In response to a request from the AALS Section on Women in Legal Education, the AALS will reinstate (temporarily?) childcare at the annual meeting. AALS Managing Director Jane LaBarbera sent this message to AALS Section Chair Professor Danne Johnson:
The AALS Executive Committee has agreed to offer for 2012 and 2013 an AALS Annual Meeting child care center and it would be subject to sunsetting after the two year offering.
The Section is urged to promote it to its Section members so that all will be aware of the service. The AALS will include, as it has in the past, the child care center information in the Annual Meeting Program announcement and on its Annual Meeting website.
The AALS previously discontinued the service because of low usage rates. The Section’s position was that failure to offer childcare services makes it difficult for those who have caregiving responsibilities to attend the conference. My guess is that the AALS will be watching usage rates carefully, so if you will have children with you at the conference and would like to do your part to make sure that childcare is offered in the future, please consider using this service during the 2012 Annual Meeting in D.C.
-Bridget Crawford
