End-of-May for NIWeek 2017 will "lose" many going to Academic Forum

[Bob_Schor]

I just returned from my sixth (I think) consecutive NIWeek, and, as always, learned a lot while having a lot of fun with my NI/LabVIEW Colleagues.

The significance of the announcement that NIWeek 2017 will be at the end of May didn't hit home until I came back to my University, where classes will be starting in a few weeks.  Many Colleges and Universities are in session through the beginning of June, with the end of May being the time for Final Exams (and grade submissions).  Indeed, my attention was drawn to this when I said to one of my colleagues from Switzerland attending NIWeek "See you next year", and he said "No, this is my last NIWeek, unless they schedule it when I can come ...".

It wasn't clear when the announcement of the dates for NIWeek 2017 was made if this was a "one-time" or "new-time" shift.  I hope it is only one-time -- this conference is too important to those of us who teach and won't be able to accomodate the end-of-May shift.

Bob Schor

[Hooovahh]

I got the impression this will be how it is going to be for a while.  Now if they get terrible attendance, and feedback they may change.  I heard finances had something to do with it and how the summer was cheaper, but now that Austin is hopping year round it makes less of a difference.

[Bob_Schor]

So my hope is that this "protest" from someone who has attended every Academic Forum since coming to his first NI Week (5-6 years ago) and who heard from fellow Forum Academicians about the negative impact this "change" will have on their ability to attend end-of-May NIWeeks will constitute "Feedback".  Is there someone else who might be appropriate?  [I regret I don't have the Business Card or contact information, and don't remember the name, of the VP who gave the Academic Keynote this year and last -- I'd send it right to him!].

Bob Schor

Aha -- it's Dave Wilson (thank you, Google).  I'm working on alerting him to this Discussion ...