Dear RSA Member,
We are continuing to monitor the coronavirus (COVID-19) as it impacts the RSA Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. Please know that you can cancel your conference registration and receive a
full refund
or donate your registration fee by filling out
this electronic form
. You may cancel for any reason. Please email us with questions at
rsa@rsa.org
.
Please note that if you are canceling your registration and have a hotel room reserved in our conference block, contact the hotel
immediately
. You can follow the link on your hotel confirmation email to cancel your room or call the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown at 1-800-320-5744. The Notary Hotel can be reached at 1-215-496-3200.
COVID-19 is significantly affecting our Annual Meeting numbers both in terms of delegates and sessions. We’ve had hundreds of attendees cancel and expect that number to increase dramatically. Initially, most of the cancellations were from members in China, Italy, and Israel but the Society is now receiving dozens of cancellation requests every hour from members across the United States and Europe. As a result, many conference sessions have folded. Please see the
updated program here
. We will continue to update this schedule and keep you posted.
There have now been confirmed cases of coronavirus in Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia. As of 12 March 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is not recommending the cancellation of public events our size in the United States. If the situation changes, and if there is a mandate for large groups to cancel their events in Pennsylvania, we will notify you immediately.
It’s probable that this conference will be cancelled
but our Board has not made a final determination yet, because of the extreme financial implications for our organization. We’re working through our contractual obligations with Marriott and will send you an update on 16 March 2020.
These are uncharted waters for all of us and our hearts go out to our members who have been affected by this virus both here and around the world. We'll be in touch again on Monday as we face this historic public health challenge.
With deep appreciation,
Clare Carroll, RSA president
On behalf of the RSA Executive Committee, Conference Chair, Finance Committee, and Staff
