Event Location Statement

The Human Anatomy and Physiology Society (HAPS) is a professional organization that relies on member-driven interactions that instigate, sustain, and enhance the achievement of the organization’s strategic goals, mission, and vision. These interactions are accomplished through networking, mentoring, and communication not only via online, virtual interfaces, and programs but also via in-person courses, conferences, and workshops. Therefore, HAPS is mindful of several factors when selecting conference locations. We look for venues with facilities that can support the needs of the conference programming, including the number of attendees and types of events that will be offered. We consider accessibility for registrants coming from many regions and commit to conference locations several years in advance to minimize costs for our participants. 

HAPS is proud to acknowledge a diverse and inclusive membership base. We are committed to creating accessible physical and virtual spaces that foster a sense of belonging for all people. We celebrate diversity, promote equity and inclusion, support and uphold justice, and provide professional development that supports the success of our members in educational and professional settings.

The locations chosen for HAPS conferences are not intended to express or influence political positions. However, if individual members or members’ institutions choose to not participate in an event due to political or policy preferences, we acknowledge and respect individual members’ rights to make such personal decisions. Similarly, in order to maintain a holistically inclusive environment, the locations of regional and annual conferences will vary in terms of the political ideologies, beliefs, and values shared by its representative majority and minority populations. In this way, we hope to reach as many members as possible as we consider the collective diversity of the different regions comprising HAPS and commit to including all of these members, not in spite of these differences but because of these differences. By inclusively engaging the full potential of all of its members’ different views, beliefs, and values and equitably providing access to resources, HAPS aims to foster an environment in which creativity and innovation thrive.