American Ornithological Society 2024
TERMS and CONDITIONS
These are the terms (the “Agreement”) governing your attendance at and participation in any function associated with the American Ornithological Society 2024 Conference (“Conference”).
By registering for the Conference you agree to these terms, which form a binding legal agreement between the American Ornithological Society (AOS) and the registered attendee or participant (“you”). If you are registering on behalf of another individual, it is your responsibility to ensure the person attending is aware of these terms and accepts them. By completing the registration on behalf of another individual you are warranting that you have made the attendee or participant aware of these terms and that they have accepted these terms.
1 ATTENDEE REQUIREMENTS
1.1 Admittance. Your registration entitles you to admittance to the Conference for which you have registered. Any and all other costs associated with your attendance (including without limitation travel and accommodation expenses) shall be borne solely by you, and AOS shall have no liability for such costs.
1.2 Code of Conduct & Other Policies. AOS is dedicated to providing an inclusive environment that is collaborative, supportive, and engaging for everyone involved, and that is free of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation regardless of gender, race, ethnic or national origin, religion, age, marital status, pregnancy or parental status, sexual orientation and gender identity, disability status, physical appearance, socioeconomic level, or other protected statuses. The Conference is intended to advance our understanding of birds and their conservation through open and honest communication of original research and the broad exchange of ideas, and prohibits intimidating, threatening, or harassing conduct during our conferences. This policy applies to all attendees, speakers, staff, volunteers, exhibitors, and sponsors. Conference participants violating these rules may be expelled from the conference, sanctioned, or both at the discretion of the AOS, society organizers of the conference, or YMCA of the Rockies security. The Conference policies are intended to set clear expectations of behavior of meeting participants to ensure that all participants feel safe and welcome, and to ensure that this meeting is a positive experience for all. The policies that govern the meeting include: Code of Conduct & Ethics, Meeting Code of Conduct, Data Privacy Policy, Diversity Statement, Non-Discrimination Policy, and Social Media & Commenting Policy. These are available at: https://americanornithology.org/about/governance/.
1.3 Recording/Photography. Recordings, video and photographs will be taken during the conference for archival and marketing purposes. By registering as a conference attendee, you agree to grant AOS the right to record, film, and/or photograph during the event and to distribute or use this media without further approval.
1.4 Conference Content. You acknowledge and agree that AOS, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to change any and all aspects of the Conference, including but not limited to the Conference themes, content, program, speakers, performers, hosts, moderators, venue, and schedule.
1.5 Identification. All attendees must be able to provide one form of government-issued photo ID onsite that matches the name appearing on their registration.
1.6 Attendee Badge Usage. Attendee badges must be worn at all times in Conference areas.
1.7 Visa Requirements. It is the sole responsibility of the attendee to ensure all government travel and visa requirements are met and submitted with sufficient time for processing to the appropriate embassy, consulate or government office. The AOS cannot provide assistance with visa issues; however, AOS will furnish a formal letter to registrants from foreign countries confirming their paid registration at the conference. Individuals intending to attend the meeting may request a visa letter using this online form. Failure to obtain a visa in advance of the Conference does not constitute a valid basis for obtaining a refund.
2 FEES
2.1 Payment. The payment of the applicable fees for the Conference is due upon registration if paying online, or may be paid by the final due date of SEPTEMBER 1, 2024, if paying by invoice, purchase order, or by other similar means. If such payment is insufficient or declined for any reason, AOS 2024 has the right to refuse entry to the Conference and shall have no liability in that regard. Member-based rates are available only to individuals with an active 2024 membership in AOS, with an expiration date of 12/31/24 or later. Registrants found to pay the member rate without an active membership will be required to buy/renew an AOS membership or remit the additional registration fee prior to entering the meeting. Attendees 13 years of age or younger are not required to purchase a conference registration. All participants, regardless of age, are required to register for field trips and other ticketed events as required by the event administrator.
2.2 Taxes. Some fees may be subject to sales tax, value added tax, or other taxes and duties which, if applicable, will be charged to you in addition to the fees.
3 CANCELLATIONS
3.1 Cancellation Policy. If you find it necessary to cancel your registration, we are able to refund your conference fee costs (less a $75 USD processing fee) if we receive notice on or before August 31, 2024. Refunds on registration fees will not be issued for cancellations received after August 31, 2024, except in cases of a documented positive test for COVID-19 in which the required self-isolation period precludes travel to or attendance at the conference. Current United States COVID-19 travel guidelines will be followed. Refunds will not be issued for “no-show” registrants for any reason. All refunds will be processed at the time of cancellation.
3.2 Cancellation Procedures. If you registered online, you can cancel your registration by submitting a cancellation request via the google form. If you have questions about cancellation processing, please send an email to info@americanornithology.org with the subject line: ‘AOS 2024 Cancellation Request.’
Substitutions will not be made at any time, regardless of circumstance. Please cancel the registration, and book a new registration.
4 REGISTRATION CONFIRMATION, EMAILS, & CONFERENCE UPDATES
4.1 Email Address. You will receive essential information for registered attendees electronically at the email address you provide during AOS 2024 Conference Registration. Be sure to check your spam email box in case any of your AOS 2024 email(s) are caught by spam filters. Your email address is an important identifier for both conference registration and abstract submission.
4.2 Registration and Payment Confirmation. Once registration is completed, a confirmation email will be generated. Upon payment, a payment receipt will be emailed.
5 PRIVACY POLICY
AOS 2024 is committed to protecting the privacy of its attendees. AOS 2024 may provide sponsors and exhibitors with a list of attendees and their postal mailing addresses. Otherwise, AOS 2024 will not rent, share, or sell your contact information or other personal information to any third parties. The Privacy Policy may be viewed here: https://americanornithology.org/about/governance/data-privacy/
6 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
6.1 All intellectual property rights in and to the Conference, the Conference content, and all materials distributed at or in connection with the Conference are owned by AOS 2024 or the Conference sponsors or speakers presenting at the Conference. You may not use or reproduce or allow anyone to use or reproduce any trademarks or other trade names appearing at the Conference, in any Conference content, or in any materials distributed at or in connection with the Conference for any reason without the prior written permission from AOS and meeting organizers.
6.2 For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to vest in you any legal or beneficial right in or to any trademarks or other intellectual property rights owned or used under license by AOS or any of its affiliates; nor does this Agreement grant to you any right or license to any other intellectual property rights of AOS or its affiliates, all of which shall at all times remain the exclusive property of AOS and its affiliates.
7 DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES, LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
7.1 AOS gives no warranties in respect of any aspect of the Conference or any materials related thereto or offered at the Conference and, to the fullest extent possible under the laws governing this Agreement, disclaims all implied warranties, including but not limited to warranties of fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy, timeliness, and merchantability. The Conference is provided on an “as-is” basis. Neither AOS nor its affiliates accept any responsibility or liability for reliance by you or any person on any aspect of the Conference or any information provided at the Conference.
7.2 Except as required by law, neither AOS nor its affiliates shall be liable for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential costs, damages or losses arising directly or indirectly from the Conference or other aspect related thereto or in connection with this Agreement.
7.3 The maximum aggregate liability of AOS for any claim in any way connected with, or arising from, the Conference or this Agreement, whether in contract, tort, or otherwise (including any negligent act or omission), shall be limited to the amount paid by you to AOS 2024 under this Agreement.
7.4 COVID-19 Assumption of Risk and Waiver of Liability
COVID-19, the disease caused by variants of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, has been identified as an ongoing health issue by the World Health Organization. By registering for this event, you acknowledge and understand all risks associated with possible exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and contraction of COVID-19, and are voluntarily participating in the event for your own benefit, the value of which is sufficient consideration for your voluntary execution of this agreement. A partial list of acknowledgments is:
- all known variants of SARS-CoV-2 are considered highly contagious and spread primarily by person-to-person contact;
- a risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 exists in any public place where people are present. I understand that the risk of becoming exposed to or infected by SARS-CoV-2 during or after the meeting may result from the actions or inactions of others who may attend the meeting or their families, colleagues, or anyone else with whom they may have contact;
- illness, death, and serious chronic conditions can result from COVID-19;
- according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is evidence that COVID-19 can be spread by asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic individuals, including even by vaccinated individuals, which can result in the “silent” spread of the virus;
- although vaccination appears to be a safe and effective way to reduce the risk of infection and serious illness, no vaccine is 100% effective; and
- despite adhering to precautions, there is a possibility that I will be exposed to SARS-CoV-2 and/or contract COVID-19 at the conference.
By registering for and attending the meeting, I agree to abide by all health and safety guidelines and recommendations promulgated by federal, state, and local government agencies and officials, the American Ornithological Society (AOS), and the event venue, YMCA of the Rockies. This includes, but is not limited to, submitting to restrictions set in place by AOS and the venue during the event that may consist of vaccination requirements, COVID-19 testing, wearing a mask at all times in indoor public areas, engaging in appropriate physical distancing, and restrictions on certain activities that carry higher COVID-19-related risk, such as congregating in large private gatherings or attending off-site events in crowded facilities. I further agree that I will not attend the meeting in person if I test positive for or exhibit any symptoms of COVID-19 during or within 5 days prior to the Conference.
Additionally, I understand that travel to and participation in events may increase the risk of exposure to communicable diseases. I HEREBY RELEASE, WAIVE AND FOREVER DISCHARGE ANY AND ALL LIABILITY, CLAIMS, AND DEMANDS OF WHATEVER KIND OR NATURE AGAINST the American Ornithological Society AND ITS AFFILIATED PARTNERS AND SPONSORS, INCLUDING IN EACH CASE, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THEIR DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, VOLUNTEERS, AND AGENTS (THE “RELEASED PARTIES”), EITHER IN LAW OR IN EQUITY, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMISSIBLE BY LAW, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES OR LOSSES CAUSED BY THE NEGLIGENCE, FAULT OR CONDUCT OF ANY KIND ON THE PART OF THE RELEASED PARTIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO DEATH, BODILY INJURY, ILLNESS, ECONOMIC LOSS OR OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES, OR LOSS OR DAMAGE TO PROPERTY, WHICH I, MY HEIRS, ASSIGNEES, NEXT OF KIN AND/OR LEGALLY APPOINTED OR DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVES, MAY HAVE OR WHICH MAY HEREINAFTER ACCRUE ON MY BEHALF, WHICH ARISE OR MAY HEREAFTER ARISE FROM MY PARTICIPATION WITH THE AOS 2024 Meeting.
Your registration confirms your consent to these terms.
8 MISCELLANEOUS
8.1 AOS’ failure to exercise any right provided for herein shall not be deemed a waiver of any further rights hereunder. AOS shall not be liable for any failure to perform its obligations hereunder where such failure results from any cause beyond AOS’ reasonable control. If any provision of this Agreement is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary so that this Agreement shall otherwise remain in full force and effect and enforceable. This Agreement is not assignable, transferable or sub-licensable by you except with AOS’ prior written consent.
8.2 This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the District of Columbia and the parties shall submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the District of Columbia courts. A party that substantially prevails in an action brought under this Agreement is entitled to recover from the other party its reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs. Both parties agree that this Agreement is the complete and exclusive statement of the mutual understanding of the parties and supersedes and cancels all previous written and oral agreements, communications and other understandings relating to the subject matter of this Agreement, and that all modifications must be in a writing signed by both parties, except as otherwise provided herein. No agency, partnership, joint venture, or employment is created as a result of this Agreement and you acknowledge that you do not have any authority of any kind to bind AOS in any respect whatsoever.
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