AGM FAQs

Have questions about JASNA's annual conference? Use the links below to jump to specific answers. For the latest news and updates about an upcoming AGM, please visit the AGM Update Center. 

Eligibility, Registration, Companions, and Accessibility

Who is eligible to attend the AGM?
Who can participate in the AGM?
I’d like to attend the AGM, though I’m not a JASNA member. Is this possible?
Can the AGM accommodate attendees who have various allergies and sensitivities?
Can the AGM accommodate attendees with other needs?
Do AGMs accommodate all members who want to attend?
How do waitlists work?
What is a Companion?
Why do some AGMs have a higher Companion limit than others?

JASNA’s Conference Planning Policies and Practices

How is the AGM date set?
How is the AGM registration fee set?
Why are some activities (tours, workshops, etc.) not included in the registration fee?
What foods and beverages are included in the registration fee (and why don't we have coffee breaks)?
What is JASNA doing to keep the AGM affordable for members?
How is the hotel sleeping room rate set?
Why do some AGMs have a higher attendance limit than others?

Eligibility, Registration, Companions, and Accessibility

Who is eligible to attend the AGM?

The AGM is open to members in good standing (those whose membership dues are up to date). Students must be in ninth grade or above; the AGM is not appropriate for children. You will not be able to join or update your membership on the AGM Registration Form, as membership and AGM registration are handled by separate computer systems. To ensure that your AGM registration can be confirmed, please take any necessary action to update your membership before registering.

• New Members: If you would like to join JASNA, please go to our Join and Support page for information about JASNA membership and a link to the New Member application form.
• Existing Members and Lapsed Members: If you need to check on or renew your membership, log in to JASNA’s Member Portal and select “View My Membership or Renew” from the dropdown menu near the top of the Welcome page. If you don’t remember your Member Portal log-in credentials or need other assistance, please email membership@jasna.org.

• What if I am not available on the date registration opens?: Anyone who is unavailable on the registration date may give their registration information to another individual who may register on their behalf.  They will not need your JASNA membership number to register.  No payment is required upon registration if one checks the box that payment will be made by a check to be sent in by mail. Payment may be made subsequently either online by credit card or by a check mailed to the Registrar within two weeks thereafter.

Who can participate in the AGM?

As our Diversity and Inclusion Statement states, JASNA strives to ensure that all members are welcome and feel valued in meetings, events, and community spaces. Whether you are new to JASNA or a Life Member, if you are interested in the study of Austen’s works, her life, and her era, we welcome you to attend the AGM. Please see our Community Guidelines, which govern participation at the AGM and other JASNA meetings.

I’d like to attend the AGM, though I’m not a JASNA member. Is this possible?

JASNA conferences are designed for JASNA members. However, you are welcome to become a member of JASNA by joining, and then register for the conference. Your membership must be current at the time of registration.

Can the AGM accommodate attendees who have various allergies and sensitivities?

Yes, special dietary requirements can be accommodated for the meals included in the AGM registration fee, provided that each attendee indicates allergies and sensitivities on the registration form or emails the AGM Team about them. When given enough preparation time, the AGM Team can work with the hotel staff to provide for an attendee’s needs. Waiting until arrival to notify the hotel of specific food restrictions will cause difficulty in meeting those needs. Optional events not included in the registration fee (such as tours with meals, or tastings) may not be able to accommodate individual dietary requirements; information is provided in the description for those activities.  It is essential that registrants with special dietary requirements watch for and respond to emails from conference staff.

Can the AGM accommodate attendees with other needs?

The registration form will have a space for registrants to note any assistance or accommodation they may need, and registrants are strongly encouraged to note what needs they may have. Access to assistive listening devices for the main meeting room is free to attendees, and seating is reserved at the front of all meeting rooms for those who need to be close to speakers. We will do our best to accommodate other needs, if notified of them. Examples are easy-to-reach banquet seating for those with mobility challenges, referrals to wheelchair/scooter rental companies, and requests for health-based amenities in hotel guest rooms. Advance notice is essential.

Do AGMs accommodate all members who want to attend?

JASNA’s AGMs are the world’s largest in-person conferences focusing on Jane Austen, but there are capacity limits, as it is not financially feasible for JASNA to contract for a larger attendance than we can deliver. Capacities have steadily increased in recent years; even so, there will be years when more people want to attend an AGM than can be offered registration. Of the past nine in-person AGMs, three sold out almost immediately. We continue to monitor registration trends and make efforts to accommodate as many JASNA members as possible.

How do waitlists work?

The registration software that JASNA uses allocates registration spaces on a first-come, first-served basis. When all registration spaces have been taken, the system assigns additional people to a waitlist. As space becomes available, the waitlisted individuals are offered an opportunity to register, in the order in which they joined the waitlist. In past years, hundreds of waitlisted people were eventually offered the chance to register for the AGM when spaces that were held back in case of system error were released, and when registrants changed their plans and released their registrations.

What is a Companion?

A Companion is an attendee category that denotes any person who accompanies a JASNA member to the conference and pays the AGM Companion registration fee. That person—and only one Companion can accompany a JASNA member—may be a spouse, friend, or family member. A Companion can attend the Saturday evening banquet and ball and the Sunday brunch (with speaker), but is not entitled to attend plenary, breakout, or special interest sessions. AGM Attendees are free to share their hotel rooms (subject to hotel policies) with friends or family members without registering them as official Companions, but unregistered persons are not entitled to attend any meal functions or events.

Why do some AGMs have a higher Companion limit than others?

Some conference hotels are simply larger than others, allowing for a greater number of Companions. When space is limited, priority is given to JASNA members who wish to register as Attendees for the entire conference. 

JASNA’s Conference Planning Policies and Practices

How is the AGM date set? 

Most, though not all, AGMs are held in October. Dates are negotiated based on hotel availability.

How is the AGM registration fee set?

The registration fee JASNA charges to attendees reflects the costs of staging the conference, including plenary speaker expenses, meeting room costs, audiovisual technology, and registration and program materials, as well as various other support needs, which vary by conference. It also covers the meals that are included for Attendees and Companions. Throughout all of our daily lives, costs are increasing, and price increases for food, fuel, and other things affect the AGM as well. In addition, costs for conference services such as audiovisual equipment and labor have surged. While we have no choice but to increase the registration fee to cover these costs, keeping AGM attendance within reach of as many JASNA members as possible is always a goal.

Some past attendees have suggested eliminating meals as a cost-saving measure, but when that is done, hotels typically impose higher meeting room rental fees to achieve the same target revenue.

Why are some activities (tours, workshops, etc.) not included in the AGM registration fee?

The primary goal of each AGM team is to deliver a basic conference package—plenaries, breakouts, special interest sessions, the banquet and ball, continental breakfast, and brunch—that is broadly appealing and delivers an excellent experience at an affordable price. Programs that may appeal to some members and not others are priced separately, which keeps the basic registration fee low. Headcount limits for those programs are driven by such factors as bus capacities (in the case of tours) or the number of participants best suited for individual workshops.

What foods and beverages are included in the registration fee (and why don't we have coffee breaks)?

The AGM Saturday night banquet and Sunday brunch are much-loved social events that complement the lectures and other activities throughout the weekend. Some AGM attendees have suggested eliminating these meals as a cost-saving measure, while others have requested more food service, such as coffee breaks each day. JASNA determines the food/beverage plan for each AGM based on the principle of best value. Each AGM hotel sets a minimum amount that a conference sponsor must spend for food/beverage service or else pay shortfall fees. Because hotel-provided food service is extremely expensive, JASNA strives to meet the minimum (thus avoiding being penalized for a shortfall) but not exceed it in order to keep the costs that are passed on to attendees as low as possible. In some years, we include breakfasts because they are necessary to meet the minimum expenditure. However, a very basic coffee break at a conference hotel can cost $30 or more per person; we believe that most, if not all, AGM attendees, would consider paying a lower registration fee and buying their own coffee to be the best value.

What is JASNA doing to keep the AGM affordable for members?

The registration fee is kept low by the dedicated efforts of many volunteers, who contribute a tremendous amount of labor both before and at the AGM. We are very grateful to the speakers who present at the conference without remuneration or for very low fees. We also have implemented strict cost controls. “Nice to have” gifts, decorations, and amenities that were customary in the past have been eliminated, except when covered by donations.  

We welcome donations from individuals, JASNA Regions, and corporations, and are happy to acknowledge sponsorships and memorial gifts in a way that provides recognition while remaining consistent with JASNA’s nonprofit status.

How is the hotel sleeping room rate set?

AGMs require a large amount of meeting space, and hotel commitments are made three or more years in advance of the AGM to secure the necessary facilities. JASNA and its Professional Meeting Planner negotiate the best rate possible, which usually represents a significant discount over the rates available to unaffiliated travelers. Every effort is made to balance an affordable location, popular amenities, high quality, sufficient rooms, and adequate meeting space with a fair price.

Why do some AGMs have a higher attendance limit than others?

Some hotels have an attendance limit established for the banquet hall, set by local fire code laws. JASNA adheres to those limits. Other hotels may present limitations in the number and size of rooms that can be used for breakout sessions. Generally, we plan for AGMs to accommodate as many JASNA members as the hotel will allow.


If you have other questions about the AGM, please email JASNA’s Vice President for Conferences at vpconf@jasna.org.