Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Sections Congress?
2. What will the program include?
3. Where will Sections Congress 2008 be held?
4. What is the deadline for registration and how do I cancel my registration?
5. What facilities will be used?
6. What hotels has the IEEE arranged special rates with?
7. What is the registration rate for SC08?
8. Will separate invitations be sent to Sub-section Chairs?
9. What should my Section do to participate in SC08?
10. How many delegates can my Section send to the SC’08?
11. What is a primary Section delegate?
12. Who determines the primary delegate of the Section?
13. Who are the Regional Coordinators?
14. I am speaking at SC08, Who will cover my expenses?
15. I have specific dietary needs, How can I ensure they will be accommodated?
16. What is the dress code?
17. Am I invited to the IEEE Honors Ceremony?
18. Do I need a passport to travel to Canada?
19. Do I need to obtain a visa letter to travel to Canada?
20. How do I obtain a visa letter?
21. What can I do if my visa is denied?
22. How do I reclaim GST/HST?
23. What do I need to do to hold a meeting at the 2008 Sections Congress?
24. I am bringing my family with me; Will there be activities for them to enjoy?
25. I am flying into Montreal and would like to take the train to Quebec City?
26. Where can I learn more about visiting Quebec?
27. Who can I contact if I have additional questions?
    
    

What is Sections Congress 2008?
Sections Congress is a triennial gathering of IEEE grassroots leadership to:

• network with other Section leaders
• attend training programs
• develop recommendations to guide the future of the IEEE

What will the program Include?
The specific Program is currently under development but the following tracks have been determined:

• Section management
• Membership
• Section/Chapter activities

The Program Committee will be developing specific descriptions of each track in the near future.

Where will Sections Congress 2008 be held?
Sections Congress 2008 will be held in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

What facilities will be used?
There are three hotels that will be used:

• Hilton Quebec Hotel (Primary)
• Chateau Laurier
• Loews Le Concorde

The Sections Congress Events and Region Meetings will be held at:

• Quebec City Convention Center
• Hilton Quebec Hotel

Hotel assignment is based on participant's role.  

Assignments are as follows:

Hilton (Primary Hotel for Region/Section Representatives)
Section/Region Representative/Delegate
IEEE Board of Director/MGA Board Member
Speaker
SC08 Organizer

Chateau Laurier Hotel
Participant for non Sections Congress meeting/event
IEEE Technical Society Representative
IEEE Staff

Loews Le Concord Hotel
Participant - not noted in the above criteria
IEEE Staff

What hotels has the IEEE arranged special rates with?
Below is a list of hotels with which IEEE has arranged special rates. For more information about the hotels' locations and distance from the Quebec City Convention Center, please visit the hotel's specific site (rates do not include taxes).

There are 3 hotels that will be used:

• Hilton Quebec Hotel (Primary) - $235 CDN
• Chateau Laurier - $199 CDN
• Loews Le Concorde - $229 CDN

What is the registration rate for SC08?
Primary Delegate/Other Attendees are required to pay $US400.  This covers all meals and Congress events, including the IEEE Honors Ceremony.    This fee is waived for the Primary Delegate from each Section.

Partners/Children – Adults are required to $US225.   Individuals between the ages of 6 and 12 are required to pay $US125. This fee covers breakfast (Saturday, Sunday, Monday) and evening events (Friday, Saturday).   

Will separate invitations be sent to sub-section Chairs?
No, specific invitations will not be issued to Sub-section chairs. However, all Sub-sections are eligible to send a representative to SC08. The travel expenses for these representatives are to be covered by the parent Section or Region. Please contact your Section or Region regarding your attendance at SC08.

What should my Section do to participate in SC08?
Start planning now by budgeting to send at least a primary delegate and keep your officer reporting up-to-date in order to ensure that Sections Congress information will be sent to the right contact.Each Section is responsible for the travel expenses of the delegates to/from Sections Congress.

How many delegates can my Section send to the SC08?
There is no limit to the number of delegates that a Section can send but only one individual can be designated as the primary delegate.

What is a primary section delegate?  

1. A primary Section delegate is a member of the Section designated by the Section Executive Committee
   to represent the Section at Sections Congress. 
2. It is strongly encouraged that the individual be a first-time Sections Congress attendee and the Sections should try to fund a younger member (i.e. GOLD).
3. The primary delegate must be of Graduate Student Member grade or higher in the Section.  Associate and Student members are not eligible to serve in this capacity.
4. A Section must be current in all reporting requirements in order to send a primary delegate.   A Region Director can approve an exemption to this requirement.

Who determines the primary section delegate of the Section?
Normally, this individual is the Section Chair or the incoming Section Chair, but the designation is determined by the Section Executive Committee. Please make sure your Region Director is aware of this selection.  Please make this appointment by 1 September 2008.

Who are the Regional Coordinators?
Section representatives who have questions regarding their attendance at SC08 can contact their Region Coordinator.  The following individuals have been identified by each Region Director to serve at the a coordinator for their Region.

I am speaking at SC08, Who will cover my expenses?
Speakers should be aware that funds are not available within the Sections Congress budget to pay for speaker travel. Additionally, speakers will receive no monetary compensation for their participation. Unless the speaker is also a primary delegate, the speaker will also be responsible for the registration fee (which covers meals at Congress).  

I have specific dietary needs, how can I ensure they will be accommodated?
Additional information regarding the menus will be provided as it becomes available. When planning the menus, specific dietary needs will be taken into account (vegetarian, diabetic, etc.) Please contact the Sections Congress Food and Beverage Manager with specific needs or concerns.

What is the deadline for registration?  How do I cancel my registration?
The deadline for registration is 1 August 2008.   If you wish to cancel your registration, please send an e-mail to sc2008@ieee.org indicating your need to cancel and a member of the registration team will contact within 24-48 hours to confirm.

What is the dress code?
The dress code for Sections Congress 2008 is business casual. However, participants are requested to wear business dress at the opening ceremony and the IEEE Honors Ceremony.

I am bringing my family with me; Will there be activities for them to enjoy?
The Sections Congress Planning Committee is preparing a tour program for guests of attendees. Additional information regarding the tours will be provided as it becomes available.

Do I need a passport to travel to Canada?
Yes. A valid passport is required when traveling to/from Canada.

Do I need to obtain a visa letter to travel to Canada?
The following link shows a list of countries and territories whose citizens require visas in order to enter Canada as visitors: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp

How do I obtain a visa letter?
You must be registered for the Congress to obtain a visa letter. Once you have completed the Sections Congress registration form, please complete the attached form and submit to sc2008@ieee.org.

What can I do if my visa is denied?
For information on what to do if your visa is denied please visit:  http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/temp-resident-visa.asp

How do I reclaim GST/HST?
Please visit the Canada Visitors website for additional information on reclaiming GST/HST
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tax/business/topics/gst/visitors/menu-e.html

What do I need to do to hold a meeting at the 2008 Sections Congress?
If you plan to hold a meeting, you must complete a   Meeting/Event Request Form  and submit it to IEEE Meetings and Conference Management. Meetings will not be permitted during the dates of Sections Congress (Friday, 19 September starting at 12:00pm through Monday, 22 September 2008 at 1:00pm).  You can schedule a meeting before or after these dates based on availability at time of request.

I am flying into Montreal and would like to take the train to Quebec City?
The Montréal-Charny-Québec City train whisks you to and from downtown Montreal and downtown Quebec City. If you want to board or get off at Charny station, you can also take our Montreal-Perce-Gaspe or Montreal-Halifax trains

For more information visit: http://www.viarail.ca/trains/en_trai_queb_moch.html

Where can I learn more about visiting Quebec?
There are several web sites available to learn more about Quebec. Below are just a few that may be helpful to you. Please note that these sites are not endorsed or supported by IEEE.

• Current time and weather in Quebec City
  
  
• Quebec City Tourist Information
  
  
• Wikitravel Information on Quebec
  

 If your question was not on this list, please contact sc2008@ieee.org.

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