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| 38th Annual Conference Program & Schedule |
 ACCED-I 38th Annual Conference Schedule & Program
Fishbowls The Fishbowl activity is a focused, managed group discussion. Rather than a large group having an open discussion, a smaller group (3 – 4 people) is in the center to discuss while the rest of the participants sit around the outside and observe. Facilitation is focused on the core group discussion and the members in the core group can change as outside participants join in the discussion by moving to the center, while a current member of the core group moves to the surrounding group. Questions can be submitted to the core group to answer and the moderator will assist in moving the discussion forward. The fishbowl provides a dynamic and evolving learning experience, with input from all different perspectives in the room.
General Interest Sessions: Expert presented, 75-minute presentations on a general topic of interest for collegiate conference and events professionals.
Institutes: These presentations are designed for the experienced professional to explore a topic in-depth. These take place in a longer time block and requires advance registration and additional fee.
Roundtables: Offer the opportunity to trade thoughts, procedures, and strategies with peers on a topic. These informal discussions foster a broader awareness of the topic and allow for the adoption of practical solutions.
Special Interest Sessions: Primarily peer delivered, 60-minute traditional presentations, which may include designated group discussion time. These sessions cover a specific topic of interest for collegiate conference and events professionals. These are designed, with the exception of a few case studies, to be adaptable so attendees are able to apply session elements to their institutional background.
Topic Experts: Do you have specific questions on a new program you are developing at your institution? Or do you want to brainstorm ideas and practices for a current program? Join a peer topic expert in one of the following areas to get your questions answered.
Saturday, March 17 Pre-Conference Workshop Staying Strategic in a Detail-Oriented Profession Presented by: Jeffrey W. Arnold, MAM, CAE, President, Leading Associations
Face it, in the world of a meetings professional, the devil is in the details. But both the higher education and the meetings environment are changing, from privatization of campus facilities to government regulation impacting your institutions, you need to not only adjust and adapt, but perhaps be the driver of change. That said, in a detail-oriented world, it’s hard enough to occasionally think strategically, let alone maintain a strategic mindset. It can be done – and it’s easier than you may think!
Sunday, March 18 First Timer’s Welcome If this is your first ACCED-I conference, be sure to join us before the opening keynote to meet key ACCED-I members, fellow attendees and gain an understanding of how the conference works. Get connected right away to ensure a successful three days. Keynote and Brunch High-Performance Leadership and Teamwork
Expo Be sure to visit the Expo and learn about the many products and services that can help your operation. We will have games, an opportunity to get a business head shot, product, and cash giveaways to add value to your time in the Expo. An afternoon break will be provided in the expo hall from 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Regional Meetings Join your region for an informational meeting that will cover Association business, your regional leadership, activities, and more. Town Hall Prior to Tuesday’s ACCED-I Business Meeting, attend one of two town halls to hear the state of the Association reports and ask questions of ACCED-I staff and board of directors. Special Interest Sessions – Block A Using Technology to Your Advantage – Case Study This session will include an overview of how our use of technology has evolved as our business has grown. We will review how we went from a pen and paper system of tracking inquiries to a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system in a very busy conferences and events office. We will also dive into how you can better utilize internal technology resources to streamline business and client's needs by developing a web based client portal. Any new technology would be impossible to implement without buy in from both clients and colleagues, so we will outline some steps to help get everyone on board! Learning Objectives:
Best Practices for Summer Camps and Conferences This session will address the top ten best practices based on our professional experiences at a large public institution in an urban area and a medium private institution located in a large metropolitan area. We will give you tips that can help you host a successful conference, event and/or summer camp on your university or college. We will discuss a step-by-step process starting from the beginning of “knowing your mission and vision” and taking you through the ten steps and concluding with “what to do now that the client has departed.” This is a program for every conference planner that is relatively new to the profession. Learning Objectives:
Bringing Town and Gown Together for a Community Fundraiser - Case Study This session is designed to showcase how one centennial event has transformed into an award-winning (ACCED-I 2017 Institutional Achievement Award for long-term process), stand-alone, 5k fundraiser for neighborhood elementary schools. We will discuss the historical progression, current model, and step-by-step process of planning the event. The model could be applied to a variety of events where your institution’s goal is to bring the town to gown for a community fundraiser. Learning Objectives:
Building Your Intern Housing Program Through the Campus Career Center – Case Study We all have career centers at our institutions, and they all work with employers to get our institution’s student jobs and internships. But how can we as intern housing program managers work with the career center to grow and develop our own programs – whether it be with our own students or other institutions. Join the University of Miami as they review how they worked with the Toppel Career Center to offer unique career education programming, social outings, happy hours, and more to help grow and promote the Summer Intern Housing program all while seeking input for those participating in the intern housing program. Learning Objectives:
Student Staff Training: Increase Engagement and Knowledge Retention by Blending Together Digital Tools and In-Person Content Long gone are the days of lecture-style, PowerPoint presentation delivery for training content. Today’s student staff learn best when they are directly engaged in training that is hands-on, immersive, and shiny. Meeting their needs yet also ensuring they learn the content and procedures is a complicated endeavor that requires intentional efforts and out-of-the-box planning. Learn how to blend digital training components such as apps, social media, or Blackboard/Canvas with in-person training content that is intentional, engaging, and interesting. Learning Objectives:
How to Measure Accommodation Success Through an Accommodation Costing Matrix Presented by: Nicole Braatz, Sales and Marketing Manager, Event Services and Robin Montgomery, Event Services Coordinator, Queen's University, Kinston, Ontario, Canada Does your summer real estate provide true revenue to your University? Explore true costs that allow your team to make good decisions by identifying costs that affect your bottom line. Be accountable for your team’s expenses whether it is utility measurement/housekeeping costs/automation/booking engines/front desk staff/maintenance and other factors that determine profit. Determine when discounting is appropriate and profitable! We will explore a costing matrix specifically designed for University summer accommodations. This tool will allow your sales team members to make revenue decisions based on facts. Learning Objectives:
One Isn’t Always the Loneliest Number Being a one-person operation can make it feel as though you are floating around in a university made up of departments and teams waiting for someone to throw you a life vest. However, being a one-person operation has its advantages such as learning quickly to connect with different departments, learning how to create successful teams and how to structure operations to be effective for all types of people. In this session, participants will learn how to “MacGyver” themselves a department to help ensure their summer operation is successful and recognize how powerful one-person operations can be. Learning Objectives:
Exhibitor Demonstrations 8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. - Event Guru Software 10:25 a.m. - 10:55 a.m. - Ungerboeck Software International 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. - Seattle Technology Group General Interest Sessions Meetings 3.0 – The Evolution of Successful Events! As the internet and technology have evolved over the past two decades, so have our culture and our learning styles. Today’s audiences are savvier and more diverse than ever before, and expect more from their attendance at your meetings and events. Planners are competing with attendees’ decreased tolerance for “fluff” or talking heads, shortened attention spans, and smart phones. Add to that the challenges of serving different generations and communication styles - what’s a planner to do? In this session, Shawna Suckow, CMP, will discuss the evolution of technology, our culture, and our generations - and how all three have led to changes in what audiences’ demand, and what planners must do to meet their needs. She’ll discuss meetings as they have evolved from 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0, showcasing each style so the audience gets a hands-on feel. Participants will learn how to deliver the highest level of ROI and ROA (Return on Attention) depending on the meeting’s goals and objectives, and the audience’s demographics. Learning Objectives:
Resigning as General Manager of the Universe: Five Key Steps for Collegiate Conference and Event Professionals to Find the Calm in the Midst of the Chaos For many of us, life is anything but balanced. It’s more like a colossal collision between the thousands of things pulling at our time – the demands of work, home, and everything in between. In this interactive session, you will learn the five key steps to “resigning as general manager of the universe” and leave with a renewed sense of empowerment to reduce stress, overwhelm and burnout and take back your own life, one in which you are thriving rather than simply surviving. Learning Objectives:
> View Special Message from Kim Becking Run/Hide/Fight: Public Response to Active Threat Incidents This session looks at the non-law enforcement approach to an active threat incident. Attendees will be able to describe actions to take when confronted with an active shooter and how to maximize law enforcement response and their survival during these critical incidents. Attendees will also be provided generalized information about recognizing potential workplace violence and the actions to prepare for and/or prevent these serious encounters. Learning Objectives:
Roundtables Roundtable discussions offer the opportunity to informally exchange information with your colleagues on a variety of subjects. Topics currently include:
11:35 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. Prior to Tuesday’s ACCED-I Business Meeting, attend one of two town halls to hear the state of the Association reports and ask questions of ACCED-I staff and board of directors. Awards and Recognition Luncheon Gather for lunch as we recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of your ACCED-I colleagues at our Association’s annual awards program. Institute – additional fee - $25.00 More Lessons from the Trenches of Sales & Marketing
Special Interest Sessions – Block B FORGET IT! What Meeting Professionals Need to Un-Learn in 2018 There are several things that have become habit for us when laying out the logistics for an upcoming meeting. Just because something has become a habit, though, doesn’t ensure it’s the best solution for us, our stakeholders, or our audience. In this session, we’ll address and discuss some meeting practices that need to be forgotten, because they no longer serve us. Come prepared to share, challenge norms, and leave old ideas behind! Learning Objectives:
ACCED-I’s Collegiate Conference & Events Professional (CCEP) Certification Program This session is for CCEP candidates, current CCEPs and members interested in learning more about the CCEP certification program. The CCEP program encourages volunteering, leadership, and service to the Association. We will cover educational, volunteer and leadership requirements; responsibilities of mentors/mentees; and the essay writing section. Candidates often encounter challenges in completing the certification and benefited a great deal in their professions. The CCEP program follows criteria developed by the Council for Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS), of which ACCED-I is one of 36-member organizations. Learning Objectives:
Leveraging Relationships on Campus to Maximize Revenue – Case Study University-wide teamwork and collaboration are critical for the success of the conference and event services team at the University of Michigan. Learn how we have successfully cultivated relationships with key stakeholders across campus to help boost revenues and lower operating expenses, all while providing world-class experiences for our guests. From intentional brainstorming sessions, to benchmarking with industry colleagues – discover what practices have helped our growth, year after year. It takes a village to raise the bar! Learning Objectives:
Developing a Roadmap to Marketing Success You have a limited marketing budget and the pressure is on to sign more clients and bring in revenue. We'll discuss how to write a marketing plan that incorporates creative, budget-friendly strategies while building client relationships and improving the customer experience. Strategies will include reaching your target through innovative outbound marketing, as well as creative ways to attract leads through content-driven, inbound marketing ideas. You'll leave this session ready to write your roadmap to success. Learning Objectives:
Making Memorable Moments: Where to Start and How to Afford Them In a world of college events where the mantra is “we’ve always done it like that,” how can we keep things interesting and current without breaking the bank. In this session we will discuss ways to watch the current trends in events, from keeping a Pinterest board to attending industry conferences. Decide the best methods for generating new ideas for your annual events that might be different than the previous year. At the same time understanding that change can be difficult for both those who are planning the event and those attending. We will discuss how to develop relationships with campus partners to assist in maximizing your small events budget. As well as finding community partners and vendors who are willing to negotiate, because when your event is amazing…they look amazing. As a group we will develop tips and tricks on how to envision décor, craft food and drink ideas, discover the latest talent, shop around for the best deals, finagle return policies, and in the end prove ourselves to be an indispensable event expert. Learning Objectives:
Etiquette 101: Where Are Your Manners? Ever hear that from your parents? Whether you book the event, cook the event, or attend the event, there are points of etiquette that can make it more successful and enjoyable for you and your guests. Learn the ins and outs of setting a room correctly based on fire and safety codes, aesthetics, budgets, and allowing catering services to adequately and successfully service the room. Now it’s time to sit down and eat; what points of etiquette should already have come into play? What are the most important etiquette rules – old and new – those necessary considerations in the new high-tech world. Do you plan and/or attend events involving international guests? Careful, what is appropriate here may not be in their parts of the world. You will leave the session feeling confident that the events you plan will run more smoothly and that you can sit down and know your way around the table no matter how casual or elegant the “setting”. Learning Objectives:
Taking Your Event from Compliance Toward Inclusion In this complex world, how can we ensure that our attendees feel welcomed and accepted? What is our role as event professionals in creating inclusion? Join us for a frank dialogue on this difficult topic, including some practical suggestions on ways to move beyond compliance. From registration fields, to signage, to community engagement, our presenters will share lessons learned, helpful tips and facilitate a discussion on the various considerations in building an inclusive event environment. Learning Objectives
Special Interest Sessions – Block C Collegiate Conference & Events Professional (CCEP) Candidates: Fast Track to Completion Designed specifically for those currently enrolled in the CCEP program, this is an opportunity to get motivated, whether you are just getting started or in the middle of the program. During this session we will discuss tips and tricks to completing the program in three years or less. We will discuss how often and how to submit work completed with educational sessions, volunteer hours, and professional development. Suggestions on how to work with your mentor and most importantly how to tackle the CCEP workbook questions. This is an interactive session, come with your many questions. Learning Objectives:
Upgrade Your Operation: How to Streamline Key Summer Conference Processes Many conference offices have utilized the same processes for years. In this session, we will encourage you to evaluate your operations and update your methods. I will share the steps required to review your procedures and build scalable tools to improve the efficiency of your office. We will focus on how technology can be utilized to enhance tasks such as registration, invoice preparation, and staff performance reviews. Finally, we will demonstrate how to build custom online forms via the MachForm platform so that attendees can apply best practices to their own operations. Learning Objectives:
Grow Your Business: Five Doors You Haven’t Knocked On…Yet There’s no question that utilizing your residential spaces during the summer can generate significant revenue streams. Sports camps, independent interns, and conferences are all out there, but where are the revenue giants hiding on your campus? There are other doors you should be knocking on. One example: The Dean/Head of the Business School. The reality is that there’s a soon-to-be graduating high school demographic that want to either attend your university or attend a summer program offered by a particular department. Tailoring a summer experience and targeting it to this group would not only guarantee the department an applicant pool for the summer program, but also increase the chances of those students applying to the university for their undergraduate studies. A positive summer experience increases the students’ sense of belonging there. The common thread is that most departments want to increase revenue, but don’t have the time, bandwidth, experience, or resources to pull it all together. You can be the ribbon that ties it all together. An increase in their revenue ultimately increases yours! Learning Objectives:
Find Inspiration for Annual Events From Each Other This session will explore how and where to find inspiration for annual events, events that occur only once a year. We will discuss annual events that have no budget, have to be the “same” every year and get boring to plan. Speaker and attendees will share their own tricks to keeping their annual events fresh and new from catering, decorations, layouts, invitations, signage, social media, swag, and more! Learning Objectives:
Safety First: Navigating LGBTQ Events on Campus from Start to Finish – Case Study Hosting an LGBTQ conference on campus can present some unique opportunities for collegiate conference planners to get creative. There are a number of items to consider including: gender neutral bathrooms, attendee safety and security practices, language management, and more! This session will shed some light on how Purdue University conference coordinators have successfully hosted these events on campus, and the best practices they’ve employed to keep their attendees safe and feeling welcomed on campus. **Recognized by Unique Venues in 2016 as Best Venue to host an LGBTQ conference. Learning Objectives:
How to Plan a Presidential Inauguration on your Campus Presidential inauguration best practices combine special event planning, academic protocol, and engaging multiple campus constituencies. This session will show how to tie it all together to create a successful event or series of multiple events tied to the presidential inauguration. Learning Objectives:
Academic Affairs meet Student Affairs—Working Collaboratively on Conference & Events This session will address the key components based on our professional experience as conference and event directors within Student Affairs/Housing at American University as well as Academic Affairs at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign-College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. Ideas and tips will be provided to learn how to “reach across the aisle” to build strong relationships outside your units by partnering with both on-campus and off-campus associates. These relationships will not only assist you in the areas of more meeting space year-round, more revenue, but more exposure to the external client. Among the topics covered will be how to get these relationships started, how to keep them fresh, and how to explore new conference and events territory both in and outside of the university setting. This program is set for all conference and event planners who believe that successful partnerships on campus are a must to achieve excellent conference services for internal and external clients. Learning Objectives:
Topic Expert Sessions Do you have specific questions on a new program you are developing at your institution? Or do you want to brainstorm ideas and practices for a current program? Join a topic expert in one of the following topics and get your questions answered. Attendees will have the ability to attend several topic expert sessions throughout the Annual Conference. Assessment in Higher Education Event Planning: Edgar Palacios, University of Texas El Paso
Filming on Campus: Andrew Vigue, Boston University Managing Expectations for Student Staff Employment: Krystal Grace, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Marketing on Campus: Laura Shimabukuro and Kaprice Rita, University of Hawaii Manoa and Christine Sismaet, University of Washington Scheduling - Policies and Best Practices: Walt Martin, CCEP CollegeNET Think Sustainability! Offer Carbon Offsets: Christina Patarino, CCEP, University of Colorado Boulder Food and Beverage Trends: Renee Bourassa, University of Vermont
Join us for the ACCED-I Business Meeting to learn what your Association has accomplished over the past year and what’s planned for the future. Fishbowl Series - Commencement Ceremonies The Fishbowl activity is a focused, managed group discussion. Rather than a large group having an open discussion, a smaller group (3 – 4 people) is in the center to discuss while the rest of the participants sit around the outside and observe. Facilitation is focused on the core group discussion and the members in the c ore group can change as outside participants join in the discussion by moving to the center, while a current member of the core group moves to the surrounding group. Questions can be submitted to the core group to answer and the moderator will assist in moving the discussion forward. The fishbowl provides a dynamic and evolving learning experience, with input from all different perspectives in the room. 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. in Block D: Commencement Ceremonies Under 1000 Graduates Special Interest Sessions – Block D Opening a New Event Center: The Challenges and Rewards – Case Study Opening a new event space is both exciting and filled with hidden challenges. In this session we will examine some of the challenges, rewards, and unexpected twist and turns that are all part of opening a new event space on a college campus. In 2016, the University of the District of Columbia opened a new LEED Platinum Student Center and in 2017 American University opened a year round conference facility. Both campuses, while only 2 miles apart, have faced obstacles that are unique to their institution. This session will highlight some of those challenges, lessons learned, and will explore what to do now that the space is open. Learning Objectives:
Increasing Your Revenue Without Increasing Rates Hit your space capacity? No money for marketing? You can still increase your revenue without increasing rates. Join us to learn more about how streamlining your operation and building personal relationships with your clients can provide your operation with additional revenue while not leaving clients feeling like they were nickel and dimed, or worse that they overpaid. Learning Objectives:
Advanced Tech Tools for Stretching Your Marketing Budget In this session, we will explore data-driven decision making in marketing and the advanced resources available stretch your department’s digital marketing efforts. Learn how to implement tools like Google Analytics and AdWords to drive traffic to your website, MailChimp for communication, and Qualtrics for data capture. Explore Social Media options like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to discover what is effective for your target audience. Whether you are marketing to outside clients, internal stakeholders, or students, you’ll leave this session with great ideas for new engagement to take back to your teams. Learning Objectives:
Keeping the Train on the Tracks: Staff Dynamics When talking about conference operations, we hardly ever talk about when staff dynamics go awry. Conference services at Florida State University (FSU) is an office of one during the year and for the summer we hire 25-30 conference assistants (paraprofessionals) who work the front desks. A team of 4-6 who are either FSU current graduates, graduate students, and ACUHO-I interns, make up the leadership team. For the first time in nine years, the vibe of the team was off. From day one, the group did not work or gel well with one another. After weeks of conversations, group activities, staff departures, the leadership team had fallen apart…and there were still 8 weeks to go! Learn how we worked through this and moving forward from this summer will include a new staffing model, evaluating returning staff, reviewing and being intentional when it comes to hiring questions, laying out training, and how to stop the madness before the train comes completely off the tracks. Learning Objectives:
Data Privacy: What You Don’t Know Can Definitely Hurt You Do you collect and/or store any of the following information about your clients or conference attendees: name, email address, phone number? If so, there is a new General Data Privacy Regulation (GDPR) going into effect in May 2018 that may impact you and how you process and store such data. The penalties for non-compliance are substantial, so you cannot afford to miss this session. Learning Objectives:
Customer Service for the Event Planning Professional Customer service is a two way street. How do you create great customer service by also being a great customer? When planning a conference for your professional organization, you need to be prepared with the right questions to ask the hotel or venue such as: Can the room(s) comfortably accommodate my group? Know what type of setup you want (banquet, classroom, hollow square, u-shape, etc.), what audio visual equipment/microphones are included in the room(s) – do I need to bring laptop/computer? etc. However, from a venue perspective, how can you cut these questions off at the pass? Answer them before they are even asked. In this dynamic session you will learn how to create the best customer service experience from both sides of the event, as the customer and event professional. Learning Objectives:
Topic Expert Sessions Do you have specific questions on a new program you are developing at your institution? Or do you want to brainstorm ideas and practices for a current program? Join a topic expert in one of the following topics and get your questions answered. Attendees will have the ability to attend several topic expert sessions throughout the Annual Conference. Filming on Campus: Andrew Vigue, Boston University Get Insured! Understanding Liability Insurance Requirements: Sherry Ebrahimi, CCEP, Emory University and Jason McClellan, CMP, Boston College How to be Successful with Fewer than Two People: Carye Vogt, California State University Northridge Weddings: Jordan Hajacos, Vanderbilt University Training and Developing Student Staff: Leo Young, San Jose State University Registration: Jeremy Elmore and Jim Hodges, Duke University One-Stop Shop: Dezarai Brubaker, CCEP, Colorado State University Special Interest Sessions – Block E Staff-Centered Customer Service: Serve Your Staff to Care for Your Guests Many of us in our field have had plenty of experience enhancing our own customer services skills which optimize our direct impact with our clients. Yet, our clients and guests interact more with the teams we lead than with us. As managers and leaders, we must turn our customer service efforts toward empowering and equipping our staff. Whether you directly lead students or professionals in service to your guests, through this session, you will learn about insights and methods to training and empowering student and professional staff to create a valuable experience for your guests and enhance your program's brand. Learning Objectives:
Meeting Well: How to Plan Healthy and Sustainable Events What we model in our events, in no small part, helps to foster a culture of well-being and supports those we serve in making healthy choices not only for their bodies but for the environment. This session will explore ideas on how you can incorporate healthy and sustainable practices in your events so that you can demonstrate your institution's commitment to well-being and sustainability. Learning Objectives:
Pros and Cons of Assuming Responsibility for Summer Housing Operations Using residence halls during the summer for camps, conferences, and even non-student intern housing is a common and established practice. But what about taking on responsibility for your university’s summer student housing? This session will discuss the benefits, challenges, and logistics behind absorbing responsibility for summer housing operations into your summer portfolio as a way to increase revenue and streamlining housing workflow and services with particular emphasis on the cost/benefit as it relates to revenue, strategies for working with campus partners on the handoff from the academic year to summer and back. Learning Objectives:
An Insider’s View: A Client’s Perspective on Conference and Event Services
In operation since 1981, the Duke Talent Identification Program currently operates summer academic programs on eighteen college campuses located in six states (NC, FL, GA, LA, TX, TN). Our residential programs include one-, two-, or three-week sessions with participant and staff populations ranging from 28 to 333 people. Programs are for students from 5th grade through 12th grade, and we reside on campus from as few as 3 weeks to as many as 8.5 weeks. With the exceptions of athletic fields and weight rooms, we use virtually every campus resource you can imagine – including traditional classrooms, science labs, computer labs, field sites, marine operations, libraries, museums, residence halls, dining facilities, campus health clinics, theaters, banquet halls, recreational spaces, and parking spaces. We hire undergraduates, graduate/doctoral students, and sometimes faculty or staff members from our host institutions as well as a myriad of other sources; and we interact with faculty and administrative staff as well as housekeeping, grounds keeping, maintenance, and dining staff. Over the years, Duke TIP has planned these resource-heavy programs through partnerships with Conference Services Offices, Summer Programs Offices, Provost Offices, Program Sponsor Offices, as well as a variety of other “Host Campus Representatives.” At some campuses, such resource offices do not exist, and we find ourselves having to navigate the landscape of those sites by making dozens of individual contacts and reservations for everything we need to operate a successful program. Come share ideas and learn strategies about fostering successful partnerships with clients; Debate the pros and cons of client variables such as length-of-stay, campus resources needed, number of participants, repeat vs. new programs, and well-established vs. start-up clients. Explore the client perspective of issues you might struggle with on your campus. Learning Objectives:
The Time to Plan is When You Don't Need To The time to plan for an emergency is when things are calm. We will investigate types of emergencies, questions to ask in preparation for drafting an emergency plan, people to involve in the planning, and the campus and community resources that are available. The session will also address information to include on a conference one sheet that gives direction in an emergency, and the importance of developing a conference reunification site. During the session an emergency scenario will be provided for the purpose of beginning the process of emergency planning. Learning Objectives:
Increase Conference/Event Revenue with Package Pricing As a University there are many layers when putting together an event proposal. To remain competitive with our conference center/hotel colleagues, we need to ensure that we provide pricing that is not only competitive but also appealing. Packaging allows you to identify added value through bundling. Your revenue is easier to forecast and there is a perceived value that you create when showing all the inclusions. Learn how to increase your revenue in the Wedding/Conference and Athletic business. Learning Objectives:
Networking Luncheon Take a break from the education and connect with your colleagues. Special Interest Sessions – Block F Fronting: Using Student Organizations or Departments to Obtain Free Event Space – Case Study Have you ever had a client use a University department or student organization to get free or reduced space? This is a tough issue that event planners in higher education face today. It is important to understand how to create a strong, working relationship between University entities and the clients working with them. In this session, you will learn how the University of South Florida St. Petersburg has tackled these issues, gain insight into policies and procedures we’ve implemented and also walk away with best practices regarding this issue from conference centers and student unions across the country. We will also discuss ways in which you can educate student leaders and clients on ways to develop beneficial partnerships between your institution and/or external client that aligns with your organizational values. Learning Objectives:
Beyond Customer Service – Expert Service in an Increasingly Self-Service World This current generation of customers in almost all industries, is looking for simplicity. Simplicity in service as well as experience. This includes self-service options, fast solutions, ease of facility use and educated staff. Statistics show that 80% of all customers would prefer to take care of things themselves before calling, emailing, or reaching out to a live person. As customers handle more issues themselves, staff get increasingly tough ones—the issues customers can’t solve on their own. Focusing on going above and beyond our customer expectations is important, however, are we looking at ways to create self-service opportunities while developing a staff trained to handle guests’ expectations past the self-service point. Learn how to build a talented staff, able to handle guest issues with ease. Learn which customer service activities increase loyalty, and which don’t. Discussion will center around problem solving, automation and solution based initiatives, self-service opportunities, empowerment, standards of service, and creating a service based culture. Learning Objectives:
Swag with Purpose: Intentional Selection for Maximum Effect “Swag” is a staple in the supply closet of most event planners. Placed in registration bags for conference attendees, thrown into crowds at student events, distributed as freebies at vendor booths, presented in hotel welcome baskets for VIP guests, etc., it is a standard means to show appreciation, despite its incredible range in cost and purpose. Unfortunately, promotional items are often accompanied with little expectation for quality, distinction, or lasting effect, and, it is here—in this vast underrating—that it loses its power and potential to impact its recipient, even beyond the event’s conclusion. This session is intended for event planners who need revitalization in their funding allocation, selection process, and marketing/distribution of event swag. Learning Objectives:
Building A High Performing Team This session will focus on helping management build a high performing team based on the book by Brigette Hyacinth, “Purpose Driven Leadership.” We will examine what it takes to be a great leader, as great leaders build great teams. We will then focus on the ten types of individuals who make up a team. With these tools you will be able to take the information and build a collaborative team that is not only efficient, but is high performing. Learning Objectives:
Hurricane Irma and How the University of Miami Opened a Shelter for Sixty Students – Case Study In September 2017, the University of Miami was squarely in the path of Hurricane Irma... or so it seemed. While we were spared from a head on collision with one of the most powerful storms ever to form in the Atlantic Ocean, we were faced with evacuating 4240 students, leaving us with 60 to put in a hurricane shelter! Join me as we look at how the University of Miami made its way from planning for Irma, to riding out the storm, and through clean up after. Revival and resiliency is the motto - let me show you how we did it! Learning Objectives:
Little Known Ways to Improve Your Workplace Does your work environment need a little boost? Do you and your colleagues need some inspiration? Explore simple solutions to combat work place difficulties using techniques from renowned scholars, authors, and public speakers. Learning Objectives:
Closing Keynote Building a Culture of Creativity and Collaboration to Spark Innovation Do you want to bring more innovative thinking and problem solving to your organization? In this talk, Professor Thomas will teach your team the tools for creating a collaborative and creative organizational culture. Many organizations know that staying competitive means fostering a culture where employees feel comfortable voicing and trying new ideas without being criticized or penalized. Thomas will show how successful companies like Google, Sparkfun, and others, are using play and collaboration to grow and maintain the leading edge in their industries. Yes, play! Rather than something frivolous or time wasting, play is actually a crucial tool for unlocking creativity and for engaging employees. Thomas will show how the four elements of play – joy, whimsy, engaging new people, and surprise! – lead to new ideas, innovations, and partnerships. While “play at work” may seem like a contradiction, this talk will show that allowing employees the freedom to explore new ideas and interactions, without exacting precise boundaries on timelines and outcomes, will lead to a more innovative and nimble organization. Thomas will explore compelling case studies from a variety of organizations and corporations with the newest research on organizational productivity and retention. New ideas and paradigms require novel ways of approaching systems and the way we approach problem-solving. Innovative problem solving is unlikely to happen if project teams and management do not vary their work environment and stimuli. Play gives us a way to do this. This isn’t simply about painting the walls a new color and adding beanbag chairs. This talk will focus on cultivating playful behaviors and patterns, not by simply making an office “seem playful,” but by looking at ways to actually change behaviors for the long-term through shifting corporate culture. Thomas will also explore how to energize and motivate teams through collaboration and encourage curiosity and innovation. She will teach specific high-tech and low-tech ways to spur new ideas, concepts, and partnerships. Thomas will illustrate this from her own experiences collaborating with a diverse group of global brands; world famous artists, musicians and dancers; star chefs; and even preschoolers! Through these examples, she will emphasize the importance of learning to look at problems from a variety of different viewpoints. As part of this talk, “surprise” will be shown to be an important element of creativity. So Thomas will work with the event organizer to add a customized surprise to her talk. In past talks this has involved anything from live demos of new technology designed in her lab, exploding musical pastry, or an interactive audience challenge. Learning Objectives:
Presidential Presentation and ACCED-I 39th Annual Conference Preview: Pittsburgh, PA Immediately following the closing keynote, ACCED-I Board of Directors President Jim Hodges, will address accomplishments during his 2017-2018 presidency. Then we will look to the future and hear the vision and understand our Association's goals presented by our 2018-2019 Board of Directors President, Sherry Ebrahimi, CCEP. Then, get a preview of Pittsburgh, PA, location of the ACCED-I 39th Annual Conference. Region 4 will give us a taste of what to expect in 2019. Closing Dinner at Hyatt Regency Minneapolis Join your ACCED-I colleagues one last time for a fun farewell dinner. There will be buffets of food available, cash bars, a DJ, and lots of fun. Wednesday, March 21 College Tour Minimum participants: 15 Join your colleagues on a tour of the flagship University of Minnesota Twin Cities, the state's land-grant university and one of the most prestigious public research universities in the nation. The University is located in the heart of the Twin Cities, having campuses in both Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The University helped invent the pacemaker, is No.8 in research among all U.S. public universities, with more than $900 million in spending, and is ranked one of the 10 best educational employers in the nation by Forbes. In addition, the University is 1 of 5 universities in the nation with an engineering school, a medical school, a law school, a veterinary medical school, and an agricultural school all on one campus. We will tour the West and East Bank campuses where you will be able to see some of our multipurpose spaces, classrooms, and beautiful outdoor spaces. If time allows, we will also take a drive to see the beautiful Saint Paul Campus.
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