1) The fall meeting, October 13-15, 2017 at the Mission Conference Center at Valle Crucis, North Carolina (http://www.highsouth.com/vallecrucis/). Our thanks to Curt Ryan and his committee for arranging the program. 

The cost is $140 per person for lodging and meals, plus $15 for registration. There is a reduced charge for children aged 3-11 who are accompanied by their own parents. No charge for children under 3. (The Conference Center requires children to be supervised at all times.) Please return the enclosed registration form with your check to arrive by October 8; Valle Crucis requires advance notice of numbers for meals and rooms.

We want everyone to attend, but ask that you not arrive or bring guests without letting us know in advance. We must notify the Conference Center on its schedule and assign rooms in advance, so please account for everyone who will attend with you by the 8th. If you foresee a problem or have to make a sudden change, please give me a call (864-250-8729) or write me at Dianne.chidester@gvltec.edu. Also, please complete the line on the registration form letting me know your preferred roommate.

Our official arrival time at the Conference Center is 4:00 p.m. Facilities become available to us at that time. If you arrive early, enjoy the view from the porch.

2) Some travel assistance (six cents per mile) is available for pre-collegiate full members, as funds permit. Up to five graduate students may receive a $50 discount for Valle Crucis.

3) DUES: Dues are paid for a calendar year, January through December. If you have not yet paid for 2017, send $25.00 for full membership (college and university faculty, scholars affiliated with research centers, and graduate students and pre-collegiate educators with at least three graduate credits in Middle East Studies) or $20.00 for associate membership (members from outside the region, other pre-collegiate educators, and invited individuals with a professional interest in the Middle East). Since SEMEISS dues are so modest, an additional line is provided for donations. You should have an electronic receipt for dues paid for 2017. However, we will still accept dues for 2017.

4) If this is your first trip to Valle Crucis, you will want to bring some informal clothing and shoes for walking. Mountain views, wooded paths, the waterfall, and colorful leaves tempt most of us to take at least one hike. 

5) Books: If you have books or other goodies you’d like to donate, please remember to bring them. As usual, we’ll have a book sale table for your perusal! 

Please vote for four candidates then enclose your ballot (separate sealed, envelope preferred) with your 2017 membership renewal to be sent to Dianne Chidester.