Call for Proposals

Fall Conference

Friday, October 9, 2009

“Fostering Student Success:

Critical Collaborations between Academic Affairs and Student Affairs on Campus”

Keynote Speaker: Richard J. Light, Ph.D. is a professor in the Graduate School of Education and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University

Conference Theme: Student success is best achieved when there is creative collaboration between academic and student affairs professionals and an understanding that student success is dependent on a learning environment that highly regards student engagement.  This full-day conference on Fostering Student Success will feature innovative programs and best practices highlighting a learning-centered model that utilizes cross-campus collaborations, both inside and outside the classroom, to increase student success and improve retention for traditional and non-traditional learners.

Conference Location: Hogan Campus Center, College of the Holy Cross, 1 College Street, Worcester, MA 01610

Proposal Submission Guidelines: The Program Committee seeks proposals for one-hour  workshop sessions which demonstrate best practices in programs for promoting student success, engagement and retention, ideally with an emphasis on cross-campus collaborations between and among academic affairs, student affairs and other campus departments.  Workshop session topics could include, but not be limited to, the following themes:

• Promoting Student Engagement in the Classroom
• Successful Advising Models/Strategies
• Creative Student Retention Initiatives
• Successful Transitions: High School to College
• Effective First Year Programs
• Learning Communities
• Serving Students with Special Needs
• Early Warning Programs for At Risk Students
• Success Strategies for Non-traditional Learners
• Enhancing  Time-Management and Study Skills for Students
• Promoting Student Involvement Outside the Classroom

Proposals will be reviewed according to the following criteria:

• Relevance to the conference theme
• Clarity and coherence of the session description/plan
• Relevance to the interest of conference participants
• Evidence of audience engagement in session

Application of session’s content to provide useful “take-away” information for session participants

Proposal Submission Deadline: Wednesday, September 16, 2009 Notification of Acceptance Monday, September 28, 2009

Submit proposals to:

Susan C. Wyckoff, PhD

Vice President for Academic Affairs

Colleges of Worcester Consortium

swyckoff@cowc.org (Electronic submissions only, please)

Questions can be directed to the Proposal Review Committee:

Catherine WoodBrooks, Assumption College, cwoodbro@assumption.edu

Janet Richardson, WPI, jbrich@wpi.edu

Libba Moore, Nichols College, libba.moore@nichols.edu

Proposal Format: (Please number the sections of your proposal.)

1. Lead Presenter Information (all correspondence regarding this proposal will be sent to this person only):
   • Name
   • Position Title
   • Institution
   • Street Address, City, State, Zip Code
   • Daytime Phone
   • Email Address
   • Fax Number
2. Additional Presenter(s), if any (same information as in #1)
3. Title of Session (subject to editing)
4. Session Abstract: (for inclusion in conference program, 100 words maximum, subject to editing).  Since the title and abstract are the “marketing piece” which will attract participants to your session, please be as concrete and descriptive as possible about what will take place during your session.
5. Session Summary (250 words maximum)
   • Description of session and session format (lecture, panel, small group activity, etc.)
   • Statement of objectives/outcomes:  What will participants learn from your session?
   • Target audience for session (faculty, administrators, faculty advisors, student affairs professionals, etc.)
6. Session Needs:

Please indicate any specific needs for the proposed session (laptop, projector, flip chart, etc)