Our research communities systematically exclude many groups of people. This campaign aims at improving one of the several dimensions of exclusion: money and job status. We need to make sure that our vibrant discussions and research spaces are inclusive!
The oftentimes high registration fees prevent many unemployed and underemployed (contingent faculty) scholars from being visible in the research community. They aren't able to present their work and have it discussed. This reinforces the stereotype that contingent faculty are not skilled enough to do research, or simply not interested. It also minimizes the chances that they will one day step out of the invisible niche between PhD and tenure that they inhabit.
One way to change this is to ensure that there is a reduced or waived registration fee category for unemployed and underemployed scholars, including adjuncts, lecturers, postdocs without financial support from their institutions, and in general scholars who already graduated but do not have a tenured or tenure-track position.
UPDATE (May 8, 2015): some supporters have suggested that the campaign should include emeritus/honorary/independent scholars.
Join this campaign and pledge to do one or more of the following:
1. pledge to provide a reduced or waived fees category for contingent faculty and other underemployed academics in any conference you organize
2. lobby the academic organizations you are a member of to provide such reduced fees
3. if you are in a privileged position within academia, you can also follow one or more of these practices:
a.if you are asked to be a reviewer at a conference, ask organizers if they are considering a special registration category for non-TT scholars
b.pay your accommodation and/or travel expenses, asking organizers to put the money toward help for those less able to afford the conference
c.when giving a department seminar, suggest an inexpensive restaurant so that those with less money can come
d.if you are invited to give a talk, depending on your economic situation you can refuse an honorarium, asking organizers to use the money to help those less able to afford the conference
you can read more on this campaign here
