The gathering draws ridicule and outrage from some, especially political conservatives, who question the need for it and the amount of tax money helping to stage it. Among the two dozen co-hosts of this year?s conference are Madison Area Technical College, UW-Madison and the city of Madison?s Department of Civil Rights. Most co-hosts are paying a fee between $500 and $3,000, according to organizers, although UW-Madison is kicking in $5,000.