We are very pleased by the tremendous amount of academic support from area schools. Our five co-hosts are Pace, Iona, Baruch, Fairleigh Dickinson, and Rutgers. We are also sponsored by Fordham, NYU, Hofstra, and Monmouth. Other university supporters include Rider, SUNY at Old Westbury, and Empire State. You can look forward to a wonderful exhibitor area including Active Learning, Fast Company, Greenwood Publishing/ Quorum Books, John Wiley and Sons, Palo Alto Software, Blackboard, Pearson Higher Education, South Western Publishing, McGraw Hill, Prentice Hall Business Publishing, and Sage. We have also arranged for a number of special sponsored-theme symposia that will bring representative from cutting-edge corporations to speak about content and techniques for the electronic classroom.

As announced at last year's meeting, guest rooms at the Hilton NY will be offered at a special conference rate of $138.00 for a single or double room, plus appropriate tax. This is an outstanding value given the location and quality of the hotel (over 1/3 off!). You should REGISTER EARLY for rooms since our block is not unlimited (the hotel informs me that rooms are filling up quickly) and discounted rates apply to available rooms only until April 5^th. Make reservations directly with the hotel via telephone or Internet (see the Hotel Form on the EAM webpage for details).

Upon your arrival, you will find the Hilton New York is a luxurious, state of the art hotel in the middle of Manhattan's midtown district (http://www.hilton.com/hotels/NYCNHHH/index.html). It is near Rockefeller Center, one half-block from the Museum of Modern Art, walking distance from Broadway theaters, up the street from Radio City Music Hall and down the street from Central Park and Carnegie Hall. The hotel boasts every convenience for both the business and the pleasure traveler. It offers twenty-four-hour staff, many shops and services on the premises, and a variety of restaurants and lounges. There are also a state-of-the-art fitness center and full-service business center on the premises. The conference itself (see Mzamo's note on the wonderful program) will be held the Hilton's newly constructed Concourse level, which is a modern, high-tech environment directly off the main lobby. A centrally located registration desk will offer information and updated news. The concourse also offers us the convenience of a self-contained space, which means no wandering long distances between sessions.

You should also be aware that we have arranged for some special events (and good food) at the conference. For those arriving early, a group dinner has been planned for Wednesday in a local Italian restaurant. Thursday evening is the All-EAM reception. Shortly afterwards we have a sponsored outing to the Knitting Factory, a world-renown Jazz club. Both the Wed. dinner and Thurs. Jazz require a minor co-pay as indicated on the registration form. Friday's presidential luncheon will take place in the very posh Mercury Ballroom. Saturday afternoon we have a guided tour available of the famous Apollo Theater and Schomberg Museum of African-American culture..

Your registration automatically enters your name in a drawing for the off-Broadway play Blue Man Group which is described as an experience, courtesy of Marquita Fleming of Sage Publications.

But we can only preplan so much in the city that never sleeps. Information packets will be provided for self-directed outings on Friday / Saturday; so perhaps you will choose to take in such attractions as a Broadway show, art various types of museums, cheer on the Yankees (vs. Baltimore), take a harbor cruise, city tour, or do some shopping. I look forward to seeing you in NYC!

Also on this year's program is a panel of experts on current issues related to human rights, especially at work. Mark Konrad writes about Mr. Jerry Okey who fled Nigeria and is seeking politcal asylum in the U.S. He will talk about the role of business in his country. Labor leaders and community activists will also discuss worker rights domestically and globally in an invited panel session Human Rights/Worker Rights Saturday morning, May 12^th.