About the Conference

• Eighteen hours of State Board and COPE approved CE, including Georgia Jurisprudence & Ethics plus CPR recertification. One low conference fee covers CE registration and handouts, plus continental breakfast on Sunday and Monday and lunch on Saturday and Sunday. Significant reduction in the conference fee for early registration postmarked before August 29, 2008.


• The Georgia Center Registration Desk will be open a minimum of 30 minutes prior to the first lecture of each day and will remain open until the last lecture of the day begins.


• Valid name badges will serve as tickets to the conference and must be worn by attendees for admission into the lecture hall. No one will be admitted into the lecture hall 10 minutes after the lecture begins. Entrance and exit of course attendees will be monitored to meet State Board regulations.


• Attendees may only be absent from any class for a maximum of 10 minutes per hour of lecture. If an attendee must leave during a lecture, the attendee must give his/her name badge to the door monitor who will record the time that the individual left the course. When the attendee returns within the allotted 10 minutes, the time will be noted and his/her name badge will be returned.


• If the attendee is absent for more than 10 minutes, his/her name badge (course ticket) will not be returned until the end of the lecture, and he/she will receive no "proof-of-attendance" card. However, he/she will be permitted back into the lecture hall.

2008 Tentative Itinerary

For updates to the 2008 Tentative Itinerary,
please visit the Georgia Optometric Association Web site, www.goaeyes.com.

CPR Recertification

Saturday, September 20, 2008   •   7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
Note: Space is limited; you must register prior to 9/5/08 to participate. No on-site registration is available. Additional fee is required.

Conference Planners

Paige Foster, O.D., Co-Chair, GOA Education Committee
Joseph Rappon, O.D., Co-Chair, GOA Education Committee
Bryan Markowitz, GOA Executive Director
Vanessa Grosso, GOA Meeting Coordinator

Event Coordinator

Jane Mertens, 706-542-6592 (phone), 706-542-6465 (fax), Jane.Mertens@georgiacenter.uga.edu (email), The University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education Conference Center & Hotel

Georgia Center Information

The Georgia Center for Continuing Education Conference Center & Hotel, located on the beautiful, historic campus of the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, provides innovative lifelong learning opportunities that develop intellectual and human potential. A total living and learning environment, the Georgia Center includes a 200-room hotel, restaurants, banquet areas, conference rooms, auditoriums, a fitness center, and computer lab — all under one roof. As a unit of UGA's Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach, the Center brings the University's teaching, research, and service expertise to the people of Georgia and beyond! For more information, visit www.georgiacenter.uga.edu.

Special Needs:
If you require special services, facilities, or dietary considerations, contact Jean Mann at 706-542-2237 or Jean.Mann@georgiacenter.uga.edu, at least five business days before your event.

Lodging (Georgia Center Hotel):
A block of rooms is being held for your conference until 5:00 p.m. ET, August 28, 2008. Policies: (1) Tax Exemption — The State of Georgia only allows tax-exempt charges for a payment by a state-issued credit card or check or by a direct bill to a state agency (with a Georgia State Tax Exemption Certificate). (2) Lodging Cancellation — Cancel your reservation by 4:00 p.m. ET the day prior to your scheduled arrival to avoid being charged one night's room and tax. (3) At check-in, you must present your credit card or a completed credit card authorization form (for a copy, call 800-884-1381, Mon.-Fri., 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET). Note: The Georgia Center is a smoke-free building; all lodging rooms are nonsmoking.

Travel Information:
Athens, Georgia, is located about 60 miles northeast of Atlanta. For directions, see www.georgiacenter.uga.edu/conferences/about/directions.phtml. A parking deck is located adjacent to the Center (hourly rates, maximum $10 each 24-hour period; vehicle height limit, 7 feet). Athens is served by two airports. Athens-Ben Epps Airport offers connecting flights to and from Charlotte, NC. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is located about 90 minutes southwest of Athens, with scheduled ground shuttle service and rental car service available between the airport and the Georgia Center.

Program Cancellation Policies:
(1) Full refunds are available for cancellations made by 5:00 p.m. ET, September 12, 2008. No refunds will be issued thereafter; substitutions will be allowed. (2) If a program is cancelled for any reason, the Georgia Center will not be responsible for any charges related to travel.

Registration