Regional Conferences

2013 Regional Conferences

Check each regional’s website to find information on the conference and how to submit presentation proposals.

So you want to plan a regional HighEdWeb conference?

Planning a regional event, while incredibly time- and labor-intensive, gives both planning committee members and conference attendees an incredible opportunity to make a positive impact on our community and the field of higher education. Benefits – for you, attendees, and the national organization – abound when you choose to become involved in planning a regional conference. Among the opportunities to you and the higher ed community are:

  • Networking with peers from your area
  • Interaction with peers from other areas who attend to present
  • Presentation of your ideas and best practices to the HighEdWeb community
  • Continuing education provided at a low cost locally
  • Encouragement for locals to attend and be involved with HighEdWeb at the national level

There are a number of things to consider before beginning to plan an event. Examining these issues will help you better prepare yourself and your team for such an undertaking. While each location will have its own considerations, we encourage you to think about the following:

  • Does my boss/manager support my involvement in this event? Can I afford to miss the amount of productive work time that is necessary to plan and implement a regional conference?
  • Do I have a team of committee members who are diverse in their interests and talents? Are these individuals willing to donate their time to this project?
  • Where will I host the event? Is there enough space for approximately 100 attendees (the number we have seen at most regional events)?
  • Is there enough wireless networking support in this location to accommodate 100 new users, many of whom will use three devices at one time?
  • What food options are available for attendees? Are there restaurants close enough to walk? Will we need to get a caterer so that attendees stay at the location the whole day?
  • Do we have a need for auxiliary services from our campus? Are those services included in the cost for an event location, or will those be added to the final bill for the event?
  • Is there a hotel within quick walking or driving distance of the event? Is that hotel willing to work with you on getting good rates for conference attendees if necessary?
  • Are there locations for after-hours events if necessary?
  • Are there local businesses that help out our school and who might be willing to provide sponsorship dollars or swag to fill out goody bags? Or provide needed services like printing or videotaping?

Broadly, you’ll need to be involved with:

  • food
  • space
  • sponsorship
  • taking money
  • nametags
  • signs
  • scheduling
  • program solicitation and selection

So make sure you – or a person on your committee – is comfortable with each of these areas. We’ll talk more about them later, too.

If you come up with the answers to all these questions – and you’re still committed to planning a regional HighEdWeb event – please fill out the application form. We’ll get back to you with a series of support documents and timelines designed to help you maneuver through the planning process.