Answers to Your AV Policy Questions

Dear ICUA Presenters:

We appreciate your understanding and flexibility as we implement the new approach to A-V services this year, which is intended to address significant increases in equipment and labor costs, as well as safeguard the long-term sustainability of the organization and ICUA annual meetings. Your responses reflect the supportive and collaborative culture of our organization. Thank you!

We are committed to doing everything reasonably possible to support conference attendees. Recently, some speakers have raised questions related to the new audio-visual policy.

Here is a brief guide addressing the most frequently asked questions:

1. Privacy. How do I protect my work (uploaded slides/papers) from unauthorized use, both from human and electronic tools (e.g., AI platforms)?
   There is no guaranteed way to fully protect your paper/slides from online misuse. However, a combination of strategies can help to reduce the likelihood of unauthorized use:
   • • Strategy 1: If privacy is a significant concern, consider using hard copy handouts to share materials with your session audience. Most sessions have 15-30 attendees.
     • Strategy 2: Create a shareable URL and include it in your already uploaded abstract text. Attendees can access your slides/paper using this link. Once you are finished sharing your slides/paper, you can remove the URL and restrict further access.
     • Strategy 3: Add a citation statement on your slides/paper that clearly indicates how your work should be properly cited.
     • Strategy 4: Add a statement to your slides/paper that prohibits use or citations without your permission.
     • Additional strategies that may require technical assistance:
       • Register your work and display clear copyright notices (©),
       • Monitor the use of your work using Google Alerts
       • Issue DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) takedown requests in cases of  infringement, and
       • To limit AI scraping, use opt-out meta tags, and set up “No AI Training” or similar restrictive settings on platforms (e.g. Substack).
2. Attendee Viewing Access. How will attendees access presentation slides?
   Our recent A-V Use Survey (with over 650+ respondents) revealed the following results:
   1. • 77% of attendees will use their laptops/Ipads/phones to view downloaded slides
      • 15% of attendees will use a UAA-provided device to view downloaded slides
      • 8% of attendees will print out slides or do not anticipate viewing slides at all due to limited session attendance
3. Equipment Substitution. Can I bring my own LCD projector to the conference?
   No. Bringing any equipment (e.g., projectors, screens, stands) into hotel meeting space without explicit hotel permission, is a violation of the contract made between the hotel and UAA, as well as local labor/union agreements.WARNING: If UAA is fined because of any attendee’s unlawful use of the hotel’s private property, UAA will be forced to seek redress (compensation) from the responsible attendee.Important: Hotel meeting spaces are privately owned by profit-making entities. These spaces include all physical infrastructure (e.g. walls, doors, stairways, windows, escalators, elevators, driveways, electrical wall plugs, and furniture). Hotel profits are dependent on controlling and selling spaces and services.
4. On-site Help. Can I get assistance with viewing slides while I am in a session?
   Yes, UAA will have tech assistants to help you access online materials (while using your own device or one provided by UAA).
5. Charging Devices. How can I re-charge my viewing device?
   We recommend charging your devices each evening during the conference. If you need to recharge during the day, a charging station will be available in the designated UAA Community Lounge, located near the conference registration counters.
6. Slide Use Optional. Do I have to use presentation slides?
    No. The use of slides is completely optional and a personal decision.
7. Visually-Rich Content Presentations. My presentation relies heavily on visual images. How can I present such materials without a projector and screen image?
   We understand that in-person projection to an audience is a strong preference for certain subject matter. However, visual materials can be shared in multiple ways.For example, during the recent pandemic, most university courses shifted to remote learning in which course materials (outlines, readings, slides, photos, figures, maps, etc.) were uploaded to online sites or visually projected through video “sharing” tools. Students accessed and viewed these materials in real time using their personal devices. Similarly, within the conference setting, attendees will be able to access and view your presentation materials simultaneously on their own devices as you present.
8. Uploading Slides/Papers. How do I submit my slides/paper? What should I do if I miss the submission deadline?
   Instructions for Uploading Presentation Slides to the Online Conference Program (Whova)