66th Annual Conference - Arizona

Dear Fellow AAPORites,

I write to inform you of the Council’s action on the question of changing the venue for our 2011 conference. In response to serious concerns expressed by a number of members, the Council met via teleconference on May 4 to discuss whether to continue with long-standing plans to hold our annual conference in Arizona in 2011. 

While meeting, we had the following points to consider. Some AAPOR members have recommended that we move the conference site from Arizona because they view the new Arizona immigration law as a moral affront. Others worry that some conference attendees might be harassed under the new law. Others point out that conference attendance is likely to fall if we do not move the site in reaction to the law. Still others argue that we should hold the meeting in Arizona despite the law because our reputation as a professional body dedicated to the dispassionate, nonpartisan study of public opinion would suffer if we take a position against the measure. The fact that we will certainly suffer severe financial consequences (a charge of at least $200,000) by canceling the Phoenix contract weighs on many. And, finally, all of us, regardless of our views, are operating in an environment of uncertainty about whether the just-passed law will be in effect at the time of the meeting, or whether it will be modified, delayed or even rescinded. There is also the possibility that a similar law could be enacted wherever we move the conference.

After an extensive discussion of these matters that involved current and incoming members of Council, the current board voted unanimously to continue with plans to hold the 2011 conference at the Arizona Grand Hotel. We feel that our responsibility to the mission of the organization and our fiduciary responsibility to AAPOR and its members make this the best choice in a very difficult situation.

AAPOR is a professional organization whose mission is to promote public opinion research for the public good. The Arizona law, regardless of anyone’s individual reactions to it, represents a major development in one of the great public issues of our time. Initial research on public views of the law indicates that there is substantial support and substantial opposition. It is the business of public opinion researchers to describe, explain and contextualize such matters. AAPOR’s business is to provide a forum within which all views about how this issue should be investigated and understood can be debated.  AAPOR is compromised in this mission if it sides with one viewpoint or another.

It has been argued that AAPOR is siding with a viewpoint whether we hold the meeting in Arizona or move it to another state. On this view, we express at least tacit approval for the state’s policies if we meet there, just as we express disapproval if we move. For the record, we do not intend our decision to imply endorsement of the Arizona law. From our association’s earliest days – during the segregation era in this country – AAPOR policy was unambiguous in the choice of conference location: “All members of AAPOR must be welcome.” We will continue to abide by this principle in selecting future conference sites. Unfortunately, such choices are necessarily made with information available at the time, so there is no guarantee that a similar ‘Arizona scenario’ can be averted in the future.

For next year, we will do what we can to ensure that all our conference attendees are made welcome.  By meeting in Arizona, we may be able to garner more attention for data and perspectives on the immigration issue than could be obtained if we meet elsewhere. Rob Santos, next year's conference chair, will add his thoughts about the meeting and also discuss his perspective on the site selection debate in a message immediately following this one. I personally have been moved by Rob's arguments.

We know that this decision will be disappointing to some of you. We fervently wish that the matter had not been thrust upon us.  But, the Council is trying, as always, to do what is best for AAPOR. Whatever you think of our judgment, we hope you will hold onto that thought.


With best wishes, 

Peter V. Miller

President




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