Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2003 13:39:53 -0400
Subject: DPS Mailing #03-09: ABSTRACT & BALLOT DEADLINES NEAR!

Greetings DPS colleagues -

       +------------------CONTENTS:------------------------------+
       |1) IMPORTANT DEADLINES: DPS BALLOT, 2003 MTG ABSTRACTS   |
       |2) DPS POLICY ON GOVERNMENT RATE HOTEL ROOMS             |
       +---------------------------------------------------------+

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IMPORTANT DEADLINES: DPS BALLOT, 2003 MEETING ABSTRACTS

Don't forget to cast you vote in the DPS election, DEADLINE JULY 1.
For details see http://www.aas.org/~dps/dps.html

DPS 2003 Meeting Abstract Deadline is JULY 1. The form is finally
available on line.
For details see 
http://dps03.arc.nasa.gov/administrative/abstracts/index.html
  
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DPS POLICY ON GOVERNMENT RATE HOTEL ROOMS

http://dps03.arc.nasa.gov/venue/lodging/govtRoomRate.html

Government rate hotel rooms, which comprise only a small fraction
(10%) of the total room block for our annual meeting, are for the use 
of U. S. Government civil servants and employees of FFRDC's (Federally 
Funded Research and Development Centers, such as JPL, Los Alamos 
etc.).   Travelers from academic institutions and non-governmental
research institutions are not eligible for government rate rooms
even if their expenses are being paid by a government (e.g. NASA)
grant or contract.  The DPS Committee fully endorses this 
eligibility distinction.  The reasons for this distinction include 
the restriction that U.S. Government civil servants and employees 
of FFRDC's typically cannot be fully reimbursed for hotel charges 
above the government rate.  

The Double Tree Hotel of Monterey will enforce the eligibility for
the Government Rate by requiring at the time of check-in: 
  "Presentation of an official US Government Travel Credit Card 
   and/or an identification card that clearly identifies you as  
   an employee of a U.S. Government agency or an FFRDC."

The DPS Committee will work with the Double Tree Hotel to verify 
that persons on the reservation list for Government Rate rooms are 
correctly eligible for this rate.   Please make reservations for 
Government Rate rooms only if you clearly satisfy the eligibility 
requirements above.  Paul Weissman <[email protected]> 
is serving as the DPS Committee contact person for questions
on this issue.

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                               Melissa McGrath, DPS Secretary-Treasurer
                                      submissions to: [email protected]