings.
Inappropriate behaviour outside of the event venues, or online, between or by attendees, or to members of the public or staff supporting the event, including venue employees, may be covered by this policy.
Our decisions regarding the Code of Conduct may be escalated to the General Chairs as a committee, or the organising committee as a whole. The decision to take action is non-negotiable once it has been made.
Minors and children
All children under 18 must accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times. We do not have any childcare facilities and are not able to provide supervision for children. Children are, at all times, the responsibility of the parent or guardian, and we cannot accept any liability or responsibility for them.
Please contact the organisers in advance if you intend to bring children as we will need to manage the cost of their attendance.
Photography and videography
We will be documenting the event in a number of ways, including roving photography in areas where people can enter without restriction (including at the symposium dinner) and static videography of the sessions. This will be managed according to the University of Nottingham Photography and Videography policies: Privacy Information for Subjects of Photography, Photography privacy notices, Filming guidance and privacy notices, Privacy Information for Subjects of Videography, and GDPR video guidance.
The copyright for all photography and videography will, in the first place, remain with the University of Nottingham. Any attendee reserves the right to withdraw consent at any time for inclusion in future photography or videography and we will do our best to honour this where reasonably possible. If you wish for imagery that includes you to not be used in any documentation of the event, please contact the organising committee and we will not include it in any future documentation.
Attendees
We will be video recording the sessions including panel discussions. If you wish to ask a question during these sessions, your voice will be recorded. In these cases, it is assumed that you are informed of this and are consenting, including assignment of copyright of your contribution. We will issue privacy notices before and during the event, as well as verbal reminders of on-going videography and audio recording. However, you can opt to ask a question by providing it in writing, so that an organiser or volunteer can ask the question on your behalf.
We will be documenting the event through photography in the symposium venues. If you prefer to not be included, we will supply—for free—different coloured lanyards that indicate your preference not to be included in such photography. This choice will be made during online registration, although you are free to request to any organiser or volunteer such a lanyard at any time during the event.
You will not be the feature and focus of a photograph, unless you have been asked to provide additional written consent.
Panel members
If you are selected to be on a panel, we will ask you to complete additional consent and privacy waivers in relation to photography and videography.
Privacy Policy
This event is being organised by employees of the University of Nottingham, and as such the event, and all attendees, are bound by the University of Nottingham Privacy Policy. You should read the specific policy that covers the Halfway to the Future website.
SIGCHI subsidy
Through sponsorship with ACM SIGCHI, we are able to offer a number of subsidised student places on a first-come, first-served basis. We will distribute codes that can be used during registration to discount the registration. Our decisions on allocation codes are final.
To receive this sponsorship, ACM stipulates that you must have both ACM and ACM SIGCHI memberships ($19 each)—you must sign up from the ACM SIGCHI website. You do not need to register for ACM SIGCHI membership until we contact you.
Even those registering for the symposium using the SIGCHI-sponsored rate must provide details of their student status to the Halfway to the Future organising committee, as above.
As organisers, we are issuing the subsidy to students, and claiming this back from ACM on your behalf. As a result, we will contact you should ACM alert us that you are not a member at the time of symposium. In such a case, we will ask you to either register for ACM and SIGCHI or pay the subsidy to Halfway to the Future (£100). If this is not done, we will cancel your registration without reimbursement or refund. As we are claiming this subsidy from ACM on your behalf, ACM requires us to collect either a tax identification number or passport number, where possible, as well as your country of residence. This data will be transferred to ACM in accordance with their policies.
Refunds and cancellations
A full refund will be available for cancellations up to Monday 16th September 2019 (UTC/GMT), minus a £25 administration fee. Thereafter no refunds are available. If you need to cancel, please email [email protected] before this date.
As above, if your behaviour is deemed inappropriate and against our code of conduct, we reserve the right to cancel your registration and expel you from the symposium without a refund. This includes any harassment or comments posted digitally before, during or after the symposium.
If, for any reason, the organisers have to cancel the event due to any extenuating or unforeseen circumstances beyond the control of the organisers (force majeure), we reserve the right to not issue any refunds for registration or for additional packages such as the symposium dinner. However, we will endeavour to return any unspent money to attendees in proportion to the cost incurred.
We are mindful of the complicated visa situation, especially in the context of Brexit, and can provide letters to support any application for a visa. Please see our Visas and Brexit webpage to apply for a letter or for more information. If you experience any foreseen immigration problems beyond your control, subsequent to registration, you should contact the organisers on [email protected] or +44 (0) 115 95 14227 and we will try to assist you wherever possible.
Additional questions/information
Should you have any additional questions or would like further information on any of the points above, please contact the Local Arrangements Chair by email or by telephoning +44 (0) 115 82 32556.
