We are committed to making the American Ornithological Society (AOS) 2026 meeting (AOS 2026) an inclusive and accessible conference. We have created an advisory committee dedicated to providing guidance to make our meeting accessible to as many attendees as possible. We strive to ensure the ornithological community understands the accommodations available to them and how they can contribute to an accessible meeting.
We strongly encourage all meeting participants to adhere to the accessibility guidelines we provide, in order to create an inclusive and accessible conference environment. If you have suggestions or questions about access, please contact: meeting@americanornithology.org.
Language and Closed Captioning
English is the official language of the AOS 2026. We welcome our valued members from across the Americas and around the world and strive to make components of the meeting more inclusive and accessible. We encourage presenters to use slides and create posters in both their native language and English or include English labels in presentations when possible, and speakers are invited to present in the language they are most comfortable using. This year all of the Plenaries will be provided with Closed Captioning.
Venue Accessibility
The University of Massachusetts Amherst Lincoln Campus Center and Student Union are both accessible, with direct elevator access to all of the event spaces, as well as ADA compliant doors, walkways, ramps, and restrooms in each building. Additionally, there is a direct indoor path from the 2nd floor of the Campus Center Parking Garage to the Campus Center and Student Union. Please see the campus accessibility map for more information as well as the locations of accessible parking spaces.
Gender Neutral Restrooms
Gender neutral restrooms: There is a single stall, ADA, all-gender restroom on the 2nd level of the Campus Center. The Student Union has multi-stall gender inclusive restrooms (including ADA options) with multiple locking, floor-to-ceiling units for privacy, with a shared sink area.
Lactation Room
Room 178 in the Conference Center will be designated as the Lactation Room.
Quiet Room
Due to space constraints, there will not be a designated Quiet Room available this year.
Emergency Services
Local emergency response contact information
To reach Emergency Services; Ambulance; Fire Department; or Police: Dial 9-1-1.
See the Area Map to locate nearby hospitals and urgent care centers.
Safety
See the campus safety resources available here: https://www.umass.edu/police/safety and here: https://www.umass.edu/admissions/articles/campus-safety-umass.
Conference attendees are encouraged to sign up for Emergency Alerts here: https://www.umass.edu/emergency/umass-emergency-alerts. This system allows campus visitors and guests to receive any campus emergency text alerts during their visit.
The UMass Amherst campus has a blue light system for safety. There are ~100 poles with blue lights for easy sighting at night installed across the campus. There should always be a Blue Light within walking distance of another one, to ensure the safest possible way if you’re walking around campus. If you push the button on the Blue Light, a UMass Police officer is immediately dispatched, and they have access to your exact location in the event that they need to get to you.
Responding to Law Enforcement or Government Agents (including ICE)
U Mass Amhert’s Guide For University Employees* Responding To Visits Or Requests From Local, State, And Federal Law Enforcement Or Government Representatives (Agent) is available here: https://www.umass.edu/news/federal-actions/responding.
If you are approached by agents, remain calm and professional and avoid escalating the situation. You have the right to remain silent under the Fifth Amendment. The Fourth Amendment restricts searches of your home, workplace, or vehicle. The First Amendment protects your right to free speech and advocacy. Noncitizens should be aware that immigration officials may target political activity if an individual is deportable.
Additional resources include:
- Lawyers for Civil Rights – Immigrants: Know Your Rights
- Immigrant Defense Hotline: 617-988-0606.
- Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition – Know Your Rights
- Family Preparedness Forms
- Legal Services
- Immigrant Legal Resource Center – Red Cards/Tarjetas Rojas
2SLGBTQIA+ Safety
According to the Movement Advancement Project, Massachusetts has a sexual orientation policy score of 18.25/23 (high), a gender identity policy score of 21.75/26 (high), and an overall score of 40/49 (high).
Wellness Guidance and Resources
The spread of communicable diseases including COVID-19, norovirus, and common colds or flus can be reduced by wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks, as well as by rigorous hand-washing. We encourage conference attendees to bring and wear PPE and to wash your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds. The AOS will have a limited amount of masks available at the conference by request at Registration/Check-in desk (see Registration/Check-in Desk hours).
*Here, University Employee includes all University employees except University Police Department employees.
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