The conference will take place at Bentley College in Waltham, Mass. from 1:00 p.m. until 6:30 p.m., on Saturday, January 26, 2008.

Registration and check-in will begin at 12:00 p.m., and there will be a reception from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Driving directions and other information on the facilities are available at http://www.conferencecenteratbentley.com/

Here is the basic information on the schedule, and more will be available as we approach the date:

12:00:  Registration
1:00:    Opening Plenary with Daniel Ellsberg
2:00:    Workshops and Presentations (First Session)
3:30:    Workshops and Presentations (Second Session)
4:45:    Closing Plenary with Rachel Maddow
5:30:    Reception   

DETAILED AGENDA:

REGISTRATION: 12:00 to 1:00 pm

OPENING KEYNOTE: 1:00 to 2:00 pm
Daniel Ellsberg, the writer, activist and former U.S. military analyst who released the Pentagon Papers in 1971, will give our opening keynote, called “2008 and Beyond: What Will It Take to End the Abuse of Power?”

CONCURRENT INTERACTIVE WORKSHOPS: 2:00 to 3:10 pm
Topics and presenters include:

* Which Way Forward for the Immigrant Rights Movement? A Strategy Session & Roundtable: Gabriel Camacho Regional Organizer, AFSC Project Voice), Merrie Najimy (President, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee of Mass.), Nancy Murray (ACLUM Education Director)

* Torture, Rendition, Guantánamo: Neil McGaraghan (Attorney at Bingham McCutchen, representing detainees at Guantánamo Bay), Laura Rótolo (ACLUM Human Rights Fellow)

* Racial, Ethnic, and Religious Profiling in the Post-9/11 World: Nancy Murray (ACLUM Education Director), Anjali Waikar (ACLUM Equal Justice Works Fellow)

* Next steps for LGBT Rights: Norma Shapiro (ACLUM Legislative Director), Gary Buseck (GLAD Legal Director)

* Ensuring Reproductive Freedom: Sarah Wunsch (ACLUM Staff Attorney), Susan Yanow (Founder, Abortion Access Project)

* Building and Sustaining Strong Student Groups: Brian Corr (ACLUM Field Organizer), Ryan Menezes (President, Boston University ACLU), ACLU student activists

* Moving Beyond the War on Drugs: Jack Cole (Executive Director, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition), Whitney Taylor (Campaign Manager, Cmte. for Sensible Marijuana Policy)

* Freedom of Speech and Association in a Post-9/11 World: Harvey Silverglate (Civil liberties attorney and columnist), Wendy Kaminer (Lawyer and feminist writer)

* Preserving Privacy and Confronting the Surveillance Society: Real ID, NSA Spying, Warrantless Wiretapping, and Fusion Centers: Mike German (ACLU Policy Counsel and former FBI Special Agent), Carol Rose (ACLUM Executive Director)

* Blogging for Civil Liberties: Chris Ott (ACLUM Communications Manager), Charley Blandy (Editor, www.bluemassgroup.com), George Jenkins (Editor, ivebeenmugged.typepad.com)

BREAK 3:10 to 3:25 pm

CONCURRENT INTERACTIVE WORKSHOPS: 3:30 to 4:40 pm
Many of the conference workshops will be offered a second time.

CLOSING KEYNOTE: 4:45 to 5:30 pm
Rachel Maddow, host of “The Rachel Maddow Show” on Air America and a frequent commentator on networks including MSNBC, CNN, and LOGO.

RECEPTION: 5:30 pm

LOCATION: The Conference Center at Bentley College is located in Waltham. See http://www.conferencecenteratbentley.com/ for more information.



Directions by Car and Public Transportation

* By bus from Harvard Square:
Take Bus #73 and get off at Waverley Sq. in Belmont (the last stop). Then take Bus #554 directly to Bentley College. The bus stop for Bentley is at the corner of Beaver St. and Forest St. (on the Bentley Campus).

* By commuter rail from North Station or Porter Square:
Take the Fitchburg/South Acton Line towards Fitchburg to Waverley Station at 525 Trapelo Rd. in Belmont. Then take Bus #554 directly to Bentley College. The bus stop for Bentley is at the corner of Beaver St. and Forest St. (on the Bentley Campus).

* By commuter rail from Northwest of Boston:
Take the Fitchburg/South Acton Line towards Boston/North Station to Waltham Station, located at 75 Carter St., Waltham. Then take Bus #554 directly to Bentley College. The bus stop for Bentley is at the corner of Beaver St. and Forest St. (on the Bentley Campus).

For help scheduling trips on the MBTA call 1.800.392.6100 or visit www.mbta.com/rider_tools. For more information on Bus #554, visit www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/bus/routes/?route=554

* Driving from points north:
Take Route 95/128 South to Trapelo Road, exit 28, and turn left at the top of the exit ramp Follow Trapelo Road 2.6 miles toward Belmont Turn right onto Forest St.; the main entrance is .9 miles on the left

* Driving from points south:
Take Route 95/128 North to Totten Pond Road, Exit 27A At the end of the ramp, take a right and follow Totten Pond Road for 1.2 miles to the end Take a right onto Lexington St. and go .2 miles Turn left onto Beaver St., travel 1 mile (go around the rotary and continue on) Turn left onto Forest St.; the main entrance is .3 miles on the right

* Driving from points east/Boston:
Take Storrow Dr. (west) or Memorial Dr. (west) to the end and follow signs toward Arlington Bear left at the sign “To 16 S Watertown/Waltham” Follow for .6 miles and turn right onto Belmont St. Continue on Belmont St. until it intersects with Trapelo Road Bear right onto Trapelo Road and continue for 1.7 miles Take a left at the light and follow the sign “60 Waltham to Route 20;” this is Waverley Oaks Road (Route 60) At the next traffic light, turn right onto Beaver St.; continue .9 miles to Forest St. Turn right onto Forest St.; the main entrance is .3 miles on the right

* Driving from points west:
Take exit 14 off the Massachusetts Turnpike and follow signs to Route 95/128 North Take Route 95/128 North to Trapelo Road, exit 28A, turn right at end of exit ramp, and continue 2.6 miles toward Belmont Turn right onto Forest St.; the main entrance is .9 miles on the left