conference = expensive = what's normal?

[polly_mer]

It's probably gonna sound snarky to assert that the reason this cost data may be strange and surprising to this newbie prof is that, as a grad student at many schools, probably it wouldn't have been conceivably doable to afford attending any such conferences, and it goeth without saying it certainly is impossible for almost all adjuncts, irrespective of additional pt retail income, and regardless of the fantastic rich get richer networking opportunities lost thereby.  Ah well.

Yellowtractor's phrase "mentored by wolves" comes to mind.  Ideally, a department would contribute to the professionalization of a grad student by only accepting people who can be fully funded and that includes funding for a relevant professional conference per year.  That was true for all my graduate work, even at the unranked program where I was one of a handful of graduate students.

Mahagonny's assertion that all academics should insist on professional-level compensation including funding for professional development comes to mind.  By accepting positions that don't pay enough to be a true professional including the relevant networking, one has made their own life much harder.  The human world tends to run by personal contacts, no matter how many times we try to set up systems that will sort in some other way.  Failure to accept that reality makes one's life harder than it has to be.

[revert79]

It's probably gonna sound snarky to assert that the reason this cost data may be strange and surprising to this newbie prof is that, as a grad student at many schools, probably it wouldn't have been conceivably doable to afford attending any such conferences, and it goeth without saying it certainly is impossible for almost all adjuncts, irrespective of additional pt retail income, and regardless of the fantastic rich get richer networking opportunities lost thereby.  Ah well.

Yellowtractor's phrase "mentored by wolves" comes to mind.  Ideally, a department would contribute to the professionalization of a grad student by only accepting people who can be fully funded and that includes funding for a relevant professional conference per year.  That was true for all my graduate work, even at the unranked program where I was one of a handful of graduate students.

Mahagonny's assertion that all academics should insist on professional-level compensation including funding for professional development comes to mind.  By accepting positions that don't pay enough to be a true professional including the relevant networking, one has made their own life much harder.  The human world tends to run by personal contacts, no matter how many times we try to set up systems that will sort in some other way.  Failure to accept that reality makes one's life harder than it has to be.

"Mentored by Wolves" pretty much describes my graduate education.  Maybe coyotes would be more accurate for some of the faculty.
The thing is, I went to an ivy league school with lots and lots of money.  I'm sure if anybody had wanted to go to a conference, it would have been funded plus.  And maybe somebody did, who knows.  But our faculty certainly never told us what an academic conference was or why it might be a good investment of time and money.  Visual arts is a field that people enter into assuming that they won't be making large amounts of money unless they're very lucky.  So, when we have jobs such as adjunct at a really fun school or visiting for a year or two, we feel grateful and happy.  Bad setup for financial security.

My own job is one I feel grateful for.  I really like the people I work with, there are some weird things about the job but basically it's great.  I "trained" for this by being a professional artist and then directing a successful artist-run alternative space.  It's true, I don't get paid a lot (and my gallery has a small budget of which I am protective), and this is a challenge for me.  But I have a job in my field, nice co-workers, an office (which maybe I could turn into a studio without anyone being the wiser ha ha), and an opportunity to provide a cool platform for interesting artists while supporting the interests of my university.  So yeah, in some ways it's a compromise.  And I've mostly had to teach myself the skills I have--especially curatorial and arts-admin skills.  Hence my excitement about this upcoming conference, and the opportunity for self-education that this represents for me.

[polly_mer]

The thing is, I went to an ivy league school with lots and lots of money. 

Narratives on these fora and the first-person articles written in various venues over the years suggest that neither ranking of institution/program or resources available correlate with good mentoring and/or reasonable support in becoming professionals in the field.  Many parts of academia still have the worst aspects of being an apprentice tied to one master and one has to hope like hell that's a good master as one picks using inadequate information.

[Ruralguy]

Almost all of us have to make the most of what we have rather than making the most out of a fountain of riches.

[Morden]

If possible, try to go to the same conference several years in a row. Volunteer to help with the organization in some capacity. You start to meet more people and build a network that way. It makes the conference more fun (especially for introverts) and can lead to publishing or other professional opportunities.

[euro_trash]

How expensive is expensive? Depends on how much funding you can get.

I'm on the board of an academic association that puts on one conference a year in Europe. We offer grad students a €50 fee, though sometimes we waive this altogether. We're also trying to offer stipends, but our budget is small. We're trying though, much more than the MLA in my view.

I think a key issue is how to cut costs, especially for junior scholars. If the conference is charging hundreds and hundreds for the registration fee, that is not a conference imo. That's a money-making venture. How can you get new young people involved if you're pricing them out of participation?

Airbnb is a good way to save money. I've camped with a tent before.

[mamselle]

Just for a low-end benchmark:

I'm going to a small, midwestern state medievalists' conference that happens twice a year. I started going while I had family in the area, and still go from time to time to check in with friends, and develop a paper for later use in a larger venue.

The conference is Nov 2; we'll meet, hear/give three papers, and go someplace nice for dinner. (This group eats well).

I booked my flight a couple months ago, making it very cheap:    $200.00 or so
I just booked my usual hostel stay (5 nights, c/b 2; x 68.00/nt)    $300.00 (for just 2 needed nts only, 136.00)
I booked a car;  the meeting's further from town than usual.         $200.00 (also w/b less if just for 2 nts)
I'll buy food to cook at the hostel; lunch boxes incld/conf. day.    $200.00 or less, includes 2 dinner splurges
          TOTAL (oh, plus maybe 50/gas)*  :                                                           $950.00

(*No fees, this is a very low-budget, friendly group so =0)

That's including 3 days of visiting, etc.  If I were only going on an in-and-out sort of deal, I could probably make it on $400-500.00. (Humanities)

I know the hostel, it's pleasant and has a great kitchen. I know the people, no need to dress fancy or spread lots of money around to impress folks. We're just a tiny clutch of medievalists passionate about our work and happy to share it in this low-key way. (I'm in touch with/present at two or three other similar groups closer to me, too; same sort of expenses or less: two are reachable by bus, so even cheaper: $200-300.00 total usually.)

I get a line on my CV, a chance to stay in touch with my tribe, and encouragement in my work.

Priceless.

M.

[downer]

I recently went to an academic event in a southern city and also visited a neighboring city for a couple of days. I stayed in an airbnb for 2 days and stayed with friends the rest of the time. No registration fees.

Flight and other transportation: about $320
Airbnb: $140.
Food and drink: about $150

So it was a mini-vacation and an academic thing too for a little over $600.

[fleabite]

And I've mostly had to teach myself the skills I have--especially curatorial and arts-admin skills.  Hence my excitement about this upcoming conference, and the opportunity for self-education that this represents for me.

The publisher Rowman & Littlefield publishes a line of books for those who work in museums and archives. You might find some of the items of interest. Here's a link to the most recent catalogue: https://rowman.com/catalogs/rlmuseum19/mobile/index.html.