Conference 2026 Details

October 20–22, 2026 | Atlanta, GA
Hosted by the Atlanta University Center Consortium

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Schedule Overview

Conference Highlights

👉 Pre conference optional activities: the Morehouse College Martin Luther King, Jr. Collection and At The Vanguard: Making and Saving History at HBCUs

👉 Opening Plenary with AUCC presidents    

👉 Keynote: Generosity in Challenging Times, Kathleen Fitzpatrick

If there were ever a moment to rethink the relationships among institutions of higher education, this is it. In her recent books, Generous Thinking and Leading Generously, Kathleen Fitzpatrick argues that there is a fundamental mismatch between the communal purposes that institutions of higher education and their leaders should serve and the individualistic structures under which they operate. Building institutions that can be resilient in the face of uncertain futures — precisely so that people can depend upon them rather than having to be resilient on behalf of their institutions — will require us all to focus on collectivity, collaboration, and the common good, especially in hard times. 

Kathleen Fitzpatrick, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, University Distinguished Professor of English and Digital Humanities, College of
Arts & Letters, Michigan State University. 

Accommodations

A block of rooms is available at The Georgian Terrace, 659 Peachtree Street, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30308.

There is a discounted conference pricing of $209 per night for the nights of 10/19, 10/20, and 10/21. The room block will be available through September 28th, 5pm but may fill up prior to that date so you'll want to book your accommodations early. Click on this link to make your reservation.

The discounted rate is available three days prior and three days after the conference, based on availability. 

The hotel is located 13m (3.3 mi) from AUCC

Hotel Parking: On-site parking $45 per day 

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Help Bring a New Voice to the Conversation

One of the greatest strengths of the ACL Annual Conference is the people in the room. Every year, new perspectives enrich our conversations, strengthen our network, and expand the impact of collaborative leadership across higher education.

This year, we're inviting current ACL members to help grow our community by introducing a colleague who would benefit from attending the conference for the first time. Whether you share the conference on LinkedIn, invite a colleague directly, or encourage someone in your professional network to register, you'll be helping bring new voices into the conversation.

As a thank-you, members can earn entries into a prize drawing to be held during the Annual Conference.
 
Please share the referral code “colleague” with those you invite. This will provide a $75 discount at registration! Registrants will be asked who referred them.

We'll celebrate our community's ambassadors during the conference with prize drawings and special recognition.
Every invitation helps strengthen the collaborative leadership community. Thank you for helping us welcome new colleagues to ACL.

Pre-Conference Activities

Pre conference activities will start at 1:30pm on Tuesday, October 20. The conference will begin at 4pm and will end with lunch on Thursday, October 22.

Activity 1: Tour of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Archives
Visit the AUC Woodruff Library for a unique archival experience featuring select original materials from the Morehouse College Martin Luther King, Jr. Collection. This program offers an opportunity to engage with a curated selection of historic documents that reveal Dr. King’s strategic leadership, personal reflections, and vision.
 
Visitors will explore primary sources from his collection, including books from his personal library, handwritten sermons, personal letters, correspondence, and other rare materials.

The AUC Woodruff Library’s archivists will be present throughout the event to answer questions and provide additional historical context and insight into the materials on view.

Please note that photography is not permitted during this experience.

Activity 2: Tour of the Clark Atlanta University Art Museum
We are excited to welcome At The Vanguard: Making and Saving History at HBCUs, a powerful traveling
exhibition celebrating the creativity, scholarship, activism, and legacy preserved within HBCU collections.

We invite you to join us for At the Vanguard, at the Clark Atlanta University Art Museum. Bringing 
together over 100 historic objects from five HBCU collections, this exhibition offers rich interdisciplinary content across history, visual arts, and cultural studies.

If you would like to participate in pre-conference activities, please register for one or both activities using this form, no later than Thursday, October 1.

Conference Location and Transportation

The conference will be held at Morehouse School of Medicine (Calvin Symre Building), 720 Westview Dr. S.W, Atlanta GA 30310. The welcome reception will be held at AUCC (rooftop), located at 660 Atlanta Student Movement Blvd, Atlanta GA 30314. 

A shuttle will pick up and drop off attendees from reception and conference location to/from hotel. The shuttle schedule will be shared with attendees at a later date. 

Travel

The closest airport is Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.  We recommend taking Uber or an Airport Taxi to get to the hotel.

Registration

Conference Registration for ACL Members: $500 through September 9; $550 after September 9

Conference Registration for Non-Members: $750 through September 9; $800 after September 9

Early registration for the conference closes September 9, so take advantage of the discounted rate.

 

Refund and Cancellation Policy

• Cancellation requests must be sent by email to admin@national-acl.org.

• Refunds of the full registration amount, minus any credit card or other transaction fees, will be provided for cancellations received on or before September 20, 2026. Please allow 10–15 business days after acknowledgment of your request for your refund to be processed.

• ACL cannot provide any refund for cancellations received after September 20, 2026.

• You may transfer your registration to a colleague from the same consortium or institution anytime. To do so, the original registrant should submit a request via email to admin@national-acl.org.

 

Code of Conduct

Attendees are required to adhere to our code of conduct for in-person events.