http://cumuonline.org/conference/2012callforproposals.aspx

The 18th Annual CUMU Conference, hosted by The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, from October 13-16, 2012, will spotlight the theme of “Working Together Works: Partnering for Progress.”

Universities in metropolitan and urban areas are positioned in locations, which afford them unusual and matchless opportunities to partner with other organizations, companies, and groups often not present in other areas. Their roles in the community are impacted by these connections and offer solutions to unusual problems and creative ideas for new directions.

This conference will explore how working together with all types of partners can augment the impact of a university and open new bridges to success for the future. Partnerships in the areas of enriching student learning, increasing faculty roles and impact both in the academic setting and in the community, augmenting the outreach of the university, creating projects, and developing academic opportunities that respond to and involve the local community are just a few examples of presentations which suitable for this theme. The conference will provide a forum for students, faculty and administrators to share ideas, experiences, and make recommendations concerning the leadership role that metropolitan universities must assume in creating the future.

Please join us for this exciting opportunity to learn about others’ successes and share through plenary sessions, paper presentations, special topic panels, roundtables, and poster sessions.

Suggested Topics Related to “Working Together Works: Partnering for Progress:”

• Real learning for real life: partners for progress
• University/community partnering
• Non-traditional educational infrastructure
• Environmental initiatives
• Wellness and public health projects and possibilities
• Community partnerships for student learning
• Faculty roles with strong ties to the community
• Extending the university’s reach through community partnerships
• Translational research and its impact on the community
• Local learning communities

Proposal Submission Guidelines

Individuals must submit written proposals in Microsoft Word (Arial font 10) related to the conference theme for paper presentations, panel discussions, roundtable discussions, or poster displays. Submissions must include the following information:

• Title of proposal
• Presentation type desired:
  • Individual paper (15 minutes)
  • Panel (4 to 5 thematically related presentations, total of 1hour)
  • Poster
  • Roundtable (two presenters per table, 50 minutes total)
• Intended audience for presentation (e.g., administrators, faculty, students, etc.)
• Name(s) of presenter(s), affiliation, address and e-mail contact information (student presenters should identify themselves as such, as some student presentations will be grouped in student-led sessions) For group presentations, an asterisk (*) after the name of the lead presenter will denote the corresponding presenter.
• Biographical sketch of presenter(s) (limit of two sentences per presenter)
• 250-word abstract describing the presentation and topic
• AV equipment needs (please note that presenters will need to bring their own laptop computer):
  • LCD projector
  • Overhead projector
  • Flip chart only

Proposals should be submitted to Deborah Arfken at deborah-arfken {at} utc(.)edu. Questions regarding the proposal format and content can also be sent to Deborah.

Submission Deadline

The submission deadline is June 15, 2012.

Selection and Notification

The Program Committee will evaluate proposals with regard to relevance to the conference theme, potential interest to attendees, and the significance of the topic to the mission of the coalition. Notification letters will be sent electronically by June 15, 2012 to the corresponding presenter. All presenters must be registered for the conference and are expected to pay all related costs. CUMU will invite conference presenters to submit papers to the editor of Metropolitan Universities journal for possible publication in the journal.

Selection and Notification

The Program Committee will evaluate proposals with regard to relevance to the conference theme, potential interest to attendees, and the significance of the topic to the mission of the coalition. Notification letters will be sent electronically by June 1, 2011 to the corresponding presenter. All presenters must be registered for the conference and are expected to pay all related costs. CUMU will invite conference presenters to submit papers to the editor of Metropolitan Universities journal for possible publication in the journal.