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* The Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning informed members that it is moving its annual conference out of Florida and to Chicago…
At its virtual meeting on June 27th, 2023, the ACSP Governing Board decided to move the Fall 2023 annual conference away from Miami and to host the 2023 conference in another city. The Governing Board made this very difficult decision to stay in alignment with the ACSP Values statement, specifically our commitment to welcome all members, scholars, and educators and to develop events, meetings, and publications that are welcoming, inclusive, and safe venues for discourse and inquiry.
The ACSP board has carefully considered our fiduciary responsibilities. Paying a steep penalty to the hotel will surely have a major impact on a small volunteer-driven organization like ACSP. Although we can weather this specific financial cost, we will deplete our investment accounts significantly, making us vulnerable to any unanticipated future surprises. That said, I am happy that the Board has made a decision consistent with our values statement, conference location policy, and organizational mission.
For ACSP conference attendees, the attraction of an in-person conference is about enjoying a sense of community and camaraderie, and having an opportunity to have unique place-based experiences that can energize and engage us. For students and early career scholars, the annual conference is often about connecting with senior scholars and their peers from across the world in formal and informal settings, attending job fairs and other recruitment events, and being introduced to the complexities of planning in a very real way by attending an action-packed three day event.
Despite myriad assurances from the Florida hospitality industry, members of all ACSP interest groups expressed significant concerns regarding travel to Florida. While no place can be 100% safe, Florida this fall did not feel like the best place to gather for our annual conference. As with the State of Florida, other states curtail what can and cannot be taught in high school and college classrooms. Planning educators have a lot of issues we should be concerned about including how we prepare future planners to work in environments hostile to the ideals and principles of planning.
We urge all of you to come to the Fall 2023 conference to show support for ACSP and to engage with these issues that caused us to move away from Florida while also thinking critically about how to make and sustain transformative social change. The Fall 2023 conference is also a great opportunity to begin conversations about crafting a new strategic vision for the Association and its conferences in future years.
We are very happy to announce to you today that we have been welcomed by the Palmer House Hilton, an art-deco historic venue in the city of Chicago, to serve as our conference hotel.
* From Konstantine “Gus” Drosos, General Manager of the Palmer House…
On behalf of the Palmer House and all of our staff we would like to thank you for placing your program with us. Our staff are ecstatic about winning your confidence and trust to place your program with us so close to your program date. Chicago is known as one of the most hospitable and inclusive cities in the country if not the world. Our team members exemplify that hospitality, diversity, and inclusion, and are grateful for your business. Rest assured you are in great hands at the Palmer House. We will make sure your program is successful and we hope to see you come back for many years to come. Thank you!
* Florida Phoenix…
Organizations representing Black, Hispanic, and LGBTQ+ communities in Florida have issued travel advisories in recent months, citing “open hostility” to those groups manifested in laws passed during the recent legislative session, as noted by [ACSP President Laxmi Ramasubramanian] in a message sent out to members last month.
In another letter dated May 26, Ramasubramanian wrote that, “Like you, I have been following the escalating waves of hostile actions and legislation coming out of Florida but also other states that are following a political playbook. It is disheartening, painful and it makes me angry. As president of ACSP, I write today to acknowledge the anxieties, hurt, and anger that you may be feeling and experiencing.”
The Orlando Sentinel reported last week that a number of conferences slated to be held later this year or in future years in Orange County have been moved or cancelled due to the political environment in Florida, including a convention for Game of Thrones fans, with “Con of Thrones” organizers citing the “increasingly anti-humanitarian legislation in the state.” […]
A spokesperson for ACSP anticipated about 1,200 conference attendees who will now make the trip to the Palmer House Hotel in Chicago in October.
* Pritzker react…
We can't wait to see you all in Chicago this October!
While other states may be busy stripping away people's rights, here in the state of Illinois we support the fundamental rights of all.
Hate and discrimination have no place in this state. https://t.co/JQcwJl7kGJ
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) July 8, 2023
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jul 10, 23 @ 9:45 am
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As someone who got a Master’s in Urban Planning, I’m a little surprised that a planning conference would have been scheduled in Florida in the first place. But kudos to whomever relocated an urban planning hiring event from a sprawl capital to WHERE URBAN PLANNING STARTED. Also, we don’t persecute gay people.
Comment by Pangloss Monday, Jul 10, 23 @ 9:55 am
Setting aside the current socio/political climate, and maybe it’s because I enjoy a change of season, I have never seen the allure of that state.
Comment by Flyin'Elvis'-Utah Chapter Monday, Jul 10, 23 @ 10:06 am
With a drip, drip, drip the great American self-sort is underway. I know of Illinois colleges using the contrast between Illinois’ progressive political climate to poach students and faculty from places like Texas and Florida.
Sadly, Obama was wrong. There are red states and blue states. Hopefully we can remain one union, but it’s going to get worse before it gets better.
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Jul 10, 23 @ 10:07 am
=Also, we don’t persecute gay people.=
I would just add that we “don’t persecute people”.
= I have never seen the allure of that state.=
Ditto.
Comment by JS Mill Monday, Jul 10, 23 @ 10:15 am
I agree it will get worse before it gets better. The question is how much worse.
Comment by Homebody Monday, Jul 10, 23 @ 10:26 am
Go Woke, Go Broke may be remembered the same way as Trump’s “sick of winning” claims in years to come.
Comment by Grimlock Monday, Jul 10, 23 @ 10:53 am
Interesting that the Gov is so focused hate and discrimination when it is from the FL Gov. However JB has no problems with his allies spreading hate and discrimination. Ald rossanan rodriguez can spread all the hate and discrimination she wants about the Italian-American community and JB acts as if nothing happened. Hard to take him seriously.
Comment by do as i say, not as i do Monday, Jul 10, 23 @ 11:09 am
==and JB acts as if nothing happened==
Because nothing did happen. A city-level official made a dumb social media post. JB doesn’t need to swing at every pitch.
==Hard to take him seriously.==
I mean, I guess the guy saying “WHAT ABOUT THE ALDERWOMAN’S BAD TWEETS” would know about not being taken seriously.
Comment by Arsenal Monday, Jul 10, 23 @ 11:22 am
===Ald rossanan rodriguez can spread all the hate and discrimination she wants about the Italian-American community…===
I’m no fan of socialist Rosanne Rosannadana, but get a grip. Her stupid social media post was dumb, poorly conceived and she is being rightfully criticized for it. But hate directed at Italians? I remember when Italians were tough enough not to be so easily offended by garbage stereotypes like those.
Plus, who doesn’t like Italian Ice and Italian beef? They each deserve their own holiday.
Lighten up Francesco.
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Jul 10, 23 @ 11:26 am
===hate and discrimination when it is from the FL Gov===
Florida is passing actual laws. Your whataboutism retort is a stupid and ugly tweet from a back-bench alderperson.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Jul 10, 23 @ 11:26 am
“spread all the hate and discrimination she wants about the Italian-American community”
Are you just looking for something to be angry with?
–A second Twitter commenter proposed a beef juice fountain–
While the logistics of such a thing would be atrocious, as an Italian-American currently working on Italian dual-citizenship, I’m not really feeling a sense of hate or discrimination here.
JB probably has better things to than be angry it wasn’t properly called an ‘au jus’ fountain.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Monday, Jul 10, 23 @ 11:35 am
It’s not just this convention, but other conventions are reportedly pulling out of Florida. Florida Republicans are killing jobs. The Illinois doomsayers are taking another massive hit to their narrative that we should be like Florida or other red states.
Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, Jul 10, 23 @ 11:45 am
Rich, would Ald. Rodriguez-Sanchez still be considered a backbencher now that she’s in her 2nd term and a strong ally in Mr. Johnson is the Mayor?
Comment by Hot Taeks Monday, Jul 10, 23 @ 11:57 am
Get back on topic. Last warning.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Jul 10, 23 @ 12:01 pm
Last year, the National Education Association relocated their massive assembly from Texas to Chicago based on COVID practices. This year it was in Orlando but there’s serious talk about restricting future assemblies to more tolerant states.
Comment by Proud Papa Bear Monday, Jul 10, 23 @ 1:17 pm
‘Unfriendly political environment’: Broward convention cancellations blame Florida as reason for exodus
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2023/07/07/unfriendly-political-environment-broward-convention-center-cancellations-blame-florida-as-reason-for-exodus/
It is a watershed moment in the convention business yet we see nothing from Choose Chicago and World Business Chicago. Choose Chicago and WBC seem to be more focused on the Nascar flop then going after Florida’s collapsing Convention business. At least the Governor is paying attention.
Comment by Chicago 20 Monday, Jul 10, 23 @ 1:23 pm
It’s nice to see there are consequences from being openly hateful. When you are utilizing the power of the government to actually legislate hate then you should be rightfully punished by the marketplace for doing so. Good for everyone who is punishing Florida for their hatemongering.
Comment by Demoralized Monday, Jul 10, 23 @ 2:04 pm
“I know of Illinois colleges using the contrast between Illinois’ progressive political climate to poach students and faculty from places like Texas and Florida.”
Illinois should be marketing itself as a college destination precisely on this basis. Statewide. You want to talk about adding population and skilled workers? We need a “Pure Michigan”-style ad campaign aimed squarely at young people in the South.
Comment by sulla Monday, Jul 10, 23 @ 2:52 pm
It’s strange how a state so dependent on tourism decides to declare war on gay people and fight a battle with Disney. They are saying “please don’t come to our state”.
Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Monday, Jul 10, 23 @ 4:20 pm
@ Sulla
I like the sound of that; a marketing campaign via higher education, acknowledging our universities (regional, private, major universities, etc.) as managing diversity, teaching diversity, and thriving with diversity.
I see this as describing WIU. When I came here, we were about 14% not white. Today, we are about 35% not white, and we became so, intentionally. As a professor, I love it.
Comment by H-W Monday, Jul 10, 23 @ 5:48 pm