SCUP’s 49th Annual, International Conference

Attendees at SCUP conferences include provosts, directors, principals, presidents, architects, institutional researchers, deans, facility directors, finance and budget officers, and planners of all kinds from academic, architecture, and construction fields. Our conference also attracts attendees from municipal governments, non-profit groups, and other schools.

What topics are presented at the conference?

Programs at the annual conference cover a balanced spectrum of higher education planning interests: budget, resource, academic, institutional direction, and facilities.

How many people usually attend the conference?

We had slightly over 1550 people at our 2012 conference in Chicago. Over half of the attendees were from institutions.

I submitted a proposal to a regional conference. Can I submit the same proposal to the annual conference?

Of course! The annual conference committee is looking for strong programs, and submitting your proposal to a regional conference will not hurt your chances of getting accepted to the annual conference.

Can I Skype a presenter into my session?

We have done this successfully. If you propose to Skype in a presenter—or another means to include a presenter remotely—make sure that you tell us this in the outline of your session, and mention it in the area where you tell us your audio-visual needs.  Also, make sure that the presenter that you want to bring in remotely agrees to participate in this fashion.

I haven't been able to confirm presenters on my team. Can I submit the form with "TBD" in the presenter name slots and confirm them later?

Academy members will view a “TBD” as an incomplete proposal, and it may not be reviewed. Do your best to confirm the speakers in your session so you can give the fullest picture of your session to the reviewers. Also—and this is important—make sure that everybody you list as a presenter knows they are part of your proposal, and that they intend to come to the conference and co-present in your session. Accepted sessions that drop or switch presenters will be re-evaluated for the program.

What’s the difference between a 60-minute concurrent session and a 90-minute one?

If your proposal has highly interactive elements—role playing, hands-on activities, group exercises—or needs more than three presenters to successfully cover the content, please submit for a 90-minute concurrent session.

What if I want to give a tour?

Karen Verhey, director of administration, oversees the development of campus tours at the annual conference. Please email her at karen.verhey@scup.org, or call her at 734.764.2030.

Submitting Your Proposal

Can I get an extension past the October 1 deadline?

The review process begins the day after the deadline. Do your best to get your proposal submitted by October 1, 11:59 pm ET.

Can I attach images within my online proposal submission?

No. The online submission form cannot accommodate uploads of images.

Will I be able to view comments that reviewers made about my proposal after the selections are made?

Yes, once the review process is complete, you will be able to see the comments that reviewers made as they reviewed your proposal.

Presenting at the Conference

Who will be in my session’s audience?

Attendees do not sign up for concurrent sessions prior to the conference. Your abstract and stated learning outcomes will help determine who chooses to attend your session.

How will my room be set?

Rooms will either be set all theater, round tables with theater in the back, or all rounds. Sets are mixed to provide a variety of experiences, and to accommodate presenters who indicated early that they would prefer a particular kind of set. The Herman Miller room is a showcase room with mixed seating options including sofas, café tables, and classroom tables.

How many people will be attending my session?

Room sets range from about 100 people to 225 people. A session survey that we distribute before the conference helps inform the room sizes assigned to each session. We do our best to assign adequate room space for each session, and must work within the space provided within the facility.

Can I promote my product, service, or book during my session?

Presenters are prohibited from making any type of commercial announcement in their presentation room. This is a requirement of SCUP and also of the various professional groups who allow us to extend continuing education to their members.

Even in the "Vendor Sessions," presenters are asked to focus on an exchange of knowledge and not on the vendor's background and capabilities.

For more information, please read the SCUP Culture Guidelines.

Will my session be evaluated? Will I receive a copy of my evaluations? How are they used?

Attendees will fill out evaluation forms during and immediately following your session. After the conference, they are compiled and every presenter in a session will receive the results. Individual session evaluations are also shared with members of the conference planning committee. A cross-section of evaluations will be shared with academy reviewers to determine whether the sessions initially selected were successful.