FAQ

What is the cost of registration?

Our registration rates are graduated by income, ranging from $95 for students and anyone with an annual income below $45,000 to $265 for anyone with an annual income above $90,000.

Is there a discounted registration rate for virtual attendees?

No. The registration fee is the same no matter whether you attend sessions in person, online, or both.

I am a student/retired/underemployed. Can you waive my registration fee?

At this time, we are unable to offer any hardship waivers. However, we offer a discounted rate of $95 for students and anyone with an annual income below $45,000.

What protocols are in place regarding COVID-19?

As part of Western Michigan University, the Congress follows University policies and guidelines regarding COVID-19. WMU’s campus guidelines are aligned with the public health guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the state of Michigan and Kalamazoo County.

Is vaccination required?

WMU recommends all members of the campus community get fully vaccinated against COVID-19. We encourage Congress attendees to do the same.

Are face coverings required?

For everyone’s health and safety, we encourage Congress attendees to wear a well-fitting face covering in indoor public spaces.

How many sessions will take place in person and how many will be online?

The 2023 ICMS includes 462 sessions across three modalities (download the session schedule for full details). There are 265 in-person sessions and 148 virtual sessions. An additional 49 sessions (including the two plenary lectures) will be presented in a blended format, allowing for simultaneous in-person and online attendance.

What is a blended-format session?

Blended-format sessions are scheduled in hybrid classrooms with large screens, cameras, and microphones. Participants in these sessions may present on the ground in Kalamazoo (livestreamed for remote attendees) or online (displayed on the screen for in-person attendees). During the discussion period, remote attendees will be able to ask presenters questions directly, or join the conversation over text by using the chat box. A presider will be present in the classroom to take questions from in-person attendees.

Why aren’t all sessions offered in a blended format?

Our staffing and our classroom technology are both limited. We want to ensure that the blended-format sessions run smoothly rather than try to host more than we are capable of at this time. Future Congresses may be able to support additional blended-format sessions.

Will there be any technical support?

Confex tech support personnel will monitor all virtual and blended-format sessions. They will be able to help troubleshoot issues like having problems logging on to the meeting site or sharing slides over Zoom. Congress personnel will be available to help in-person attendees connect to wifi and use classroom A/V technology.

Will sessions be recorded?

If all participants in a virtual or blended-format session agree, the session will be recorded and made available to Congress attendees May 15-31. In-person sessions will not be recorded. A complete list of sessions that will be recorded is listed in the Congress program and in the Quick Guide for easy reference.

If I plan to attend Congress in person, can I still go to virtual sessions?

Yes! With approximately one-third of the Congress taking place virtually, we expect that most in-person attendees will wish to participate in one or more virtual sessions. To attend a virtual session, you will need an internet connection and a device such as a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Free wifi will be provided on the campus of Western Michigan University for all registered attendees.

A selection of remote participation rooms has been set aside for in-person attendees to watch or present in virtual sessions: Schneider 1220, 1280 and 1360 (see floor plan); Bernhard 157, 158, 204 and 205; and Valley 3 Fox 308 (download floor plans for these buildings here).

These are not hybrid rooms. You will need to bring your own device to attend virtual sessions, and tech support will not be provided. Reservation sheets are posted at each room. If not reserved in advance, these rooms can be used on a walk-in basis.

Attendees without laptops can attend virtual sessions in the Waldo Library computer labs (bring your own headphones). Please be considerate of others in your vicinity and use headphones whenever listening to virtual sessions.

How can I get a printed copy of the Congress program?

The Medieval Institute sends Congress programs beginning in February to all U.S. addresses on its active mailing list via bulk mail but limits the initial international mailing of programs (including Canada) to individuals whose names appear in the program for that year. In-person attendees registering after Apr. 15 and international attendees who did not receive a program in the mail will be able to pick up a copy of the printed program on site.

I left my Congress program at home. Can I get another copy?

Additional print copies of the program are available for purchase at registration for $15 per copy while supplies last. The program can also be downloaded as a PDF.

Are lactation rooms available?

The Medieval Institute provides designated lactation rooms in the Bernhard Center, the Fetzer Center, and the Goldsworth Valley 3 residence halls (download floor plans for these buildings here). The key to the room in the Bernhard Center can be checked out from the Information Desk. The rooms in the Fetzer Center are accessible without a key through an outer door (Fetzer 2050) and can be locked from the inside. The keys for the Goldsworth Valley 3 lactation rooms can be checked out from the Eldridge-Fox desk.

I'm traveling with my child(ren). Is child care available while I'm in sessions?

Arrangements for child care are the responsibility of the parent(s). We recommend that you go directly to Care.com, which background checks its caregivers. Account creation is required.

I have limited mobility. How can I get around campus?

Congress locations are located on the hilly campus of Western Michigan University. Medieval Institute shuttle buses provide transportation among Congress locations.

Are the dorms wheelchair accessible?

The Goldworth Valley complexes have a limited number of wheelchair accessible rooms, assigned upon request and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please include your request for an accessible room in the notes field when registering for the Congress. The Western Heights complex is fully wheelchair accessible. Find more about on-campus housing options here.

How can I get to Kalamazoo?

Kalamazoo is located at the crossroads of Interstate 94 and US Route 131 in Southwest Michigan, roughly halfway between Chicago and Detroit. Learn about your travel options here.

I'm staying off-campus. How can I get to campus from my hotel?

The Medieval Institute provides shuttle service to campus and back from the Radisson/downtown.

It appears that there are fewer shuttle routes than have run in the past—is this correct?

Due to increased costs and decreased driver availability, we have focused on the most critical routes. Shuttles will run between Congress locations on the WMU campus, between Valley 3 and downtown Kalamazoo (for access to the downtown hotels and restaurants and connections to buses and trains at the Kalamazoo Transportation Center), and between Valley 3 and the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport.

Where can I park on campus?

Parking for Congress attendees is available in selected parking lots near Congress venues on campus for all registered participants. Please do not park at meters or in prohibited areas.

How can I get around campus to attend sessions?

The Medieval Institute provides shuttle service to Congress locations.

Can you provide official documentation that I will present at Congress?

We understand that you may need written confirmation of your planned participation in Congress to support a visa application or a request for travel funding, or to meet other requirements from your university or other institution. We are happy to provide official letters confirming that your paper or other contribution to the Congress has been accepted; please contact the Medieval Institute to request a letter.