In reply to AnnMaria.

AnnMaria

I can see from some of the responses that parts of this post were unclear. I apologize to readers for that.

SAS is reducing, but is NOT totally eliminating, financial support for regional users groups. Like you, we see great value in the regional conferences and intend to continue our support for all types of user conferences while increasing support for locals. Our ultimate goal in these changes is to try and reach as many SAS users as possible.

We’re working closely with user group leadership to evaluate what support options work best for each region and how we can help implement any changes over the next three years, starting in 2014.

Thanks for asking for clarification! Having a user community that's so passionate about working with the software and with other users has always been one of SAS' greatest assets. I hope to meet you at WUSS in November.

Christina