Call for Proposals

The ACUPA Events Planning Committee invites members, subject matter experts, and partners to submit proposals for presentations at the 2026 ACUPA Annual Conference in Denver, Colorado. This year’s event will bring together higher education policy administrators from across the country—representing compliance, finance, HR, IT, organizational development, general counsel, risk management, and more—to share solutions, foster discussion, and address the evolving challenges of policy administration in higher education.

There are two options for presenting at the 2026 conference: Apply to join a peer panel or submit a proposal to present on a topic of your choice.

New for 2026 – Peer Panels on Pre-Designed Topics

We’re introducing a new opportunity for you to collaborate and present with ACUPA peers! Instead of presenting solo, you can apply to join one of our curated panels:

Panel 1: Scaling Policy Management to Fit Your Team
This panel will explore how institutions with policy offices of all sizes successfully manage their policy processes, from one-person teams to large departments. Panelists from a variety of institutions will share how their team size shapes their approach—what steps may be streamlined with fewer members, and what additional strategies or innovations become possible with larger teams. Join us for a practical discussion on adapting the policy process to fit your organization’s unique structure.

Panel 2: Career Progression – Where Will Policy Take You?
This panel will discuss possible policy career paths in higher education based on the panelists’ own experiences. Panelists will share how they entered the higher ed policy field, their policy careers thus far, and their expected career progressions moving forward. Join us for a unique look at career progression in our relatively new and ever-evolving field of higher ed policy. We are looking for mid- to senior-level policy administrators who are willing to share their unique career progression, career goals, and insights on how other ACUPA members can build their policy careers.

The Events Planning Committee will coordinate with the selected panelists to ensure a dynamic, multi-perspective session.

If interested in joining a panel, submit your information below.

Submission Form

Section 1: General Information
Proposals are due October 16, 2025. Selection notifications will be made in November.
Name *
Institution/Organization *
Title/Position *
Biography *Provide a brief biography (approx. 150 words) written in the third person to be used in conference communications.	1250 of 1250 characters remaining
Professional Headshot *Upload current professional headshot.
Email Address *
Previous ACUPA Speaker *	Yes No
Type of Presentation *Please select the type of session you're interested in.	Presentation with Q&A Moderated Panel Other Applying for Peer Panel

Section 2: ACUPA Peer Panel
Complete this section if you're applying to participate in a peer panel organized by ACUPA. If not, skip this section and continue to Section 3.
What panel are you applying for?	Career Progression – Where Will Policy Take You? Scaling Policy Management to Fit Your Team
Explain why you want to be part of this panel.	600 of 600 characters remaining
Explain what you can bring to this panel discussion.	600 of 600 characters remaining

Section 3: Session Information
Complete this section if you are proposing a Q&A, moderated panel, or other presentation. If not, skip this section and continue to Section 5.
Session TitleEnsure that the title is short and meaningful. The title should be able to stand alone and clearly communicate what the presentation is about.
Session DescriptionDescribe what conference attendees can expect from your session and how they will benefit from it. Please be concise and accurate. This information will be used in the program.	1250 of 1250 characters remaining
Element of EngagementEach session is required to engage participants in active discussion. What will you use?	Polling Questions Activity Other
Intended Audience	Basic/Overview Intermediate Advanced
If you selected 'Other' type of presentation please specify.	600 of 600 characters remaining
If you selected 'Moderated Panel,' have the other panelists been identified?	Yes No

Section 4: Additional Presenter(s)
Complete this section if you are proposing a Q&A, moderated panel, or other presentation with more than one presenter. If not, skip this section and continue to Section 5.
..
Presenter #2:
Presenter #2 - Name
Presenter #2 - Institution/Organization
Presenter #2 - Title/Position
Presenter #2 - BiographyProvide a brief biography (approx. 150 words) written in the third person to be used in conference communications.	1250 of 1250 characters remaining
Presenter #2 - Professional Headshot
Presenter #2 - Email Address
Speaker #2 - Previous ACUPA Speaker	Yes No
...
Presenter #3
Presenter #3 - Name
Presenter #3 - Institution/Organization
Presenter #3 - Title/Position
Presenter #3 - BiographyProvide a brief biography (approx. 150 words) written in the third person to be used in conference communications. Email professional headshot to events@ACUPA.org.	1250 of 1250 characters remaining
Presenter #3 - Professional Headshot
Presenter #3 - Email Address
Presenter #3 - Previous ACUPA Speaker	Yes No
....
Presenter #4
Presenter #4 - Name
Presenter #4 - Institution/Organization
Presenter #4 - Title/Position
Presenter #4 - BiographyProvide a brief biography (approx. 150 words) written in the third person to be used in conference communications. Email professional headshot to events@ACUPA.org.	1250 of 1250 characters remaining
Presenter #4 - Professional Headshot
Presenter #4 - Email Address
Presenter #4 - Previous ACUPA Speaker	Yes No

Section 5: Terms & Conditions
Please read/attest below.
By submitting a proposal, you are agreeing to the following: While overarching details (e.g., venue location, dates) for the in-person conference in Denver, Colorado, have been completed, specific details (e.g., number of sessions, length of sessions) have yet to be finalized. Presenters are responsible for all expenses they may incur in conjunction with the presentation, including their registration. All presenters listed in the proposal are confirmed to be available for the presentation on any conference dates, April 20-22 held in-person at SpringHill Suites Downtown Denver. All presenters will complete conference registration (as an attendee or speaker) shortly after registration opens. ACUPA reserves the right to revise the presentation title or edit the session description of selected presentations for ACUPA promotional and program publications. You agree to allow ACUPA to post your presentation on its website.
Attestation *	I have read and agree to all stipulations outlined in the terms and conditions listed above.

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Call for Proposals

New for 2026 – Peer Panels on Pre-Designed Topics

Other Presentation Topics

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Submission Form

By submitting a proposal, you are agreeing to the following:

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