Why Attend?

Interactive sessions on trails to success for higher education consortia are the conference's core programming. In addition to conversations and discussions with peers, the 2023 Annual Meeting includes a pre-conference workshop on achieving equitable outcomes facilitated by The Gardner Institute, an opening reception on Wednesday evening, two breakfasts (Thursday & Friday), and two lunches (Thursday & Friday). Dinner on Thursday evening is on your own; you're encouraged to make reservations early at one of Asheville's many restaurants. 

The Pre-Conference Workshop, Wednesday afternoon November 1

Designing to Achieve Equitable Outcomes: Advancing Equity through Continuous Improvement

Are you achieving the sort of equitable outcomes of your consortial efforts that you hope?  Do you even know if your initiatives are impacting historically resilient populations (of students, faculty or staff), much less the equity of that impact? Would you like to explore a current initiative through an equity lens to determine your impact?

The presenters will share case studies of how they have partnered with groups of institutions to improve equitable outcomes through a task-forced based, evidence-informed strategic planning process. Participants in this pre-conference event will be invited to select a current project to bring to the workshop.  The presenters will then engage participants in an exploration of how you can apply this process to your own consortial work. We will explore what evidence you have access to or could gain access to, principles of equitable planning, how to create an evidence-based plan and the implications of this work for programmatic policies and practices.

Participants will leave the workshop with a preliminary plan for how to advance this work with your group.

Presenters from The Gardner Institute: Andrew Koch, CEO; Vicki McGillin, Associate Vice President; Brandon Smith, Associate Vice President; Ed Willis, Senior Fellow