ROPA Web

Dates

July 29 through August 1, 2008 (Negotiating Orchestras Workshop July 28)

Location

Houston, Texas

Host Member Orchestras

Houston Grand Opera, Houston Ballet

Hotel

Doubletree Hotel Houston Downtown

Registration

All attendees must make their own hotel and travel reservations. In order to be accounted for by the ROPA Secretary - and to have a conference badge printed correctly - you MUST also register for the conference. Please note - registration will only be accepted on or after May 1st. This allows the ROPA Secretary time to prepare for collecting and saving the information.

You must also register at the conference, where you will receive conference materials and your ID badge.

Tentative Agenda

Attendance

All ROPA Delegates are expected to attend the ROPA Conference. If you are a Delegate and can not attend, please make arrangements for your Alternate Delegate to go to the Conference. All ROPA AFM Local Representatives are invited to the Conference, as well as other AFM Federation staff. Please Pre-Register with the ROPA Secretary so you will have a Conference Badge.

Travel

For your travel reservations, please call or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it at CTS Travel: 800-726-2757 ext. 113. If you use her as your travel agent, she can give us a list of the delegates who have made their reservations, which is a great help to us.

Conference Coordinator

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Delegate Reports

All ROPA Delegates are expected to file a report on his or her orchestra's situation or activities over the past year. It should be filed with the ROPA Secretary by July 1, 2008 and you should bring 110 copies to the Conference to distribute to the other Delegates and Conference guests. The report should be between 200 and 350 words, and fit on one page.

Please begin your report right now - it's never too early.  Try not to spend more than a half hour to one hour writing your report, but do make it easy to read and understand.

Resolutions

If you would like to present a resolution on the floor of the ROPA Conference — especially if it involves an amendment to the ROPA Bylaws — we ask that you submit it, in a format consistent with Robert's Rules, to the ROPA Secretary by July 1, 2008.

Negotiating Orchestra Workshop

If your orchestra is negotiating during 2009, the AFM will pay for the extra hotel night so that you can attend the Negotiating Orchestra Workshop on Monday, July 28, 2008.

Other Information

If you are a Delegate, your Local is required to pay "the reasonable and necessary expenses of sending one delegate to the appropriate annual conference." This should include airfare, hotel, and a modest per-diem for meals.

Please attend a meeting of your Local's Executive Board before the conference to discuss your expenses, and also to tell them what kinds of things you expect to get information about at the conference. This year's speaker topics (TBA).

If you can't make it to a Local board meeting, at least give a call to your Local officers to talk with them about the ROPA conference.

This year's ROPA Officer elections will be for President, Treasurer, and three Members-at-Large. If you're interested in running, please plan your travel so you can remain in Houston over Friday night so you can attend the post-Conference Executive Board meeting in case you're elected.

If you're interested in hosting the 2010 ROPA Conference, please let Secretary This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it know. The ROPA Secretary will send you a copy of the guidelines and information for hosting a ROPA Conference, with information your orchestra and your Local will need. To hold a ROPA Conference in your city, ROPA requires an invitation from your Local as well as your orchestra committee.