Academic associations with upcoming conferences navigate rising COVID-19 numbers

As the COVID-19 situation evolves, academic associations that had planned conferences for early 2022 are facing difficult decisions regarding whether to proceed in person, online, or cancel conferences due to the rapidly-changing situation. Colleen Flaherty of Inside Higher Ed describes how the original decisions of some associations, such as the Modern Language Association and the American Historical Association, were partly based on members’ enthusiasm for an in-person experience. The author says that for some groups cancelling conferences would also have a significant financial cost. Some associations have made the decision to transition online, while others will be continuing in person and requiring attendees to follow stringent health and safety rules. Inside Higher Ed Note: Archived stories may contain dead links or be missing source links.