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• CoSIDA.com/2021convention
• NACDA Announcement
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) organization announced today that the in-person 2021 CoSIDA Convention, scheduled for June 13-16 at the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort, has been canceled and that CoSIDA will offer its members and colleagues a virtual 2021 convention experience.
In the upcoming weeks, CoSIDA will announce the dates, plans and details for the 2021 virtual convention.
“Everyone understands that we had hoped to be in a position for a live convention in 2021. Yet, the circumstances dictate that our best and most reasonable course of action is to make it a virtual convention,” stated CoSIDA Executive Director Doug Vance. “We have to consider what makes the best sense from a health and safety standpoint and also with the knowledge that many of our members don’t have a professional development budget to fund their travel.
“Let me stress that our goals are the same as last year. We want to stage the best and most creative virtual convention we can.“
The annual CoSIDA Convention, which includes the general convention programming, the SIDEARM Sports Leadership Forum presented by Learfield IMG College, awards presentations and networking opportunities, is held in conjunction with NACDA and Affiliates Convention Week each June. The 2021 NACDA and Affiliates convention also has been moved from an in-person Orlando event to a virtual platform; NACDA has shifted the traditional dates and will hold its virtual event July 27-28.
This marks the second consecutive year that both conventions will be offered in a virtual environment due to continued COVID-19 concerns and for the health and safety of the memberships.
The 2020 CoSIDA virtual convention last June attracted a total of 10,409 to live programming sessions and meetings, and thousands more watched and listened to the on-demand offerings.
"We understand this is disappointing news for many of our members. It hurts to have back-to-back virtual conventions and miss the opportunity to be together to learn, network and reconnect,” noted 2020-21 CoSIDA President Sam Atkinson, Gallaudet University Associate Athletics Director for Communications. “The safety and health of all of our members continue to be the focus when difficult decisions, like this, have to be made. All is not lost, as making this decision now gives our leadership, CoSIDA staff and Professional Development and Education Committee much more time than we had last year to make sure this virtual convention experience is the best we can possibly offer. We look forward to logging on and connecting virtually this summer for our 2021 CoSIDA Convention."
The partnership of the CoSIDA staff, Executive Board of Directors, divisional leaders and the Professional Development and Education Committee will focus 2021 virtual convention plans around featured educational sessions, online networking opportunities, and recognition for 2020 and 2021 CoSIDA Special Awards recipients and the for the 2020 and 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame classes. Additionally, important business of the association will be planned, such as divisional day programming, board meetings, annual State of the Assoociation/business meeting, committee meetings and board nominations.
CoSIDA Conversations | December 2020
In this month's CoSIDA Conversations, President Sam Atkinson and Executive Director Doug Vance talk about the decision by NACDA and CoSIDA to transition to an online convention for 2021. They are joined by CoSIDA 2nd Vice President Jessica Poole and CoSIDA 3rd Vice President John Paquette, who served as Professional Development Committee Co-Liaisons. CoSIDA staff members Will Roleson and Barb Kowal also join to talk about what is known right now about planning.
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