FAQ
When is Hobsons U?
Where is Hobsons University?
When can I make my hotel reservation?
Is there transportation from the airport?
What restaurants are nearby?
When is the Call for Proposal for presentations?
How do I volunteer to be a speaker?
Who attends Hobsons U?
Should Common Application member schools attend?
Do you need to register in advance?
How do I register?
How do I change or cancel my registration later?
What is the cost of attending?
What is the cost of Workshops?
What are the Early Bird Discounts?
Didn't Hobsons U used to be free?
Payment
Meals Offered
Do you have to attend all days of the conference?
Can I bring a guest or my family?
How do I sign up for a consultation meeting?
How long are the sessions?
How many people attended last year?
What is the conference agenda?
What client awards will be given this year?
What is there to do in Orlando?
What is the benefit of the conference?
What is the dress code?
What presentations should I go see?
When do I need to check in?
Will I be able to learn about Hobsons products I don't use?
Workshop information
I use the Intelliworks CRM. Should I attend?
Will Hobsons staff supporting the Intelliworks product be at the conference?
Do you have other questions?
When is Hobsons U?
July 22 to 25, 2013 in Orlando, Florida at the Gaylord Palms.
Where is Hobsons University?
At the Gaylord Palms in Orlando, Florida.
When can I make my hotel reservation?
Hotel reservations can be made now. Book your room as soon as possible as space is limited. We have secured a discounted rate of $179 + tax per night at the Gaylord Palms Hotel in Orlando, FL. More information about the hotel can be found here.
Is there transportation from the airport?
The Gaylord Palms is a 20 minute drive from the Orlando airport. Cab service is available for approximately $25 one-way. The hotel offers shuttle service to/from the airport via Mears Transportation. Information can be found at the hotel’s website here.
What restaurants are nearby?
There are many restaurants located within the hotel. Visit here to see a listing. There are many, many dining and entertainment options in the Orlando area, as well.
When is the Call for Proposal for presentations?
The main conference consists primarily of client presentations. Please check the Speakers tab for information on the process for presenting at Hobsons U. Proposals will be accepted through February 1, 2013.
How do I volunteer to be a speaker?
Please check the Speakers tab for information on the process for presenting at Hobsons U. Proposals will be accepted through February 1, 2013.
Who attends Hobsons U?
Whether you work in recruitment, admissions, enrollment, retention, student success or IT, Hobsons University is a valuable and affordable conference for any college, university or institution using Hobsons technology or marketing solutions. We were delighted to add Intelliworks clients to the conference in 2012.
Beginning in 2013, the Common App Online will no longer be participating in the conference.
Should Common Application member schools attend?
Beginning in 2013, the Common Application will no longer be participating in Hobsons U. If you use another Hobsons product, we’d love to still see you there.
Do you need to register in advance?
Yes. In order to attend Hobsons University you need to register in advance. There is limited availability so please register early and take advantage of our early bird pricing. The registration link can be found here.
How do I register?
The registration link can be found at here.
How do I change or cancel my registration later?
If someone needs to cancel their registration, add/drop/change workshops or change their registration information, they can do so easily by logging into the registration system (they will create a login upon registration) and updating the information themselves. With your initial registration, you will create an account; so remember your login information. You may also call and we can update the information manually for you.
If you need to cancel your registration, we ask that you do so by May 15th with no penalty and for a full refund. Cancellation after May 15 and until June 30th will allow a full refund, less a $50 cancellation penalty. Any cancellation after June 30th will forfeit your full registration fee (or incur you a cancellation penalty of $200 if you did not pay a registration fee due to an early bird discount.) If you need to cancel your workshop registrations, we ask that you so by June 30th for no penalty and for a full refund. After June 30th there will be no refunds for workshops.
What is the cost of attending?
There is a nominal cost to attend Hobsons U. For the first two attendees from your institution there is a cost of $199. Through February 28, 2013 there is an early bird discount available for free ($0) registration for the first two attendees from your institution. All additional attendees (three or more) incur a cost of $350.
If you need to cancel your registration, we ask that you do so by May 15th with no penalty and for a full refund. Cancellation after May 15 and until June 30th will allow a full refund, less a $50 cancellation penalty. Any cancellation after June 30th will forfeit your full registration fee (or incur you a cancellation penalty of $200 if you did not pay a registration fee due to an early bird discount.)
Hobsons provides some meals; attendees are responsible for the rest of their meals, and travel costs.
What is the cost of Workshops?
Pre-conference workshops are $250 per person, per workshop. Pre-conference workshops are conducted by Hobsons staff and are hands-on training opportunities on selected products. If you need to cancel your workshop registrations, we ask that you so by June 30th for no penalty and for a full refund. After June 30th there will be no refunds for workshops.
What are the Early Bird Discounts
Early bird discounts are available to help defray the costs. The deadline for early bird discounts is February 28, 2013. The early bird discounts provide the following: • Free registration ($199 value) to the first two attendees from your institution. • Workshop registration for $200 ($50 savings) for each workshop.
Didn’t Hobsons U used to be free?
In the past, Hobsons U was free for the first two attendees from your institution. In order to allow us to continue to grow the event and improve the experience of attendees, we have implemented a nominal charge for all attendees. We have designed our early bird discounts to help offset some of your cost.
Payment
Payment may be made via credit card on the website when registering. We strongly recommend credit card payments. You may also choose to pay by check, although we will not be able to confirm your registration until we receive your payment.
Meals Offered
Breakfast will be provided on all three days of the main conference (July 23-25). Lunch is available on July 23 at the Networking Lunch. Drinks and reception-style food will be provided at the opening reception (July 22) and the awards reception (July 24). Other meals will NOT be provided, however, there are many dining options in the hotel and in the Orlando area.
Do you have to attend all days of the conference?
No. You can attend for as little as one day or as much as all four days. By staying all four days you will see that the event provides new ideas, opportunities to network and share best practices with other clients, and a chance to build stronger relationships with Hobsons. However, if you can only stay for a short amount of time, you will still benefit.
Can I bring a guest or my family?
Some attendees do choose to bring their families with them to Hobsons University. However, all conference sessions are reserved for registered clients only. If you wish to bring guests to the opening reception, the awards reception, and/or area tours, an additional charge will apply. Please register any family members or guests during the registration process.
How do I sign up for a consultation meeting?
The consultation room will be located in the Hobson HQ area of the conference. At Hobsons HQ you can have a one-on-one session with Hobsons staff; either as walk-ins on site or pre-scheduled meetings with your Hobsons point of contact. An online sign-up process will be available in July.
How long are the sessions?
The main conference sessions last for 1 hour. Workshops are for 2 hours.
How many people attended last year?
We had over 1,000 attendees in 2012 and we expect similar attendance in 2013.
What is the conference agenda?
The conference starts on July 22 with a day of pre-conference workshops (9am to 5pm), the new attendee orientation (5:15-6pm) and the opening reception (6pm). The main conference runs 2 and 1/2 days from July 23 through 25. The detailed agenda can be found here.
What client awards will be given this year?
We expect to have similar awards to those presented last year. The 2012 categories were: Circle of Excellence, Hobsons Choice Award, Product Expertise-Marketing, Product Expertise-Technology, Product Expertise - Intelliworks, Visionary Award, Peer Excellence Award.
What is there to do in Orlando?
There are many things to do in Orlando, after your day at Hobsons U is complete, of course. Click here for additional information.
What is the benefit of the conference?
Hobsons U is a great opportunity for attendees to connect with Hobsons staff and other product users to learn how to get the most out of their investment. Whether you work in recruitment, admissions, enrollment, retention, student success or IT, Hobsons University is a valuable and affordable conference for any college, university or institution using Hobsons technology or marketing solutions. One great thing about Hobsons University is the content. Our clients – other users like you who are interested in best practices – give most of the presentations. It is also a great opportunity to learn more about Hobsons products and services.
What is the dress code?
There is no official dress code at Hobsons University. You are encouraged to wear whatever is comfortable to you. We have had attendees come dressed in shorts and t-shirts and some in full business attire. Most attendees, however, tend to wear business casual during the day. Two events have specific dress suggestions, so make sure you pack appropriately. For the opening reception, wear your school colors, jersey or other university branded clothing. For the awards reception, dig into your closet to find your best 80’s outfit.
What presentations should I go see?
You can attend any presentation you like, but most clients choose sessions that apply to the product(s) they use or may be interested in. The agenda provides descriptions of the sessions so you can assess the best options for you. If you are new to Hobsons U, attend our first time attendee orientation to get some helpful tips.
When do I need to check in?
New this year we will open registration for a short time on Sunday evening. For those of you attending a workshop on July 22nd, the registration desk will open that morning so you can register in advance of your workshop. Registration will be open all day on the 22nd and open early on the morning of the 23rd. Registration is required as attendees need to wear their Hobsons U name badge at all times.
Will I be able to learn about Hobsons products I don't use?
Sessions at Hobsons University are client-driven and focused on all types of products, from CRM and online applications to social media and recruitment/marketing solutions. Clients may choose to attend any sessions they wish. Many clients have found Hobsons U extremely beneficial in learning about products and services they don’t currently use. There will also be a number of Hobsons-presented sessions on our solutions. Take advantage of the new Hobsons demo area and Hobsons representatives should you wish to gain more in-depth knowledge about a particular product or service.
Workshop Information
Workshops are each 2 hours in length and cost $250 per person per workshop. Pre-conference workshops are conducted by Hobsons staff and are a great opportunity (for a reasonable cost) to get hands on training on products, as well as interact with other product users. A laptop is required for participation. You can attend up to 3 workshops on July 22nd.
I use the Intelliworks CRM. Should I attend?
Yes. There will be specific sessions for users of the Intelliworks product. These sessions will be led by Intelliworks clients and Hobsons staff. You may also attend any other session at Hobsons U.
Will Hobsons staff supporting the Intelliworks product be at the conference?
Yes. We will have service and product staff working with the Intelliworks product at the conference for you to interact with. They are looking forward to seeing you.
Do you have other questions?
Simply e-mail HU@hobsons.com with any questions.
