With the public health and safety of the ASAE community of utmost concern, ASAE will hold all meetings, conferences and other scheduled learning programs virtually for the balance of 2020.
ASAE’s learning content has been entirely virtual during the COVID-19 pandemic, and ASAE is currently planning its first-ever fully Virtual ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition August 10-12 to replace the in-person Annual Meeting in Las Vegas that was cancelled last month.
While Washington, DC, and other parts of the country are in various stages of reopening, more than a dozen states are reporting a spike in new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations as restrictions have been lifted on businesses and large gatherings. Public health officials have also raised the possibility of COVID-19 resurgence this fall. Potentially exposing those in attendance at an ASAE program to COVID-19 is not a risk ASAE will accept.
“The impact of COVID-19 on in-person events across the association community is truly unprecedented,” said ASAE President and CEO Susan Robertson, CAE. “As was the case in ASAE’s decision to cancel its in-person Annual Meeting & Exposition in Las Vegas in August, our top priority in all of our decision-making about learning programs this year continues to be the health and safety of our attendees, industry partners, speakers, staff and volunteers. The good news is that the pandemic has made us accustomed to rapid change and we have the technology platforms to deliver exceptional learning content and continue to inform, educate and inspire our community in a virtual experience.”
Among the larger conferences on ASAE’s 2020 events calendar is the Technology Exploration Conference (TEC), which was scheduled to take place Dec. 8-9 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC, and typically draws up to 1,000 attendees. This conference will also be held virtually.
“TEC 2020 is a perfect event to deliver virtually and, by making the decision now, this allows the staff team and volunteers to focus on planning and delivering the best Virtual TEC for attendees and exhibitors,” said Amy Ledoux, CAE, CMP, ASAE’s Chief Learning and Meetings Officer. “More information will be shared in September.”
Other planned face-to-face meetings on ASAE’s 2020 calendar are being transitioned to virtual as well. The ASAE Learning team, along with content leaders, are focused on reimagining the deliverables, platform and learning experiences needed to sustain association leaders and their staffs through the rest of the year, Ledoux said. ASAE members who are already registered for planned face-to-face meetings this summer and fall will be contacted by ASAE staff and updated on plans for virtual offerings. As was the case with the Spring CAE Exam, candidates for the December CAE Exam will likely have the option of taking the exam at a scheduled testing site or at their home or other location with a live online proctoring option (LOP). The LOP will be dependent on approval from the accrediting body.
Please consult the ASAE website for details about cancellation policies and procedures, as well as updates to scheduled learning programs, meetings and conferences through the end of the year. ASAE’s COVID-19 round-up page also contains a wealth of resources for the ASAE community.
