CCSCNE Program : Papers Chair Responsibilities

Papers Chair Responsibilities

Compile a list of reviewers in the summer before the conference. We need at least as many reviewers as the numbers of expected paper submissions since we need 4 reviews per paper, and usually 4 papers are assigned per reviewer.
- Draft a "Call for Reviewers" early in the Summer. It should include
  - Date when papers will be mailed for reviewing - a week after the paper submission deadline;
  - Date when reviews must be submitted - at least a week before the January meeting.
  - The number of papers one can expect to review: 4-6
  - How to sign up as a reviewer - send email to Papers Chair, fill out a form, etc.
- Send the Call for Reviewers to CCSCNE Membership Chair to be posted to CCSCNE membership early in the summer before the conference.
In addition, previous year's reviewers may be contacted directly - the list of reviewers may be obtained from previous year's Paper Chair.
Prepare a Web page with details for submitting papers. The instructions should include:
- The paper must be anonymous. Authors should submit a separate page with the paper title, name/affiliation/address/telephone/fax/email of all the authors, and keywords for the paper.
- Format restrictions, to be obtained from CCSCNE Editor.
- Page limit of the paper.
- Detailed submission instructions:
  - Hard copy submissions: number of copies of the paper, address to which it should be sent
  - Electronic submissions: Internet site where the paper should be deposited, file format for the paper.
    Note that even though WordPerfect is the file format needed for camera copy, Word format is preferable for paper submission since fewer reviewers can print WordPerfect files.
- Submission deadline. (See dates page for setting the deadline.)
Send the page to Publicity Chair to post on the Web site no later than the August before the conference.
Receive and log all papers submitted by paper submission deadline :
- Assign a unique number to each paper.
- Make sure every paper is anonymous. If it is not anonymous, return the paper and ask the author to submit an anonymous version within a week.
Send papers for review within a week of the submission deadline.
- Assign 4-6 papers per reviewer. Preferably match keywords in the paper with interests of reviewers.
- Send reviewers the following information:
  - deadline by which reviews must be returned: at least a week before the January meeting
  - the review form for the papers:
    - A section may be included in the review form for confidential comments meant for the Papers Chair, not to be forwarded to the authors.
    - Include a question on whether the paper should be considered for best paper award.
  - the address to which the reviews must be (e)mailed
  - The papers to be reviewed - either hard copy or electronic copy.
  Collecting reviews eletronically is preferable since it gives reviewers more time to review. Reviewers may be sent a reminder to complete their reviews a week before the review submission deadline.
Send a letter acknowledging receipt of the paper to the author. In this letter, include:
- Number assigned to the paper, to be quoted in future correspondence
- Date of notification of acceptance, which is a week past the January meeting.
- Date for submission of camera ready copy if the paper is accepted. The date must be obtained from CCSCNE Editor.
This letter may be sent either by hard copy or by email.
Collect reviews and sort them by paper number before the January meeting :
- Determine the papers that are accepted and those that are rejected.
  - Each paper must have at least 3 reviews - if there are not enough reviews, the Papers Chair must arrange for more reviews or review the paper themselves.
  - The acceptance rate is typically 50% or less.
Organize accepted papers into paper sessions:
- Each paper session may have 3-4 presentations. Group together 3-4 related papers into each session, and provide a suitable title for each session.
- Before the January meeting, work with Panels Chair and Tutorials Chair to draft a tentative conference schedule:
  - The conference usually consists of 2 session-slots on Friday and 3 session-slots on Saturday. During each session-slot, three parallel sessions are held. (Attendee feedback indicates that anything more than 3 parallel sessions is excessive - attendees miss too much.)
  - When scheduling sessions, make sure there is neither topic-conflict, i.e., two sessions on the same or similar topic are not held in parallel; nor author-conflict, i.e., the same author is not scheduled to present in 2 or more paper/panel/tutorial sessions at the same time.
  This schedule must be handed to Publicity Chair and CCSCNE Editor at the end of the January meeting.
  In addition, prepare a list of accepted papers with the following details for each paper: title, name, affiliation, address, telephone, fax and email of all the authors. Forward this list to CCSCNE Editor in order to assist in compiling the proceedings.
Notify authors of acceptance/rejection immediately after the January meeting .
- Send the reviews after stripping reviewer number and confidential remarks from them.
- For accepted authors, send:
  - deadline and format for submission of the camera-ready copy, obtained from CCSCNE Editor
  - Copyright release form, to be signed by all authors, obtained from CCSCNE Editor
  - Registration form obtained from CCSCNE Editor
  - A/V form obtained from Local Arrangements Chair
Save a copy of the reviews for conference records.
Organize the best paper awards:
- Short-list 3-4 papers for best paper awards immediately after the January meeting , based on reviewers' response to whether the paper should be considered for the best paper award.
- Inform authors of these papers that they are being considered for best paper award and that they should stay for the Saturday luncheon when the awards will be given out.
- Organize a team of 3-4 judges from among the conference committee and CCSCNE board, who will attend the presentation of all the selected papers during the conference, and rank these talks. (Make sure the selected papers are not scheduled to be presented in parallel in the conference program.)
- Before the Saturday Luncheon, collect and tabulate the rankings and determine the top two awards.
- During the Saturday Luncheon, present the awards. The award is usually a check, which is mailed to the awardees by CCSCNE Treasurer after the conference. In addition, a certificate may be presented.
- After the conference: Follow up with the Treasurer for mailing the award checks to the winners.
Prepare a packet for Session Chairs:
- Include information for Session Chairs on where to obtain help if A/V fails.
- Remind Session Chairs to strictly adhere to the times. Provide cue-cards for Session Chairs to wave at speakers.
- Remind Session Chairs to leave the time slot empty if a speaker does not show up. Attendees may be session-hopping and may be disappointed if a subsequent talk is "moved up" to fill the vacant time slot.
- Ask Session Chairs to meet with presenters in their session before the session and update them on how the session is conducted.
Send the packets to all the session chairs in the list obtained from Speakers/Session Chair

Compiled by Amruth Kumar