SLIG never lacks for quality education, great courses, or amazing faculty. And we surely don't lack in opportunity to network, engage in meaningful events, or research in that famous Family History Library. So what do we lack?
A crystal ball.
Still, armed with two rounds of survey data, informal feedback through various means, and input from UGA, our advisory committee, and many others, we made the decision to move forward with an in-person institute in January. We crafted a health policy we felt would be sustainable, worked with the hotel to "size-down" our program a bit (more on that in a separate post), and confirmed which courses could run in this unique environment.
Since that time, we have already seen the call for additional restrictions as we enter a bit of a second wave of Covid – underscoring the need for a clearly written, very specific policy.
The full policy may by found on the SLIG website. Our highest priority is the safety and health of all SLIG attendees and faculty. Therefore, we will require agreement to abide by the policy at the time of registration.
Some highlights:
- If you have been vaccinated, masks will be optional in certain areas (outlined in the policy); if not, a mask will be required. To protect privacy, we will not be requiring documentation. However, we reserve the right to remove non-compliant parties from participation.
- We encourage mask wearing even if you have been vaccinated if you have a compromised immune system or any upper respiratory symptoms.
- Those who are ill should remain at home or in their hotel room and contact us for support. A small, private triage area will be available to provide assistance in gaining access to local care if needed.
- Our contract with the Hilton requires extra cleaning of high-touch areas and hand sanitizer stations. Additionally, SLIG will provide hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes, electronic wipes, and disposable straws in each classroom.
The full policy provides additional guidelines concerning those instructing, the hearing-impaired, classroom sets, and catered events. Please read it carefully. If this is not an environment in which you will feel comfortable, we encourage you to wait and attend a subsequent year.
But Covid restrictions are dynamic!
This summer is certainly proving that to be true! This policy is written such that if local or national policies become more restrictive, the more stringent policies will apply. But if local or national policies become less restrictive, the written SLIG policy remains in place. This ensures that what you agree to at the time of registration does not change. No surprises.
What about last minute changes?
Again that crystal ball thing . . . wish we could provide one for you. After we secure one for ourselves of course :). Naturally, if the world shuts down again, modification will be required. We will deal with that if and when it occurs. On a more personal level, SLIG continues to encourage participants to purchase trip insurance to alleviate financial risks in the event of an emergency or illness.
Registration opens at 10:00 am MDT on Saturday, August 14th.
Lodging reservations will open at noon that same day.
Full details and updates are always published at SLIG.ugagenealogy.org.
