The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) is pleased to host the 2021 Higher Education Policy Conference in Washington, D.C., November 8-11, 2021. However, due to the uncertainties
surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, we are planning for multiple scenarios, including the possibility of convening virtually.
The annual Policy Conference is the preeminent gathering of leaders from state higher education policy agencies, national higher education policy organizations, institutions, and state and federal governments. SHEEO seeks timely, thought-provoking proposals for sessions aligned with our organizational vision to promote an environment that values higher education and its role in ensuring equitable education for all, regardless of racial/ethnic, gender, or socioeconomic factors. SHEEO strongly encourages proposals that center on issues of structural inequality, race, ethnicity, class, gender, and ability, and that discuss how leaders can disrupt institutionalized and systemic racism in higher education policy. Proposals are due April 30, 2021.
SHEEO invites proposals that consider:
- Equitable access to and success in higher education.
- Racial equity and social justice in higher education.
- Leadership and professional development.
- Communications, advocacy, and government relations.
- Effective use of postsecondary data systems.
- Higher education finance and financial aid.
- Strategic planning and public agendas for higher education.
- Postsecondary education alignment with K-12 and the workforce.
- Development and implementation of attainment goals.
- Other topics of interest to state higher education leaders.
- Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on higher education policy.
Developing a Proposal
SHEEO encourages the submission of proposals for sessions that will utilize innovative formats. Most available sessions will be 45 minutes in length so SHEEO encourages you to limit your session to, at most, four speakers. We encourage a diverse selection of speakers, including those historically underrepresented in higher education policy and finance discussions, and welcome a wide range of ideological perspectives.
Proposals must include:
- Name, title, agency/institution, email address, biography (100-word limit), and headshot of each member of the proposed session.
- A brief description of your proposal (1,000-word limit), including:
- Purpose and topic.
- The type of content to be presented, such as:
- A report on an innovative approach to policy, practice, finance, and/or data use.
- Original research, or
- A summary of existing knowledge.
- Best practices.
- How the session’s purpose advances equity in higher education.
- Why the topic is important to current policy discussions.
- The type of session, including delivery format.
- Proposed session title (100-character limit) and session description (2,500-character limit).
- Intended audience (100-word limit).
- Participant goals and hoped-for outcomes (400-word limit).
Submitting a proposal and other important information
- Please submit your proposal by uploading all relevant documents to the proposal website: http://bit.ly/pcrfp21
- There will be no compensation for traveling to, or speaking at, the event.
- Paid conference attendance is required of all session speakers.
- Proposals are being solicited from SHEEO members, member agencies, nonmembers, and the broader higher education community.
- If you are proposing a panel, you will be responsible for confirming the panel’s speakers, managing topics of focus, and organizing bios to submit to SHEEO prior to the event.
- SHEEO reserves the right to edit or make changes to proposed session titles, descriptions, modes of presentation, panels, and moderators. This includes combining proposal ideas from different submissions that complement each other into one session.
- Questions may be directed to Caitlin Dennis at cdennis@sheeo.org.