Committee Reports

Conference Committee

The 1997 Allerton Conference is set for April 3-5. Make plans now to attend. Registration forms will be available in the next two editions of the ConneXion. IMACC's membership is growing, with increasing numbers of first-time conference attendees each year. Below we provide some general information about the facilities at Allerton House that might be useful to new members.

Allerton House History and

Information

Allerton House, built as a private home by Robert Allerton in 1900, was developed into a conference center in 1946. The Conference Center, which consists of the main house, and three additional lodging buildings, is surrounded by a 1500 acre forest that has been designated as a National Nature Landmark. Adjacent to the Conference Center are formal gardens, decorative ornaments and museum quality sculptures. The country setting ensures the quiet needed for concentration and the beauty of the area provides the only distraction. Miles of hiking trails are maintained in the woodlands, and the Sangamon River winds its way through the middle of the park.

Lodging rooms are located in the Main House, the Evergreen Lodge, the Gate House, and the Little House in the Woods. Most rooms are double occupancy with two single beds. There are several rooms that are dormitory style with 4-10 beds in them with limited bathroom space. Beds are assigned on a first come, first served basis. If you wish to room with certain people or in a certain location, please indicate it on your registration form and return it as promptly as possible.

In keeping with the educational atmosphere and rustic setting, there are no televisions or telephones in the rooms. Between meetings and after hours, colleagues enjoy talking with each other, playing ping-pong or pool, or watching T.V. in the basement rec room. A pay phone is located on the first floor of the Main House near the dining hall.

The Conference Center is designed as a place to get away from the pressures and responsibilities of everyday life to focus on teaching mathematics. There is barely room for all attendees and thus limited space for spouses. The facilities and IMACC conference format are not designed for children.

Food is provided in abundant quantities. Conference meals are pre-planned by the Conference Coordinator and deliciously prepared from scratch by the Allerton kitchen staff. Meals are served in the dining hall, once the Carriage House of the mansion. Snacks are served during the coffee breaks and evening social hours. Several book publishers sponsor these breaks as a thank you for considering their textbooks. Take an opportunity to look at their displays and thank them for their sponsorship. If you have any special dietary needs, please contact the Conference Coordinator. [Some needs, such as vegetarian or diabetic meals, may be able to be handled by Allerton House if advance notice is given.]

In years past, when there are too many people for Allerton House to accommodate, the overflow has been housed at a motel (Foster's Plaza) in downtown Monticello. If for some reason, you prefer to be housed off-site and drive in to the Conference, you should arrange for your own reservations and indicate no lodging on your registration form.

We hope this information answers some of your questions about the facilities at Allerton House. If you have further enquiries, please call Lisa Carrington at (618) 395-7777. Registration forms will be available in the Winter and Spring ConneXions and on the IMACC Homepage on the internet. It is important that everyone who attends complete the registration form, even if accommodations or all meals are not required. Keep a look out for the registration form and come experience the Allerton Conference!

Lisa Carrington, Olney Central College

Mike Emerick, Parkland College

Allerton Conference Co-Coordinators

Scholarship Committee

The winner of the 1996 IMACC Scholarship was Kevin Whitely. He was nominated by John M. Henry of Lincoln Land Community College. Kevin was extremely well-qualified and deserving of this award.

It is time once again to nominate worthy students such as Kevin for the 1997 IMACC Scholarship. This issue of the ConneXion

contains: (1) the faculty nomination form, (2) the student information form, and (3) the faculty information form. Last year the first place scholarship award was $750 and there is a smaller award for a second place recipient. For a student to be considered, the nomination form completed by a faculty member, the student information form and the student's supporting materials must be completed and returned to the IMACC Memorial Scholarship Chairperson Dan Alexander at Parkland College no later than February 1, 1997.

Remember, a deserving individual cannot receive the award unless he or she is nominated. So take this opportunity to nominate one of your deserving students for this scholarship award. Send your nominating form to:

Dan Alexander, IMACC Scholarship Chairperson

Department of Mathematics and Computer science

Parkland College

2400 W. Bradley Avenue

Champaign, IL 61821