Dear ASECS Members,
Today the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta issued a statement about the likelihood that the coronavirus will spread in the United States. They are not currently able to say how far the disease will spread, and it is unclear how federal, state and local authorities will react in the weeks to come.
The Steering Committee of the ASECS Executive Board and the Business Office is monitoring the situation with regard to our March conference in St. Louis. As of this writing, we are continuing with our plans for the conference from March 19-21, which will feature almost two hundred sessions on eighteenth-century studies and related issues, as well as live theater performances, museum visits, virtual reality demonstrations, and much more.
While our annual conference is the highlight of our year and a wonderful opportunity for all of us to meet and exchange ideas, it is also important that we act in the best interests of everyone’s health and safety. We will continue to monitor the situation as it develops, and we will keep you updated on our plans as the March conference date draws near.
If you have questions, you may direct them to the Business Office at asecsoffice@gmail.com.
Sincerely,
Jeff Ravel
President, American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies
Professor and Head of History, MIT