First-Timer Orientation

If you're coming to the convention for the first time, the First-Timer Orientation is the best way to quickly learn the ropes. This year there will be only one Orientation, held in the Katie Murphy Amphitheater at 8pm on Friday.

Model Menu and Teacher Priority Ticketing

We need to have the Model Menu ready for Friday evening's Open House which starts at 7pm, but in the past many people have brought their models well after that time. This makes it difficult for attendees to plan their schedules, and so for the past two years we have added a time limit to Teacher Priority Ticketing requirements. This year, we are making the time requirement earlier, and are asking that all teachers provide their models by 5pm on Friday, or they will not obtain Teacher Priority Ticketing. Models should be brought to the Model Menu intake area at the Information Desk in the Great Hall. If you meet the requirements, your Ticketing Priority form will be given to you.

If your plans do not allow you to deliver your model by 5pm Friday, please mail your model to the OrigamiUSA office so that it arrives by the Monday before Convention. Mark the box "Model Menu" and mail it to OrigamiUSA, 15 West 77 Street, New York, NY 10024. Make sure you include your name and the name of the model you are teaching.

Housing Improvements

Those who stayed at the dorms last year will remember the problems with air conditioning. FIT has apologized for the inconvenience caused, and has promised that this year will be better. They have put into effect new procedures to ensure that a systematic failure is unlikely. In addition, the Acting Summer Housing Coordinator has assured us that he will personally inspect each room before assignment, and he has also acted to establish new communication channels between Maintenance and his office. If you contact Maintenance or the Housing Office with a problem and don't get a response within a reasonable time, let us know at the Information Desk so we can follow-up.

Website Changes

We've continued to make changes and improvements to our website. The most noticeable change this year is that you must log on to register for the Convention or buy a Sorry Kit. Both of these are available to members only.

We have also added a new section that better explains the Ticketing Process and how Priority Ticketing works if you are eligible. This information is available from the new left menu items called Ticketing and Priority Ticketing, respectively.

All paper forms can be completed online, including the "Sorry, I Can't Attend" form and the Vendor form on the Sales page. All forms are also available as .pdf downloads on their respective instruction pages (the preceding links, which you can also find in the left menu) and on the General Information page.

Free Origami Collection for First-Timers

All first-time Convention attendees will receive a free Origami Collection from a prior year. Look inside your Registration envelope for a ticket to redeem at The Origami Source. You cannot request a specific year.

Oversized Folding Event on Sunday Evening

For the past two years, the Oversized Folding Event has been an overwhelming success. This year, to make it a bit more manageable and enjoyable for all, we are limiting the number of teams to 30. If you want to participate, please sign-up early. The sign-up sheet will be available on Friday evening at the Information Desk. More details available on this page.

Annual Meeting Schedule

Last year, we made changes to the voting process that takes place at the Annual Meeting on Saturday in order to allow more time for voting by attendees at the meeting and more time for tallying the votes. It was so successful we are doing this again this year.

  • The Annual Meeting will begin at 12:15pm in the Great Hall.
  • From 12:15pm to 1:45pm the only agenda item will be voting.
  • If you want to vote in person, you must vote then.

An Election Committee member will be at the Information Desk to confirm your eligibility to vote and give you a ballot. The voting section of the Meeting will be closed at 1:45pm.

At 1:45pm there will be a break in the Annual Meeting (so that people can attend classes) and we will resume at 5:30pm in the Katie Murphy Amphitheatre for the rest of the agenda (which includes all of the reports and Q&A that typically take place at the meeting). The results of the voting will be announced at the end of the 5:30 session.

It is always easier for our vote counter to use the proxy ballots that are mailed in and so we encourage members to vote using them, but if you want to vote in person, you should be aware that we will not take votes after 1:45 or during the second part of the meeting.

The proxy ballot by mail will work the same way that it has done in past years; if you mark and send in a proxy ballot, it will be cast on your behalf by the designated proxy at the Annual Meeting.

If you have any questions, please visit the elections page or contact the Elections Committee at elections [at] origamiusa.org.

Non-Folding Parents

Sometimes it's not clear where non-folding guardians can go, and some expect to join their child in class. This is not a great idea for several reasons: students in each class should be able to fold independently; there are sometimes limited seats; and parents and other guardians can be distracting. We ask that non-folding guardians wait in the Hospitality Area or outside the classroom. If a guardian wishes to join their child in class, they must register as a folding Attendee with Classes. If there are cases of handicaps or other restrictions where an aide is indeed necessary, please let the convention organizers know ahead of time, and we'll make special arrangements. Guardians: please consider volunteering while you wait for your child. We'll make sure that your assignment is in a centralized location where your child can find you easily. If you wait in the Hospitality Area, please make sure that you and your child identify a specific location in the room to meet.