Dear OSSA 12 Participants:
PREPARATIONS for OSSA 12 are now in full progress. We will have a full programme of 90 one-hour sessions (presenters and commentators) and three keynote addresses. If you have been to OSSA before then you will find that there is no change to the format of the programme: presentations from 9:00 to 11:00, keynote address at 11:15, lunch from 12:30 to 2:00, more presentations from 2:00 to 5:00, then a reception followed by dinner. What will be different this year is that our events will be in a number of different buildings. This is because the building we have been using recently (the Faculty of Law Building) will be under renovation. If you will not be able to attend OSSA 12 as you expected to, please let us know right away as there are still some very good proposals waiting for an opening in the program.
THE CONFERENCE FEE will be $425 Canadian. This includes four receptions, three lunches, a dinner and a banquet, lots of coffee everyday, as well as contributions for the operations of the conference. In the next Update letter we will provide information on how to pay the fee. For now we can tell you that early registration will be in the month of March, and late registration in the month of April will be $475 Canadian.
DIETARY: If you have any dietary restrictions, please let us know so we can tell the cooks, and make sure you will not go hungry. Similarly, if you need mobility assistance, please advise us. The four different buildings we will use are close together and they have elevators where needed.
PROCEEDINGS: We will soon (next Update Letter) provide guidance on the format to use in preparing your papers to send to commentators, to the proceedings, and for the Blair Prize Committee.
BLAIR PRIZE: If you were still a graduate student at the time you submitted your proposal in the fall of 2019, you are eligible to enter your OSSA essay in the competition for the Blair Prize, named after Professor J. Anthony Blair. This will be the 10th time the competition is being held. The prize is $1000 (Cndn) and a plaque inscribed with your name. To have your essay entered for the Blair Prize (i) you must send it to <ossa@uwindsor.ca> with “Blair Prize” in the subject line by February 29, 2020; and (ii) it must be free of author-identifying information. We will send your entry on to the Blair Prize Committee.
SUMMER INSTITUE:
A Summer Institute (Multi-Modal Argumentation After 25 Years: A Critical Assessment) will follow the conference from June 8-12. Further information will soon be available, and the fee (once decided) will be payable with the conference fee: http://www.uwindsor.ca/crrar/377/summer-institute .
TRAVEL: If you haven’t been to OSSA in Windsor before, there are basically two ways to get here. Enter at Montreal or Toronto and then either make a connecting flight to Windsor or take the VIA train to Windsor. Alternatively, if you fly to Detroit (USA) you will need a shuttle bus to Windsor from the airport. If you join in a group it will be less expensive. Some of you will need a visitor visa to enter the country. For others, Canada now requires an eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization). It only costs $7 Canadian, but must be acquired in advance:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta.html
ACCOMMODATIONS:
Canterbury College (on campus). Rooms can be rented at Canterbury College for the duration of the conference. In the new building (opened last year) rates are $95 per night/$525 per week; these rooms have ensuite bathrooms). Alternatively, there are the townhouse rooms with shared bathrooms ator $75 per night/$325 per week. Both types of accommodations have shared use of the common areas including fully equipped kitchen and laundry. Also included are all utilities and WiFi. If parking is needed for those staying at Canterbury there will be an additional charge of $10 per week/$35 per month.
In order to book a room at Canterbury one must complete the On-Line Application for Short Term Stays. It is also necessary to e-transfer a $250 deposit to <canter@uwindsor.ca> using the password “summer2020”. If you need assistance in making your reservation at Canterbury College, please contact Ms Brenda Smith <brsmith@uwindsor.ca>.
Hotels off-campus
Holiday Inn Select
1855 Huron Church Road, Windsor
Tel: 1-800-465-4329 or 519-966-1200 (3 km from campus)
$124/ night + tax
Hampton Inn & Suites
1840 Huron Church Road, Windsor
Tel: 800-Hampton or 519-972-0770 (3 km from campus)
$135/ night + tax (includes breakfast)
Travelodge Hotel Windsor Downtown
33 Riverside Dr. East
Tel: 519-258-7774 (3 km from campus)
$108/ night + tax
Best Western
227 Riveride Dr West
519 973 5555
$104/ night + tax
The last two hotels above are situated to enable you to walk to the conference through the park along the Detroit River. It takes about 20 - 25 minutes.
We hope this information helps you prepare for the OSSA conference in June. We look forward to welcoming you to Windsor and joining you at the conference.
Sincerely,
Hans V. Hansen
Secretary
OSSA-12 Programme Committee