Policies

General Registration Information

Covid Policy – Please see LTUE Covid Policy.

To pick up the attendance badge at the symposium, you must bring your government issued photo ID. Student Registrations require a current student photo ID.

Payments for all memberships are due at the time of registration. The registrations are not complete until payment is made.

Whole Conference: A Whole Conference membership covers all three days of the symposium: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

Single Day: Single Day memberships are valid for Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. Registrants must select which day the registration will be used on at the time of registration.

Student: Student memberships are valid for all three days: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Students must show a valid school ID or other proof of enrollment when picking up their badge at the event.

For all students younger than 18 years old, their parent’s or guardian’s information and agreement is also required and the Child Policy is in effect.

Specialty Registration Information

Specialty Registrations do not cover Regular Registration events. Some Specialty Events require a Regular Registration to participate.

Please check type details for information on when the payment is due.

Masterclasses: Masterclasses are held on Wednesday, the day before the formal symposium starts. A separate fee is required to attend masterclasses. 

Gala Banquet: Registration for the Gala Banquet is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. During the registration process you will have the opportunity to select which dietary menu you would prefer. While we try to accommodate all dietary requirements, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to cover every variation. If there is something in your selection we cannot cover we will let you know as soon as possible.

Payment for a Banquet ticket is due at the time of registration. The registration is not complete until payment is made.

Pitch Sessions: No Pitch registration requests will be considered without the registrant first having a regular registration with LTUE for the year.

Registration for the Pitch Sessions is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis, and any sessions not sold online may be available onsite.

Payment for a Pitch Session is due at the time of registration

Badge Name Information

LTUE offers the option to have a badge name printed with a name other than the registrant’s legal name. This is intended to allow for the easy use of professional names on badges.

LTUE reserves the right to not print an alternate name if it is determined by the committee to be inappropriate. If it is determined that a requested badge name is unacceptable, the registrant will receive an email from the registration committee requesting a different selection. If no response is received, the legal name will be printed on the badge.

Harassment Policy

Prohibited Behaviors (Including Harassment)

Life, the Universe and Everything (LTUE) is committed to an environment where every member feels free to think and share and explore ideas. Some expressions, however, are not permitted at LTUE when they infringe on others’ safety or ability to enjoy the conference. We know that some members of our community are socially challenged or have difficult behavioral issues, and we will take that into consideration; nevertheless, all members are required to abide by our policies.

General Policy and Penalties for Violation

Any action or behavior that causes excessive discomfort to other attendees; adversely affects LTUE’s relationship with its guests, its venues, or the public; breaks any applicable law, code, or regulation; or causes significant disruption to convention operations is strictly forbidden.

Violation of this policy may result in some or all of:

1. Mediation by the LTUE Committee Chair and/or a set of Committee Members selected by the Chair—talking to all parties involved in an incident and attempting to come to an agreed solution
2. Verbal warnings
3. Turning the individual in to the venue’s security staff
4. Revocation of membership and ejection from the current LTUE
5. Banishment from future LTUE events
6. Contacting local law enforcement

Harassment

One of the behaviors that is forbidden under the General Policy is harassment. Harassment is generally any behavior that alarms, threatens, or excessively annoys another person or group. This includes unwanted physical contact, following someone around a public area without their consent, or threatening to physically attack someone. If you approach someone and they tell you “no” or to leave them alone, you must do so and have no further contact. If you fail to honor their response, they may have a legitimate complaint of harassment.

We repeat: No means No.

Harassment of convention members online or in electronic venues will be treated as seriously as physical harassment.

Harassment by Argument

Disagreement over an intellectual idea—even a controversial or divisive one or one held by horrible people in the past or present—does not by itself constitute harassment. By harassment we mean statements that attack the person or group. If you aren’t sure what constitutes harassment, err on the side of caution and restrict your contact.

What to Do If You’re Harassed

If you feel you have been harassed please report the matter immediately to the committee chair, the vice chair, or one of the committee track heads. Please remember that we need to know about any incidents during the convention to be able to take immediate action. If you are unsure how to reach the appropriate person, email safety@ltue.net, which goes directly to the Chair.

False Accusations of Harassment

If you have been accused of harassment and feel that a committee member’s response was unjustified, you may appeal to the committee chair. In all cases the chair’s decision is final.

Beyond the Pale (Criminal Conduct)

If you feel that you have been the victim of criminal conduct, please notify the local police immediately and, if necessary, seek medical attention. Contact a committee member or hotel staff if you need help seeking medical attention.

Child Policy

LTUE strives to provide a memorable and motivational learning atmosphere throughout the conference. To help further this goal, LTUE does have a policy regarding the attendance of minors at the symposium. This policy was established to help make the symposium a better experience for all of our attendees.

It is your responsibility to be familiar (whether a panelist, presenter, guest, or committee member) with the age requirements and make appropriate arrangements for your family ahead of arrival.

A parent, legal guardian, or adult chaperone must be at least 18 years of age. An adult chaperone is any responsible adult designated by a parent or legal guardian. A point-of-contact (parent or legal guardian and their contact information) must be provided at registration for all minors attending the symposium.

If any individual is disruptive, regardless of their age, they will be asked to leave the room.

General Attendance

Ages 0 months through 11 months: Allowed with their parent, legal guardian, or adult chaperone as long as they are not disruptive to other attendees. Any disruptive children and their parent, legal guardian, or adult chaperone must leave the room until they have calmed again.

Ages 1 year through 9 years: Not allowed at the symposium. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause individual families.

Ages 10 years through 13 years: Allowed to attend, but must be in the same room with their a parent, legal guardian, or adult chaperone.  

Ages 14 years and above: Allowed to attend the symposium without the presence of a parent, legal guardian, or adult chaperone at the symposium.

Photography and Recordings Policy

Photography

The LTUE organizing committee will be taking photographs during the symposium. All attendees (panelists, presenters, guests, etc.) should understand that LTUE, their agents, and representatives will be taking and/or using pictures in advertising and on our online sites to further the educational goals of LTUE. Registrants grant LTUE a royalty free, permanent license to the resulting photographs.

Recordings

The LTUE organizing committee will be recording sessions in audio or video formats. Registrants acknowledge that they understand LTUE, their agents, and representatives will be taking and/or using recordings in advertising and on our online sites to further the educational goals of LTUE. Registrants grant LTUE a royalty free, permanent license to the resulting recordings.

Registration Refunds and Exchanges Policy

LTUE does not offer refunds on memberships once purchased. However, LTUE does allow for exchanges between willing participants. The following items and terms must be met to exchange a registration:

Registrations may only be exchanged for the entire registration. For example, a Whole Conference registration may not be broken up into individual days.

Different registration types can be exchanged with different people. For example, a Whole Conference Registration may be exchanged with one person and a Banquet Registration with another person.

Requests to exchange memberships can be posted on LTUE’s Facebook Group. This is provided to allow attendees to connect with others seeking to exchange memberships. It also allows the Registration Committee to confirm the request is authentic should any question arise. An attendee may edit their own registration, and they are responsible for working out payment with the other party on their own.

Once an agreement to exchange a membership has been reached both parties must email registration@ltue.net to confirm the exchange.

The party assuming the registration must include all of their information in their email:

• The name they would like printed on the badge and their legal name at minimum.

• If the exchange is for a banquet registration it must also include their menu selection. (Regular, Vegan, or Gluten-free). For more specifics please see the registration form for the type being submitted. In order to accommodate dietary selection changes all banquet exchanges must be made at least one week before LTUE begins. Otherwise, whatever dietary selection the banquet ticket originally had will carry over with the exchange.

• The two parties exchanging memberships must work out payment arrangements between themselves. LTUE is not responsible for exchanging payments.

Internet Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy tells you what kinds of information we collect from web site visitors who register for an LTUE event or for our online forum, and what we will and will not do with that information.

If you register for an event, only LTUE staff and those who assist us in putting on the actual events will see any of your information. If you are a parent of a child 13 or under who has registered for an event, you can request us to cancel the registration and delete the child’s information by emailing us at registration@ltue.net.

LTUE has visitors under the age of 13, and therefore comes under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), a US federal law that requires us to provide certain specific information in this Privacy Policy. However, the provisions of this Privacy Policy apply to all of our users regardless of age, location or citizenship. No information is collected through this web site by any organization about any person who does not register for an event or forum.

Children under 13 may use this website, and may register for LTUE events using the student membership form with their parent’s consent.

Contact Information

Members of the LTUE organizing committee and LTUE’s owner Utah County Events LLC (collectively, “LTUE”) are the only people that collect or maintain personal information from children or adults through the LTUE website and associated services.

The contact information for both the LTUE committee and Utah County Events LLC:

Email: chair@ltue.net
– or –
LTUE Chair
c/o Marny Parkin
1063 JKB
Provo, UT 84602

Personal Information Collected

Student Event Registrants

LTUE collects the following information from student registrants for the LTUE event. All LTUE registrants under 18 are considered students regardless of whether the registrant is homeschooled, does not attend any school, or attends a public or private school. This same information is collected for college and trade school students over 18 who register for a free student membership.

• Complete legal name
• Alternate name for badge (optional, typically an author’s pseudonym or a nickname)
• Email Address
• School

Information is collected directly via the student registration form.

Non-Student Event Registrants

LTUE collects the following information from event registrants who are not registering for a student membership.

• Complete legal name
• Alternate name for badge (optional, typically an author’s pseudonym or a nickname)
• Email Address
• Name on Online Payment System Account (for online payments)
• Online Payment System Account Email Address
• Street Address
• City
• State
• Zip or Postal Code

Information is collected directly via the event registration form.

How Information Is Used

We use each event registrant’s name, nickname, email address and other information:
• To fulfill actions requested by the user (namely, registration for events or the forum)
• To enable LTUE to communicate with the registrant
• Use student registrants’ school information to verify enrollment status.
• Use each non-student registrant’s payment information and complete street address for payment processing and verification.

COPPA – Participating in Activities on our Site

Under COPPA, for each service we provide via this web site, we cannot require a young user to give us any more information than the minimum necessary for that service. LTUE abides by this policy and extends it to all users regardless of age.

Third Parties

LTUE does not share information with anyone not a member of the LTUE organizing committee or of Utah County Events LLC, except when required to by proper legal process (for example, LTUE will cooperate with criminal investigations in the United States and at its discretion may cooperate with foreign criminal investigations).

Accessibility Policy

Our Accessibility Policy is informed by universal design and the SFWA Accessibility Checklist. While we must work within the limitations of financial and staffing resources, we also work from the determination to have everyone enjoy LTUE to the fullest.

Please let us know in advance if you need any of these services so we can prepare appropriately. This policy and offerings are a work in progress; if you have feedback, suggestions, or concerns, or if your needs aren’t covered here, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate them.

The Accessibility Liaison is Kira Harris, reachable at contact@ltue.net. During the conference, please bring Accessibility needs to whoever is at our registration desk so they can contact Kira right away.

Accessibility Conduct of All Members

We ask all attending members, including our staff, to contribute toward making LTUE enjoyable for all. Below are ways everyone can contribute:

Elevators: Members able to use stairs should leave the elevators available to those who cannot. This ensures all members can move between meeting spaces, rooms, and restaurants with the fewest barriers possible.

Service Animals: Service animals are “on duty” and trained to focus on their companion. Service animals should not be petted, “barked” at, distracted, or offered food at any time unless their companions give specific permission.

Scents and Allergens: Many people are sensitive to scents and chemicals. Please consider using low or no-scent options for personal care, and do not wear perfume, cologne, or essential oils in the meeting areas and hallways.

Restrooms: Please leave handicap stalls open whenever possible and avoid placing backpacks, purses, or other items in the way of the path to the stall. This will provide support to those who may have an urgent need to reach a handicap stall quickly.

Offering Help: There is a difference between offering aid and assuming aid is needed and wanted. Offering aid should be done politely and concisely and the person’s acceptance or refusal of help should be considered the final answer.

Be Gracious: Please do not ask for anyone to prove their accessibility needs or disability. Many disabilities are not physically visible.

Be Aware of Shared Spaces: Conversations tend to become highly focused at LTUE. There are also non-LTUE guests at the hotel. It is sometimes easy to focus on the exchange of ideas and not notice your group is blocking a doorway, aisle, or hallway, or has overflowed into a designated quiet space. We ask all members take a moment to look around, to consider those around them, and to move to another space if and when requested.

Be Open to Feedback: A request for change should not be taken as an insult or a judgment. If someone makes a request—to trade seats, to provide more space, to hold or close a door—please do so politely. If your offered help is declined, don’t take it as an insult. If you see a barrier that hasn’t been addressed, or if you have an idea to improve an offered accommodation, please let us know.

Transportation:

Utah’s buses and light rail are all ADA compliant and accessible, with Paratransit services available. Routes are offered to the Provo Marriott Hotel & Conference Center from both the Salt Lake and Provo airports, with a bus stop half a block from the hotel (approximately 200 west and 142 north). Companies offering ADA accessible transportation from the Salt Lake International Airport can be found      here. Companies offering wheelchair accessible van rentals include Thrifty Car Rental and United Access.

Please note that LTUE is not aware of any cab or shuttle services from the Provo Airport with wheelchair-accessible vehicles in their fleets. A fully accessible bus, Route 833, is roughly a 20 minute ride to the hotel, running 7am-6pm weekdays and 9am-6pm Saturday. Please contact us if you are having trouble finding suitable transit to and from the hotel and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

Flying with Service Animals: The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) requires airlines to allow disabled handlers to fly with their service animals, but there is very little oversight and a lot of variation in how airlines choose to follow it. Most require advance notice (48 hours or more) and additional documentation (doctor’s note, proof of vaccines, etc.). Be sure to contact the airline well in advance to determine what is needed and learn of any rules or restrictions so you have adequate time to prepare and minimize delays at the airport.

Mobility Scooters

Due to the smaller size of our event, we do not offer mobility scooter rentals on-site. Scooters may be rented directly through local sources. A few options include Intermountain Orthopedic Care in Orem, Wasatch Medical Supply in West Jordan, Affinity Home Medical in Salt Lake City, and Red Rock Medical Supply in Salt Lake City. See, “Preferential Seating” below for information on seating accommodations for mobility scooters.

Lodging

The Provo Marriott Hotel & Conference Center is fully compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act. Their offerings include accessible parking, routes, elevators, and meeting spaces, and accessible business center, fitness center, pool, restaurants, and lounges. The hotel has 8 ADA accessible rooms and is able to provide assisted listening devices upon request. Service animals are allowed on the property for people with disabilities. Mini fridges are also available in all rooms for medications and personal dietary needs. If refrigeration is required, please contact the hotel to ensure a minifridge is confirmed as part of your reservation. If you need an ADA-compliant hotel room, please notify the hotel during booking.

A complete listing of their accessibility offerings can be found here. If you have specific requests of the hotel, please contact them directly. If you have concerns about their answers, please contact us.

Meals

The Marriott has an on-site American-style restaurant, SLATE, fully accessible through the main lobby with no steps to navigate. The hotel offers several breakfast options, including room service, for an additional fee. A sundries/convenience store is also available near the Registration Desk.
Numerous additional restaurants are available within a two-block radius. LTUE will provide all members with a list of the closest food establishments, and will work to add notes on accessible locations, as well as gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options (click here).

Preferential Seating

There will be seating in the front row of each room reserved for members with visual and hearing impairments. End-of-row seating will be available for members with mobility impairments, service animals, or a potential need to leave early due to a disability. Areas will also be made available near entrances, through the removal and/or arrangement of seats or marked spaces, to accommodate wheelchairs, scooters, and other mobility devices, as well as companions, caregivers, and service animals. All panelists and presenters will have use of a ramp from the conference room floor to the raised platform, when applicable.

Accommodations for Deaf/Hard of Hearing Members

Due to the smaller size of our event, LTUE is not yet able to provide Microphones and volunteers in all rooms, but we are working toward that goal in future years. Panelists will be asked to make use of microphones when they are available. When possible, runners will relay microphones to audience members asking questions. Panelists will repeat all questions into the microphone before answering. Panelists and presenters will be instructed on how to use the devices without blocking their mouths while speaking so those who lip-read will be able to do so. Anyone can request a question or answer be repeated.

We do not, at this time, have the financial resources to employ an ASL interpreter for the duration of the conference, but we are quite open to collaborative arrangements and sponsorships that will support our membership. Contact us if this is a need you can meet. Please notify us in advance if you need an ASL interpreter and we will do our best to provide an interpreter for the events you identify as particularly crucial to your conference experience.

Closed captions or subtitles will be available upon request for the film festival. Presenters will be asked to include closed captioning in any videos they choose to play during their presentations.

Please see, “Preferential Seating” above for additional information.

Accommodations for Visually Impaired Members

Our interactive schedule is available on our app and on our website. In addition, we will make the souvenir program book available online as a PDF shortly before the con.

Please see, “Preferential Seating” for additional information.

Service Animals, Emotional Support Animals, and Therapy Dogs

LTUE’s policy regarding working animals is informed by the ADA, Utah state law, and local experts in working dog law. For anyone curious about working animals and proper etiquette, Jessica Douglas has written an excellent article on this topic, Service Animals 101 for Conventions. Please contact us if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions.

Service animals are welcome at LTUE. Service dogs in training are also welcome with their trainers under the same guidelines as service animals, as per Utah state law. Service animals must be dogs, or in some cases miniature horses, who are trained to perform work or tasks to mitigate their handler’s disability. In order to minimize service dog fraud and to maintain the safety of all guests and service animals, handlers should be prepared to answer the following questions upon check-in:

1. Is the animal a service animal required because of a disability?
2. What work or tasks is the animal trained to do?

A general description of each service animal team will be circulated to staff to prevent teams being questioned again after check-in and to allow staff to keep an eye out for the safety and well-being of each team. Handlers will not be asked questions about their disability and will not be asked to provide identification, certification, or proof or demonstration of training, as ADA law does not permit this. Service animals are not required to be marked in any way but LTUE strongly encourages doing so in order to help others correctly identify working teams and respond accordingly.

Service animals must remain leashed unless actively performing a task that requires them to be unleashed or if the handler’s disability is such that they are physically unable to utilize a leash. Please be aware that if an animal is out of control of the handler and the handler fails to take action to bring the animal under control, they may be asked to remove the animal from the premises. In such a case, the handler will still be welcome to participate in all panels and events without the animal present.

Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are animals that provide emotional relief to disabled individuals merely through their presence alone and are not trained to perform work or tasks to mitigate their handler’s disability. Therapy dogs are trained to provide emotional support to a large number of people and are known for visiting places like hospitals and nursing homes. Handlers of ESAs and therapy dogs do not have a legal right to have the animal with them in public access locations. ESAs and therapy dogs are not allowed at LTUE due to the risks they may pose to trained service animals and due to hotel policies.

Considerations for Caregivers

LTUE recognizes the need for some individuals to be accompanied by a caregiver to provide support for a disability. Please contact us if you need to bring a caregiver and we will provide a Caregiver Badge at no additional charge. The Caregiver Badge will be tied to the disabled individual’s badge and will give the holder access to paid areas of the conference when both badges are shown together. The caregiver will also have access to all areas of the conference open to the general public.

Sensory Considerations

LTUE can get loud at times, especially in areas of the conference open to the general public. In order to mitigate this, LTUE will maintain a designated Quiet Room on the mezzanine floor of the conference space. This room is indeed quiet and is intended to be a retreat from conversation and interaction. When using the Quiet Room, please do not talk to or attempt to interact with any others who are there. All members are expected to respect these guidelines at all times; those who do not will be asked to leave the Quiet Room.