A Crystal Ball Panel of industry leaders is one of the highlights, along with field trips to the concurrently scheduled Exhibitor Show. UNLV also administers a Convention Educators Listserv, an e-mail mailing list where messages are distributed to those who subscribe, to keep lines of communication open among the faculty of the various colleges. Educators can post questions, discuss relevant issues and get feedback. Another new outlet for academic research and publication is the Journal of Convention and Exhibition Management, edited by Je'Anna Abbott and Kaye Chon at the University of Houston. Distance Learning Those interested in pursuing educational opportunities in exposition management often lament that they aren't able to move to where one of these colleges is located to take courses.
Many potential students are place-bound by job, family or other constraints.
New developments in computer technology are overcoming that obstacle. Students can attend classes from home, work or on the road. Professionals who want to continue their education can also take advantage of these courses. UNLV piloted a distance learning class over compressed video during the summer of 1996. UNLV plans to offer a distance learning Executive Master's degree in meetings and conventions in the near future, utilizing the Internet.