MEDITERRANEAN STUDIES ASSOCIATION
NEWSLETTER, #5 (January 2009)

Dear Colleagues,

A very happy New Year to you and we look forward to seeing you at the MSA Congress in Cagliari, Sardinia in four months. As we approach the 12th Annual Congress there is some pertinent information we wish to share with you.

THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM
Rick Clement and the Program Committee have received an extraordinary number of proposals. Concurrently, Professor Luciano Gallinari, President of the Congress has been gathering a large number of proposals from his European colleagues. While the preliminary deadline for proposals has passed it is still possibly to submit a paper to the Program Committee. I would urge you to do so soon.

• We intend to close submissions on February 1.
• As usual, we will then post all the papers placed in sessions on the website in early March. This allows participants to make corrections and offer suggestions.
• After all participants have registered, no later than April 15, the full Program will be compiled and posted on the website. It will also be printed for distribution at the Congress. Only those participants who have registered will be listed in the Program.

REGISTRATION
Keep in mind that the $175 Early Registration ends on February 1. After February 1 the Registration Fee is $225. Onsite Registration is $275. Also remember that if you have not paid for your 2009 membership, you will also need to pay dues at the same time.

TRAVEL
Please use a special travel website for MSA members at YTB (Your travel Biz).  Visit >www.travelwithmsa.com to check out the lowest possible airfares, hotels, car rentals etc.  For further assistance with the site, email msaculturaltours@comcast.net or call Louise Boudreau at 508 979-8687.

HOTEL RESERVATIONS
We apologize for the delay in getting the hotel information posted on the website (there has been some delay in getting the necessary information from Cagliari). That information is now on the MSA website. We have obtained 35 inexpensive rooms that are now available for you to make your reservations. www.mediterraneanstudies.org

Hotel Mariò, 72 € Double & 65 € Single
(In the historic upper town; requires climbing stairs or a taxi)

Hotel Due Colonne, 80 € Double & Single
Hotel DOMO, 72 € Double & 65 € Single
(In the Lower Town)

We will list additional hotels once the above 35 rooms have been reserved.

PRE-CONGRESS EXCURSION
We have with the assistance of Professor Gallinari arranged a very exciting pre-excursion on May 27 to the Ancient Nuraghi Site at Barumini. The Excursion including an authentic Sardinian lunch with wine is only $75.00

POST-CONGRESS TOUR
The Congress Post Tour of Sardinia and Corsica is nearly full. Only 3 spaces remain, if you are interested please get your registration in ASAP, as we will not be able to take additional participants. For complete details of the Post-Tour please go to the MSA website www.mediterraneanstudies.org.

If you have additional questions on any of these or other matters please contact:

For questions relating to the Academic Program, contact Rick Clement: richard.clement@usu.edu

For all other questions contact Ben Taggie btaggie@umassd.edu or Louise Boudreau lboudreau@umassd.edu.

Looking forward to seeing you in Cagliari,

Ben Taggie
Rick Clement
Louise Boudreau