AMEC 2025 POLICIES, TERMS & CONDITIONS

ATTENDEE CANCELLATION POLICY

All refund requests must be submitted in writing to memberinfo@snma.org, Subject line: AMEC 2025 Attendee registration refund.

• Full refund of registration fee until January 31, 2025 at 11:59pm EST.
• Eligible for 50% refund on registration fees from February 1 until February 28, 2025 at 11:59pm EST.
• Eligible for 25% refund on registration fees from March 1 until March 14, 2025 at 11:59pm EST.
• No refunds on or after 12:00am EST starting March 17, 2025.
• No refunds for no-shows.
• No exchanges, transfers or substitutions allowed.
  
  NOTE: No exchanges, transfers or substitutions allowed. SNMA reserves the right to cancel registration for non-compliance with this policy.

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

INHERENT RISKS

The Student National Medical Association is committed to providing a safe and healthy experience for all participants, vendors, and guests at our events.

There is an inherent risk in attending an in-person event regardless of your vaccination status. By purchasing and attending any in-person event, you assume those risks and will hold harmless the Student National Medical Association for any injuries, or illness, including Covid-19, while participating, and/or attending a SNMA event.

MASKS ARE OPTIONAL

Due to the evolving nature of COVID-19, SNMA reserves the right to revise this policy, in its sole discretion, and all event participants will be required to abide by the most up-to-date policy. SNMA will provide all event registrants with notice regarding any changes to this policy.

PHOTO RELEASE

SNMA has official photographers and videographers documenting AMEC activities. Photos and videos taken may be used in future SNMA publications, including the Journal of the Student National Medical Association, the SNMA Annual Report, and other informational and promotional materials, on its social media accounts, and on the SNMA website, www.snma.org. By registering, you agree to permit SNMA to use photos and videos, which may include exhibit personnel or representatives, in all media formats.

ANTI-DISCRIMINATION POLICY

The SNMA is committed to providing an environment that is conducive to sharing information and open communications. Organizations with declared restrictions in recruitment, training, and employment, based on race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, or disability will be viewed as non-compliant. SNMA does not restrict or limit participation by anyone who has met the participation criteria, including payment of the required fees.
 

OPINION DISCLAIMER

The SNMA’s Annual Medical Education Conference (AMEC) is an educational program where information is presented in various formats. Views expressed at AMEC including during sessions, workshops, and presentations are solely the speakers’ and do not reflect the official views or policies of the SNMA, its, sponsors, and/or its partners.

CODE OF CONDUCT

Disruptive Conduct– SNMA reserves the right to remove you from the Annual Medical Education Conference (AMEC) if SNMA, in its sole discretion, determines that your participation or behavior create a disruption or hinders the enjoyment of AMEC content by other participants. Acts of violence including berating, belittling any staff, vendors or participants are grounds for immediate removal.

EXHIBITOR POLICIES, TERMS & CONDITIONS

CANCELLATION OR TERMINATION OF EXHIBIT BY SNMA

SNMA reserves the right to withdraw its acceptance of the Application and this Contract if it determines in its sole discretion that the exhibitor or vendor is not eligible to participate, or the exhibitor’s product or services is not eligible to be displayed in this exhibit. If because of fire, strike, exhibit facility construction or renovation project, government regulation, public catastrophe, Act of God, terrorist, war, public enemy or other cause beyond the control of SNMA, the exhibit or any part thereof is prevented from being held, is cancelled by SNMA, or the exhibit space becomes unavailable, SNMA in its sole discretion shall determine and refund to the exhibitor or vendor its proportionate share of the balance of the aggregate exhibit fees received which remains after deducting expenses incurred by SNMA and reasonable compensation to SNMA. In no case shall the amount of refund to exhibitor or vendor exceed the amount of the exhibit fee paid.

CANCELLATION BY EXHIBITOR

• All requests for cancellation must be made in writing.
• For cancellations received on or before January 31, 2025, all monies less 50% of exhibit fees will be refunded.
• For cancellation is received after February 1, 2025, SNMA will retain or shall be owed a cancellation fee equal to 100% of the total exhibit fee.
  

CANCELLATION AND REDUCTION OF SPONSORSHIP

SNMA depends on sponsorship commitments made and frequently must place orders in advance of the event for products or services for which sponsorship has been committed. For this reason, we require that commitments for sponsorship be made in writing. For cancellations received on or before December 31, 2024, all monies less 10% of sponsorship amount will be refunded. For cancellations received between January 1-31, 2025, all monies less is 25% of sponsorship amount will be refunded. No refunds for cancellations after January 31, 2025.

ADVERTISING POLICY

By purchasing an advertisement, you are agreeing to the SNMA Advertising Policies below. No refunds will be provided for the advertising that is ordered.

If the advertiser fails to send the advertisement by the deadline of January 16, 2025. SNMA reserves the right to compose a simple advertisement of the reserved size, and the advertiser will be billed separately for this service. The ad will be composed of the organization's name and website as fulfillment of the advertisement order.

PAYMENT TERMS

Exhibit spaces are assigned on a first come, first served basis.

The assignment of exhibit space is contingent upon receipt of full payment at the time of registration.
Registrations requests to pay by check are unreserved until full payment is received. Payments by invoices are due upon receipt. SNMA reserves the right to cancel this reservation in case of non-compliance with the payment.

Payments may be made with a credit card (American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa), direct deposit, or in the form of a check made payable to SNMA.

WHICH EXHIBIT?

The Professional Exhibits and the annual Premedical Forum (PmF) Recruitment Fair are separate components of the AMEC, each with its own separate programming, schedule, management, and fee administration. Persons registered to participate in one are not automatically registered for participation in the other. Participation in both must be clearly distinguished on the application form and will be invoiced accordingly.

REGISTERING EXHIBIT PERSONNEL

Booth staff names must be received by March 13 , 2025. If two (2) staff have been registered—whether they are named or not—and a third representative shows up on-site, the exhibiting company must pay for the additional person who has come before a badge can be issued. Additions or substitutions of booth personnel cannot be processed expeditiously onsite in Hartford and generic "Exhibitor" name badges may be issued. There is a $25 charge for lost badge reprint.

BOOTH UTILIZATION

Exhibit space is for the exclusive use of the registered organization and is to be used by that entity. In the Professional Exhibits, an exhibitor representing one large organization may bring literature that describes different departments within that organization. However, only the organization’s primary name will be displayed at the booth. For example, Howard University Hospital (HUH) may reserve one booth and their representatives may bring materials describing HUH’s Surgery, Internal Medicine and Emergency Medicine departments, but only one sign, “Howard University Hospital”, will be displayed at the booth. If a common name for all HUH units cannot be achieved or is unsuitable for the booth, then each department should reserve its own unique booth. Similarly, large educational systems, with multiple branches or operating units should register separately. For example, UC-Davis and UCSF should each register separately; Massachusetts General Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center should register separately, even though they are both a part of Harvard Medical School’s affiliate system. Separate agencies within NIH would each reserve their own booth. In agreeing to exhibit at this venue, you acknowledge being advised that the floor plan, when published, shows does not show exhibit booth spaces where there is a permanent pillar or other permanent structure in the hall. Booth spaces are created in such a way as to avoid any impediment, if present. SNMA reserves the right to adjust the exhibit hall layout and/or schedule based on significant programmatic changes and/or as may be dictated by the Fire Marshal. SNMA’s exhibit space assignment decisions are considered final.

BOOTH ALLOWANCES AND LIMITATIONS

Certain arrangements for the physical handling of exhibits are dictated by the America Center, Fern Expo, and local ordinances. These include booth furnishings, shipping and handling, storage, safety, and other requirements. Power, Internet services, and audiovisual equipment are to be procured through the hotel. Fern Expo will share with exhibitors all the appropriate guidelines for the AMEC location.

OFFICIAL DECORATOR COORDINATION

After SNMA has received your completed exhibit registration, we will give Fern Expo, (Official Decorator) your contact information. They, in turn, will contact you directly, and provide exclusive access to an on-line Service Manual, and will assist as necessary with the shipment and delivery of your materials to your booth or other display area. The Service Manual will contain forms for ordering labor, additional furniture (beyond those that SNMA provides), drayage, plants, carpeting and other booth decorations, insurance, and other support services. Fern Expo will also staff and operate a service center on-site to ensure overall coordination of exhibit installations and to help during and after the conference.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

SNMA makes every effort to assure the enjoyment and safety of all program participants and to maintain the integrity of this special program. Our program and management structure are bound by certain contractual obligations or local ordinance, which are enumerated here and elsewhere on our website. Any exceptions or exclusions from these guidelines shall be at the discretion of the SNMA Chairperson. You may direct any questions, considerations, or concerns to conferences@snma.org.

CONFERENCE PROGRAM PARTICIPATION

Booth personnel in either of the exhibitor halls are not allowed free access to certain program events, including workshops, banquets, Specialty networking receptions, plenaries, House of Delegates sessions or Premedical Forum component activities for which fees are generally charged. Exhibit personnel wishing to experience the full conference program must pay an Attendee registration fee (in addition to the exhibit registration fee) and/or they must purchase selected Event tickets, in advance.

APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES OR OTHER SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

America Center, and the SNMA provide such arrangements as are required under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In helping SNMA to meet these requirements, applicants are asked to provide to the SNMA Headquarters detailed instructions in writing concerning any needs for auxiliary aids that a registered individual may require in any meeting room or function space, to assure that person’s full participation at the meeting. Send an e-mail to conferences@snma.org by February 27, 2025, which is also the hotel’s cutoff date. Appropriate accommodation cannot be guaranteed unless we have received timely notification and specific instructions in writing.
 

SECURITY AND INSURANCE

All property of an exhibitor or vendor is understood to be in its care, custody, and control in transit to or from or within the confines of the hotel. Exhibitor or vendor agrees to waive its rights of subrogation against SNMA, its officers, directors, and employees. Exhibitor or vendor is solely and fully responsible for its own exhibit material and should insure its exhibit against property damage or other loss from any cause whatsoever. The Exhibitor or vendor understands that neither the SNMA, America Center, nor Fern Expo maintain insurance covering business interruption of the exhibitor’s or vendor’s property and it is the sole responsibility of the Exhibitor to obtain such insurance.

CARE OF BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT

Exhibitors or vendors, or agents must not injure or deface the walls or floors of the building, the exhibit spaces, or the equipment in the exhibit spaces. When such damage appears, the Exhibitor or vendor is liable to the owner of the property so damaged. All materials used in decoration must be flame-proof. The exhibitor or vendor shall comply with all reasonable requests of officials of the exhibit hall, and SNMA, with respect to the installation, conduct, and disassembly of its exhibit.

INDEMNITY AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

Neither the SNMA, nor any of its officers, employees or other representatives, nor the America’s Center, its owners, operators, and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, employees, officers, directors, and agents, Fern, their owners, operators, and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, employees, officers, directors, and agents shall be held liable for and they are hereby released from liability for any damage, loss, harm or injury to the person or property of the Exhibitor or vendor or any of its visitors, officers, agents, employees, or other representatives, resulting from their theft, fire, water or accident or any other cause. The exhibitor or vendor shall hold harmless the SNMA nor America’s Center, and Fern Exposition, their respective owners, operators, and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, employees, officers, directors, and agents from any claims, demands, suits, liability damages, loss, costs, attorney’s fees and expenses of any kind which might result from or arise out of any action or failure to act on the part of the exhibitor or vendor or its officers, agents, employees or other representatives.

AGREEMENT TO TERMS, CONDITIONS, AND RULES

Advertisers, exhibitors, sponsors vendor agrees to observe and abide by the foregoing Terms, Conditions and Rules and by such additional Terms, Conditions and Rules as may be established in writing from time to time by SNMA, including but not limited to those contained in this registration Contract or the Sponsorship and Exhibitor Prospectus posted on the SNMA website, as well as other advisories that will be furnished in writing, as follow-up. In addition to SNMA’s right to close an Exhibit and withdraw its acceptance of the application and Contract, SNMA in its sole judgment, may refuse to consider for participation in future Exhibits an Exhibitor or Vendor who violates or fails to abide by all such Terms, Conditions and Rules. The documents, AMEC Participant Registration Application, Exhibitor and Advertiser Registration, and Sponsorship and Exhibitor Prospectus, are the governing documents for this engagement and comprise a “Contract” with the registered entity. The rights and declarations of the SNMA under this Contract and the Sponsorship and Exhibitor Prospectus shall not be deemed as waived except as specifically stated in writing by an authorized executive of the SNMA.

GOVERNING LAW

This agreement shall be governed by, interpreted, and construed in accordance with the laws of the District of Columbia, exclusive of choice of law statutes.