Meeting Schedule
Click here for registration information.

Wednesday, April 20

12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Registration with individual digital photos (optional) for BONUS member listings

1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Welcome, Introductions, Opening Remarks
Rudy Gomez, BONUS President, University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio and Bill Wachob, BONUS Planning Chair, University at Buffalo

2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Keynote Address
BONUS Officers: Building Dreams Through Teams
An experienced educator and administrator at both private and public nursing schools, and an adept, dynamic speaker, Dr. Bell will address how to bring out the best in your administrative team, foster a culture of credibility, and be attuned to current events in order to help shape the success of your organization. It takes teams of people - administration, faculty, and students - to make an organization successful, and it's important to meet challenges with proactive planning, by building on strengths of your teams, and by keeping a clear vision of where your dreams are. Attendees will explore future educational initiatives that will impact educational resources, how competition will require creativity and critical thinking, and the professional attributes that build dreams and teams.
Speaker: Pegge L. Bell, PhD, RN, APN, Dean, Barry University School of Nursing, Miami Shores, Florida

3:00 - 3:15 p.m.
Break

3:15 - 4:30 p.m.
Panel and Open Discussion
How to Prosper and Survive as a Business Officer
A panel of past BONUS presidents including founding members return to discuss and to answer questions about their experiences in organizing and guiding BONUS and their experiences as business officers; their insights on serving effectively as business officers in nursing and further advancement as managers and administrators; and their views on desirable directions for the organization going into the future.

5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
President's Reception
The President's Reception is an opportunity for members to meet and become acquainted with their colleagues. Spouses or guests of BONUS members are welcome to attend.
Hosted by Rudy Gomez, BONUS President, University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio

6:30 p.m.
Theme Dinners
BONUS members will escort groups to a selection of diverse restaurants including an option of dinner at Union Station followed by a night tour of Washington D.C. Sign up sheets with information on the restaurant choices and menus will be available at the conference.

Thursday, April 21

7:00 a.m.
Group Walk
Led by Lynn Shull, Past BONUS President, Medical University of South Carolina

8:30 - 9:00 a.m.
Light Continental Breakfast

9:00 - 9:30 a.m.
Opening Remarks, Announcements, Program Introductions
Rudy Gomez, BONUS President, University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio and Bill Wachob, BONUS Planning Chair, University at Buffalo

9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
Program Session
Grant Administration 101
A presentation and discussion on developing budgets for grant proposals, what to do in terms of monitoring costs once the notice of award has been received, forecasting to ensure the funds are fully utilized, how Schools (Deans) can support research, and where to look for funding.
Speaker: Marquita (Marty) Doherty, BONUS member, University of Virginia

10:30 - 10:45 a.m.
Break

10:45 - 12:00 p.m.
Program Session
Excel & Access Solutions to Tracking and Reporting
BONUS members will present examples of Excel and Access programs they have developed and use for tracking and reporting within their schools.
Facilitators: Sherry Abernathy, Chair, BONUS Nominating Committee, Oakland University and Selena Swartzfager, BONUS Immediate Past President, University of Mississippi Medical Center

12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
Luncheon
Guests welcome- $40 guest fee

1:45 - 3:45 p.m.
Breakout Sessions
Breakout sessions are an opportunity to choose among several small group sessions where BONUS members discuss a variety of aspects of business management of nursing schools and where questions and comments are encouraged.

• Poster Session on Organizational Structure
  Facilitator: Lisa Vaughan, BONUS member, University of Mississippi School of Nursing.
• Understanding Revenue Streams
  Facilitators: Sherry Abernathy, Chair, BONUS Nominating Committee, Oakland University and Jodi DiGennaro, Chair, BONUS Special Projects Committee, Adelphi University
• Managing Clinical Agency Requirements, Background Checks, Drug Screening and Other Requirements
  Facilitator: Susie Miller, past BONUS President, Auburn University

3:45 - 4:00 p.m.
Break

4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Business Meeting and 2005 Elections
Rudy Gomez, BONUS President, University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio and Sherry Abernathy, Chair, BONUS Nominating Committee, Oakland University

5:15 - 5:45 p.m.
Anniversary Group Picture
A professional photo will be taken of meeting attendees and given to each BONUS member in attendance.

7:00 - 11:00 p.m.
Semi-Formal Anniversary Group Dinner Dance & Awards
$60 per person - guests welcome
In celebration of the BONUS 20th Anniversary year, the BONUS Steering Committee is pulling out all the stops and going (semi) formal in the Marriott at Metro Center Hotel. A fine sit-down dinner will be followed by a short awards presentation and dancing.
Marriott at Metro Center Hotel

Friday, April 22

7:00 a.m.
Group Walk
Led by Lynn Shull, past BONUS President, Medical University of South Carolina

8:00 - 8:30 a.m.
Light Continental Breakfast

8:30 - 8:45 a.m.
Opening Remarks, Announcements, Program Introductions
Rudy Gomez, BONUS President, University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio and Bill Wachob, BONUS Planning Chair, University at Buffalo

8:45 - 10:15 a.m.
Program Session
Powerful Negotiating Strategies for Business Officers
Receive instructions on effective negotiating practices, powerful persuading and successful communicating - insights that can empower you in both your business and personal lives.
Speaker: Paul Preston, PhD, MBA
Paul's experience includes stints as a manager with several corporations including General Motors, consulting for hundreds of professional and trade associations in healthcare and other industries, teaching at major universities, writing hundreds of articles and films along with 18 books, and throughout dealing with a wide variety of negotiating situations.

10:15 - 10:30 a.m.
Break

10:30 - 11:15 a.m.
More Powerful Negotiating Strategies: Further Information on Negotiating Skills
A chance to further pursue this topic and to question the speaker.
Dr. Paul Preston

11:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Closing Comments and Preview of 2006 BONUS Meeting in New Orleans
Tricia Satkowski, BONUS President-Elect, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Tom Spiers, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center

General Information

Registration
The conference registration fee is $395. To register, complete the attached registration form and return it with payment to AACN by March 25, 2005 or register online at www.aacn.nche.edu/conferences. The registration fee after March 25 is $465. Email messages confirming registration for this meeting will be sent to all participants.

Register online at https://www.aacn.nche.edu/Registration/registration.asp or click here to print a registration form to mail or fax back to AACN with payment.

Hotel Information
A block of rooms has been reserved at the Marriott at Metro Center Hotel, 775 12th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005: (202) 737-2200 or (800) 228-9290. The special conference room rate is $189 single/double. To make reservations, please call the hotel directly and request the group rate for the American Association of Colleges of Nursing conference. The cutoff date for reservations at the group rate is March 30, 2005.

Transportation
Reagan National Airport (DCA) is located approximately 15 minutes from the Marriott at Metro Center Hotel and estimated taxi fare is $15 one-way. The Metro/ Subway also runs directly from National Airport to the Metro Center station which is less than one block from the hotel. Dulles International Airport (IAD) is approximately 30 minutes from the hotel and estimated taxi fare is $45 one-way. Baltimore/ Washington Airport (BWI) is approximately one hour from the hotel and estimated taxi fare is $55 one-way. Taxis are recommended from Reagan National and Dulles Airports; Super Shuttle is available for ground transportation from BWI and approximate cost is $35 each way.

BONUS Dinner/Dance
In celebration of the 20th Anniversary of BONUS the annual special group dinner on Thursday night will depart from the traditional casual dress and will be a semi-formal affair followed by awards and dancing. Meal options including vegetarian and vegan may be selected on the registration form. Special meal requests are due by March 25, 2005.

Poster Presentation
BONUS members are encouraged to submit posters on Organizational Structure for display throughout the Annual Meeting, to attend the Thursday afternoon Breakout Session to present and discuss your poster, and to bring copies of the poster information for distribution at the session. For information or to enroll your poster contact Jodi DiGennaro, BONUS Special Projects Committee Chair, at Adelphi University at (516) 877-4549 or digennar@adelphi.edu.

Refund and Cancellation Policy
Registrations cancellations received by April 13, 2005, will be refunded minus a $50 administrative fee. Cancellations received after April 13, 2005 will be refunded minus a $150 administrative fee. There will be no refunds for no-shows. Cancellation notification must be submitted in writing to Heather Shelford, Accounting Coordinator at AACN via mail: AACN, One Dupont Circle, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036; fax: (202) 785-8320, or email: hshelford@aacn.nche.edu.

AACN reserves the right to cancel this conference and any group activity that does not meet minimal group requirements. Non-refundable airline tickets are the responsibility of the registrant.

Additional Information
For more information, contact AACN, One Dupont Circle, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036; (202) 463-6930. If you require special access in order to take part in this meeting please contact Shana Cohen at AACN or by email at scohen@aacn.nche.edu.

Dress for the conference is casual for all sessions and activities except the Thursday evening optional Semi-Formal Dinner Dance.

Information about this and other AACN conferences is available at the AACN Web site: www.aacn.nche.edu/conference