CFP: The 2023 CPTSC Annual Conference @ Charleston, SC

By cptsc | March 9, 2023

Visit the full conference site here: https://conference.cptsc.org/

While already facing financial cuts before Covid-19, many universities continue to experience decreased funding as the pandemic continues evolving. Simultaneously, tuition has increased and may be seen by prospective students as less affordable than other industry-based credentials. As a result, fewer adult students (Schwartz, 2022) and students from underrepresented groups—specifically Black, first-generation, and low-income students (Knox & Weissman, 2022)—are enrolling in higher education.

Asserting Presence, Forging Connections, Building Recognition, and Creating Opportunities 

As representatives of technical, professional, and scientific communication (TPSC) programs, we must negotiate our way through this landscape. To survive and thrive, we will need to build stronger connections with students. Such connections are not only about recruiting, retaining, and graduating students, but also about recognizing, supporting, and nurturing their lived experience in terms of culture, race, gender, and ability. TPSC programs will need to make more prominent our connections with industry and professional practices while also making conspicuous our relationships with communities. We will need to build stronger relationships with administration, increasing the institutional awareness of the value our programs add.

The 2023 CPTSC Conference invites proposals for presentations on how TPSC programs can assert our presence and value, forge sustainable and reciprocal connections, and build recognition for our vital contributions to the ever-changing landscape of higher education, professional practice, and our academic field.

Areas of focus include but are not limited to the following:

RECRUITMENT

  • Working with undergraduate advisors
  • Representing TC programs appropriately
  • Partnering with first-year experience/honors programs
  • Creating “pipelines” to TC major through local community colleges and high schools
  • Selling TPC courses to appeal to all students
  • Working with university marketing communications offices
  • Creating other strategies for making potential students aware of our programs

ENGAGING STUDENTS

  • Developing experiential learning
  • Connecting with communities outside of the university
  • Linking credentialing and other industry-based training tools
  • Providing alternative-academic pathways to industry

SOCIAL JUSTICE

  • Re-envisioning pedagogy and programs to support diversity, equity, and inclusion
  • Integrating accessibility into our classrooms and programs
  • Highlighting the work of and connection to students and faculty at Minority-Serving Institutions
  • Advocating to recruit and retain students and faculty from marginalized communities in our programs

ASSESSMENT

  • Using assessment to increase the visibility of our programs
  • Building standards of excellence for program review and assessment
  • Articulating our value in the context of strategic reallocation

STRENGTHENING PROGRAMS

  • Working with advisory boards
  • Building alumni connections
  • Advocating for one another (especially to support “lone wolf” program administrators)

Proposal Formats

Proposals are invited for the following types of presentations at the conference

  • Individual Presentations
  • Panel Presentations
  • Posters
  • Workshops

Individuals may present in only ONE individual, panel, or poster presentation. Workshop hosts may present in one additional panel or poster presentation.

INDIVIDUAL PRESENTATIONS

Individual presentations are 5 – 7 minutes and should be designed to promote discussion during the second half of the session. Submit a 500-word proposal (not including citations) of the proposed presentation.

PANEL PRESENTATIONS

Panel presentations are 50 minutes and should include contributions from 3 – 5 individuals. Panels should be designed to promote discussion during the second half of the session. Submit a two-part, 500-word proposal (not including citations) to consist of

  1. A 150-200 word overview framing the focus of the panel in the context of the conference theme
  2. A 300-350 word summary of the topics each presenter will address within the context of the panel

POSTER PRESENTATIONS

Poster presentations will be displayed during a time for open discussion. Submit a 500-word proposal (not including citations) of the proposed poster.

WORKSHOPS

Workshops are 75 minutes. Workshops should be interactiveand focus on a professional development need related to TCP programs and curriculum.

A proposal of no more than 800 words (not including citations) should consist of:

  1. A 200-300 word overview framing the focus of the workshop that includes a description of the audience for the workshop (new or potential technical communication program administrators, experienced administrators, early-career and graduate students, mid-career administrators, faculty, etc.)
  2. A 300-500 word summary of the topic and activities the workshop will address

Proposal Review Criteria

  • Demonstrates a strong connection between the proposed presentation and the conference theme
  • Presents an original or innovative approach, perspective, theory, or idea that would be of interest to CPTSC members
  • Raises interesting issues or questions to stimulate discussion or notes what attendees can “take away” from the presentation to use within the context of their own organizations or programs

Proposal Deadline

May 12, 2023

11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (U.S.)

Proposal Submission Process

All proposals should be submitted via the submission portal. Accepted proposals will be included in the published abstracts.

Please use APA 7th edition style for references.

Virtual Pre-Conference Presentation Possibilities

Persons whose proposal is accepted but who cannot travel to the conference may be offered an opportunity for a virtual pre-conference presentation. Space will be limited. If you are interested, please note this information during the submission process.

References

Schwartz, N. (2022, October 25). 5 enrollment trends to keep an eye on for fall 2022. Higher Ed Dive. https://www.highereddive.com/news/5-enrollment-trends-to-keep-an-eye-on-for-fall-2022/634843/

Knox, L., & Weissman, S. (2022, October 17). As the pandemic wanes, all eyes are on enrollment. Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2022/10/17/enrollment-trends-new-and-old-emerge-pandemic

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