ECWCA Conference Planning Guide

8/4/2019 ECWCA Conference Planning Guide

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ECWCA Conference Planning Guide1

BackgroundThe ECWCA Conference attracts approximately 200 participants from a 6-7 state region(Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, and Western Pennsylvania).

Conference DatesTraditionally, the ECWCA Conference is held over two consecutive daystypically a Fridayand Saturdayduring March or early April, although there have been some adjustments due tospacing concerns and other needs of the conference host. For example, the 2006 conference atMount Union College was held early in March, mainly to take advantage of the space that wasavailable over the colleges spring break. The 1998 conference held in Youngstown, PA/OHwas held in the first week of May. Also, past conferences, such as the one at Bowling GreenState University, began on a Thursday evening and ended mid-day on Saturday, which mayallow for more flexibility with conference events. We attempt to avoid conflicts with CCCC,which is usually, although not always, held around the middle of March.

Some campuses may choose to hold the conference over their own spring break, but typically theconference should not conflict with other campus spring break times, when tutors are less likelyto attend. It is also recommended that the conference not be held too early in February due toweather concerns or too late in April, when many campuses are nearing the end of theirsemesters. The ECWCA board can provide input if the host has options for dates.

Planning ScheduleECWCA accepts proposals from potential host sites through an application process, andapplications are now being collected two years in advance for potential conference hosts.Applications can be found at http://www.ecwca.org. If you are interested in hosting an ECWCAConference, talk to a board member, and we will begin to help you get started.

The following planning schedule uses a two-year timeline. The ECWCA Board is acceptingapplications for hosts for the 2010 Conference. Potential hosts would discuss their interest to the

Board and submit an application in 2008.

January/February 2008: Pre-Planning and Inquiries

Initiate conversations with the ECWCA Board about hosting the conference. Contact administrators on campus about their concerns and any parameters for hosting a

regional conference. Secure support (financial or otherwise) from campus administrators to host ECWCA. In

other words, make sure that your campus supports your application to host ECWCA.

March / April / May 2008: Drafting the Conference Host Application

1 Revised 2007.


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Draft Conference Host Application and bring to that years conference for feedback andinput from the ECWCA Board.

Finalize Application and submit all materials to the Board by the May deadline. Applicants will receive acceptance notices in 4-6 weeks.

June 2008 to June 2009: Local Arrangements

Attend ECWCA Board meetings and maintain contact with Board members aboutconference planning.

Begin local arrangements. Since some campuses and hotels require a significant amountof lead time for conferences, it may be necessary to secure space for lodging and sessionsnow.

June / July 2009: Building the Conference Website and CFP Develop the CFP and request feedback from the ECWCA Board. Begin building the conference website. If you are unable to build a website, members of

the ECWCA board can help you with this. Secure one or more keynote speakers. The ECWCA board will also work with you to

find a keynote speaker. At this point, space for sessions and for lodging should bereserved, if they havent been already. Keep in mind, however, that some campusesrequire more lead time to set conference dates and secure rooms.

August / September 2009: Publicizing the Conference Finalize the CFP and post on the conference website. Send copies of the CFP, along with the conference website URL, for posting on the

ECWCA website. Submit the CFP to various publications (Writing Lab Newsletter, Writing Center Journal,

IWCA Update , CCC, CEA, and WPA). Members of the ECWCA Conference Committeecan assist with this task.

Submit the CFP to various listservs, including WCenter, WPA-L, any regional writingcenter listervs, and others that seem appropriate.

Plan to send periodic reminders about proposal submission before the submissiondeadline.

October / November2009: Contacting Vendors

During the fall, begin to contact publishers regarding displays at the conference. Weusually charge publishers a nominal fee of $150 to set up a table in the vendors displayroom. Publishers can also support a meal or event and receive a table for free.

Send reminders about the CFP to listservs.January / February 2010: Review Proposals and Begin Registration

Read and organize proposals, and send out acceptance notices. Begin registering conference attendees. Coordinate awards and ECWCA Board nominations with the Board. Develop conference program and make any adjustments to space needs, as necessary.


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Timeline for 2008 Conference: A Sample for Future Conferences

The timeline for the 2008 Conference gives conference hosts a sense of when to distributeinformation and when to collect proposals, awards applications, etc. The ECWCA Board willwork closely with conference hosts to make sure they have information and support duringconference planning.

Sept 20: CFP goes out, includes information on Scholarships,Awards, and Nominations for open ECWCA Board positions, andTutor of the Year and Leader of the Year awards

Oct 20: Reminder #1 of all (not full information, just providing links to details)Nov 20: Reminder #2 of allFeb 1: Proposal DeadlineFeb 8: Awards deadlineFeb 15: Proposal acceptance and scholarships determinedFeb 28: Nominations close / voting begins

Awards decidedMarch 28: Pre-registration closes

Online voting closes

Meals

Typically, the ECWCA conference provides meals for conference registrants. These mealsinclude a dinner (banquet) on Friday and a lunch on Saturday. Lunches may be provided onFriday, especially for conference locations that are beyond easy walking distance of restaurants.These meals are included in the price of the conference, and hosts are expected to makeconsiderations for dietary restrictions and vegetarian/vegan options. Hosts should askconference attendees to specify meal options and obtain meal participation counts via theregistration form.

Staffing Needs and TasksFor the most part, hosts should be able to rely on their own tutoring staff to help withadministrative tasks (organizing notebooks, chairing sessions, etc.). The ECWCA board is alsoavailable for questions and concerns, but ECWCA Board members are generally not available to

staff the conference itself, although some may be able to provide additional help if needed andarranged ahead of time. Host institutions should consider staffing issues involved with theconference and plan accordingly. Tasks such as those listed below should be completed beforethe conference or on an as-needed basis to ensure that the conference runs smoothly. Some ofthese include, but are not limited to:

posting signage, making nametags, sitting at information tables, greeting and directing visitors, collecting registration fees, creating the conference website, etc.


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The host institution should also designate session moderators. These can be individuals from thehost institution (such as tutors), or they can be conference presenters and attendees. One way tosolicit moderators, unless tutors fulfill this role, is to ask individuals who are submitting aproposal or registering for the conference if they would like to moderate a session. Hosts canautomatically designate one member of a panel to serve as moderator or ask panel presenters toarrange for their own moderator.

Some campuses offer conference planning assistance, but please be aware that these offices maycharge a fee for their services, which should be factored into the total cost of planning theconference.

Spatial Concerns/AccommodationsConference hosts are expected to secure space for lodging, sessions, meals, the ECWCA Boardmeeting, and any other events associated with the conference.

Rooms for Concurrent Sessions

Generally, five to seven rooms, which can be classrooms, are needed for concurrent sessions.The majority of these rooms should be smart rooms that have internet access and dataprojection. Each room should be able to seat 20 to 30 people.

Along with space for presentations, conference hosts should consider designating a space forposter sessions. Poster sessions can be held in a dedicated room during a specific time, or postersessions can be held during breakfast or lunch. A final option is to combine a poster session withvendor displays.

Because the number of proposals received and accepted may affect the spacing needs for theconference, it is recommended that conference hosts prepare to reserve additional rooms forconcurrent sessions and other events.

Space for Meals

A larger gathering place, for meals and a keynote speaker, is also necessary. This space shouldseat approximately 150-200 individuals.

Space for Board MeetingsMeeting space for ECWCA board meetings (approximately 15 to 20 individuals) is also needed.These meetings have typically been held on the Saturday morning of the conference; however,the ECWCA board will negotiate the meeting day and time with the conference host toaccommodate needs.

Showing Off Your Writing Center

If possible, the host should consider opening the campus writing center space to conferenceattendees. Many attendees like to visit other writing centers to gather ideas and learn about otherspaces, and this is a good opportunity to show off space. This might include an open house eventat a designated time, or offering to let visitors drop by any time during the conference.


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Computing Facilities

If possible, attendees should have access to computing facilities to check email or make revisionsto presentation materials.

Disability Access

If at all possible, conference space should provide easy access for those with disabilities.

Hotels

There should be around 80 hotel rooms within a few miles of your campus. Typically thisnumber is divided among a few different hotels. In order to keep the conference costs accessiblefor the large number of students who attend, locate hotels in the genre of Holiday Inn Express,Red Roof Inn, etc. Complimentary breakfast or shuttle service to and from the hotel is notexpected, but many hotels do provide such amenities, which may be a consideration for attendeecosts or accessibility issues, especially if the conference site is not within walking distance andnearby parking is a problem. Hotel rooms should be reasonably priced and affordable, and mostrooms should be double rooms to allow people to share rooms and costs.

Setting the Registration FeesThe ECWCA strives to keep conference fees to a minimum. Fees for directors have recentlybeen in the $80-$90 range, and fees for students have been around $40-$50. Hosts should feel

free to use a sliding scale for late registrants. Publishers can be charged $100-$150 to set up adisplay, unless a publisher or vendor agrees to sponsor a meal or event.

Refund PolicyThe ECWCA Board recommends that hosts use the following refund policy for conferenceregistration fees; the policy should be listed on the conference website and other appropriatedocuments. If the host must defer to a campus refund policy or some other policy, the hostshould contact the Board prior to posting the policy on conference materials and the website.

To receive a full refund, the registrant must request the refund 30 days or more before thestart of the conference.

Registrants requesting refunds less than 30 days and no fewer than 14 days before thestart of the conference will receive a half-refund.

Anyone requesting a refund with less than 14 days prior to the start of the conference willnot receive a refund.

Registrants must request the refund in writing. They can contact the conference host via email orpostal mail.

Conference Funding: Costs and RevenueConference costs have usually been covered by the registration fees along with any local support.The local support may include actual monies given for the conference, e.g, a host campus grantor money from some donor procured by the host, and/or it can be in-kind support such as free


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space, etc. The ECWCA board provides seed money for the conference (typically $500.00) sothat conference hosts can have some cash resources before registration fees are collected. Thehost is also expected to provide a balance sheet after the conference that provides a breakdown ofassets and debits related to conference activities and costs. It is expected that all revenuegarnered by the conference, including seed money, as well as any costs approved by theECWCA Board related to the conference, are the property of ECWCA, with ECWCAreimbursing the host if costs exceed revenue and the host providing excess revenue to ECWCA.

Conference hosts are encouraged to seek some funding from their institutions and to solicitsupport from the following vendors:

The Rich Company, developers of WCOnline: http://www.therichco.com/wconline/ TutorTrac: http://www.tutortrac.com/ AccuTrack: http://www.accutrack.org/ Smartthinking online tutoring: http://www.smartthinking.com

The following publishers of writing center texts may also be interested in a sponsoring an eventor meal at the conference, sending materials, or purchasing vendor space:

Hermagoras Press (Landmark Essays: Writing Centers) Allyn and Bacon/Longman (Allyn and Bacon Guide to Peer Tutoring, The Allyn and

Bacon Guide to Writing Center Theory and Practice, The Longman Guide to WritingCenter Theory and Practice)

Bedford/St. Martins (Bedford Guide for Writing Tutors , St. Martins Sourcebook forWriting Tutors)

Lawrence Erlbaum (Writing Center Directors Resource Book, Writing Center Research:Extending the Conversation)

Harcourt Brace (Harcourt Brace Guide to Peer Tutoring) Boynton/Cook (A Tutors Guide to Helping Writers, Tutoring Writing: A Practical

Guide) Greenwood Press (Writing Centers and WAC Programs)

Developing a CFP

Conference hosts are responsible for developing the conference theme and title, although theECWCA Board will gladly offer feedback. Previous conference themes and examples of CFPscan be found at the end of this document as well as on the ECWCA.org website and/or fromBoard members. The CFP should include information about the conference theme, along withsuggested ideas for proposal topics or questions to generate ideas for proposals. The conferencetheme is one way to structure the conference and gives potential presenters a framework togenerate topic ideas, but presenters should have some flexibility in choosing their topics.

Once a theme and CFP is finalized, hosts should publicize the conference to the followingpublications and lists: IWCA website,IWCA Update , Writing Lab Newsletter, Writing Center

Journal, WCenter listserv, and WPA listserv. This list is not exhaustive, and hosts may findother appropriate venues to advertise the conference and CFP.


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Electronic copies of the CFP should be submitted to the ECWCA board for archival purposes.

Keynote SpeakersThe ECWCA Board will work with the conference host to choose and invite keynote speakers.However, costs for the keynote speakers needs to be included in the conference planningproposal and be approved by the board. The following guidelines should help conference hostsin considering speakers for the conference:

Conference hosts have a considerable amount of discretion in choosing the number ofkeynote speakers and whom to select. However, keynote speakers topics should reflectthe conference theme in some way and should consider the primary audience of theconferenceundergraduate tutors.

At least one keynote speaker should be secured for the evening banquet. In the past,keynote speakers have been secured for luncheon events at the conference, but theconference host can determine if this is appropriate or necessary.

While many past conferences featured prominent members of the writing center field askeynote speakers, the Board encourages conference hosts to consider speakers from theECWCA region. This will not only reduce costs in securing a keynote speaker but such

speakers are often familiar with the needs of the region and ECWCA. Conference hostsmay also consider inviting current and former peer tutors (writing center alumni) to serveas speakers or to conduct a panel discussion of topics of interest to student tutors.

In addition to traditional formats for keynote speeches, conference hosts can consideralternative formats for such special events, such as workshops, that would allow tutorsand administrators to benefit from the expertise of someone in the field.

Compensation for keynote speakers varies and should be negotiated and approved by theBoard. Some examples of compensation offered to keynote speakers include freeconference registration, honoraria, and, if appropriate, compensation for travel expenses.Some keynote speakers have waived speaking and travel fees, while some have not.

Creating a Conference WebsiteThe conference host is responsible for ensuring the development of a conference website, whichwill include the CFP, proposal submission information, registration information, conferenceprogram, other pertinent information about the conference and its location, and a link to theECWCA website. This website should be maintained by the conference host institution, and theECWCA website will link to the conference website.

The website should be housed in a permanent location for archival purposes, and if this is notpossible, the conference host should submit the files for the conference website to the ECWCAboard for archiving elsewhere. Links to past conference websites can be found at the end of thisdocument.


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Developing the Conference ProgramTo help the ECWCA Board maintain an archive of past conferences, conference hosts areexpected to submit an electronic copy of the conference program, along with a database ofconference presenters, to the board once the conference is over. An electronic copy of theprogram or a preview should be available on the conference website before the conference, and ahardcopy of the entire program should be provided to each attendee when they arrive at theconference. For examples of conference programs, please see the links to past conferences at theend of this document.

Please consider the following suggestions when organizing and developing the program ofpresenters:

The conference usually has a high acceptance rate for proposals. However, conferencehosts are encouraged to develop a proposal review system and involve tutors in reviewingand rating proposals.

While ECWCA is typically not a highly competitive conference, hosts can determine therate of selection when reviewing proposals, and hosts may ask a presenter to revise theproposal before accepting it.

Past conferences have included between 5 and 8 groups of concurrent sessions, andwithin each group are 4 to 5 presentation sessions. The panels are formed either bygroups of people submitting a proposal as a panel or when the conference host formspanels of presentations with similar or compatible themes. The number of concurrentsessions and panels within sessions may change depending upon the number of proposalsaccepted and the length of time of the conference (i.e. whether the conference begins on aThursday evening and runs through Saturday afternoon or whether the conference onlyruns on Friday and Saturday).

In addition to traditional panels and presentations, the conference can also includeworkshops, training sessions, poster sessions, and other activities that the conferencehosts wants to include. Typically, workshops and training sessions have been included

within concurrent sessions; however, conference hosts have discretion in schedulingthese however they wish. Poster sessions, too, can be included in concurrent sessions, orthey may be included with vendor exhibits or at breakfast or lunch events, whenparticipants have an opportunity to mingle and view the posters.

Ideally, electronic copies of the program or the schedule of speakers will be posted on theconference website before the conference dates. All attendees should receive hard copiesof the program when they arrive at the conference. Programs need not be fancy butshould include basic information such as a table of contents, the conference schedule, anindex of presenters (including institutional affiliation and email addresses), list ofexhibitors/vendors, donors/contributors, and other pertinent information about theconference or location. A campus map, parking information, and information about


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restaurants and nearby sites are also helpful but can be included in a conference packet.Often, a campus alumni association or admissions office will gladly furnish suchmaterials free of charge, as will some local tourism offices.

Conference EvaluationsConference hosts should ask attendees to provide feedback on the conference through anevaluation form or survey. It is not recommended that attendees send in their responses at a laterdate, as many of them will neglect to do so.

This feedback helps future hosts and the Executive Board identify ways of improving theconference. Attendees can identify what they liked best about the conference and offersuggestions, including what topics, presentations, workshops, and other events they would like tosee.

Post-Conference ReportingThe conference host is expected to attend the ECWCA Board meeting at the conference, ifpossible, to report on conference finances, etc. If the host cannot attend the Board meeting dueto conference duties, then the host should submit a report to the Treasurer and be prepared forfollow up questions from the Board. After the conference, the host should submit a final report

to the Board on conference finances, information from the conference evaluations, etc. Any filesrelated to the conference, as well as helpful information for future conference hosts, should begiven to the Board, and that information will be passed onto the next conference host. Comment [tcs1]: Ellen and I t

that it would be useful to specify tof reporting we needed from the hafter the conference. We shouldprobably discuss this at the retreatan appropriate deadline (ex: 2 or months after the conference) for wneed the report.


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Past ConferencesThe following websites and CFPs from past conferences may serve as examples for developingthe conference websites, structuring the conference program, developing ideas for the conferencetheme, or including other activities during the conference:

April 2-3, 2004 Seton Hill University, Greensburg, PAhttp://maura.setonhill.edu/~wc_conf04/ecwca.html

March 9-11, 2006 Mount Union College, Alliance, OHhttp://raider.muc.edu/~dickrf/ecwca2006/ecwca2006.html

April 3-4, 2009 Purdue University, West Lafayette, INhttp://owl.english.purdue.edu/ecwca

Year Host & Location Theme Keynote(s) Chair(s)

2009(4/3-4/4)

Purdue University West Lafayette, IN

Writing CenterEcologies: Developingand Sustaining OurResources

Jon Olson Linda Bergmann

2008 Ohio State University

Columbus, OH

Looking Back: Looking

Forward: The Next 30Years of ECWCA

Andrea Lunsford Doug Dangler

2007(3/15-3/17)

Bowling Green StateUniversity BowlingGreen, OH

Under Construction:Writing CenterStrategies, Research, andContributions

Jeanne SimpsonBill MacauleyRodney Dick

Barbara Toth

2006(4/9-4/11)

Mount Union College Alliance, OH

The Work at Hand:Investigation,Articulation, and Laborin the Center

Brian HuotKurt Kearcher

Rodney DickBill Macauley

2005(4/1-4/2)

Siena HeightsUniversity Adrian, MI

Writing EmpowermentThroughout theDisciplines

Janet SwensonJill Pennington

April Mason-Irelan

2004

(4/2-4/3)

Seton Hill University

Greensburg, PA

The Many Faces of the

Writing Center

Ben Rafoth Kim Pennesi

2003(3/27-3/29)

Marietta College Marietta, OH

25th Anniversary Tour Muriel HarrisNeal Lerner

Tim Catalano

2002(4/4-4/6)

Kent State University-Stark Campus Canton,OH

The Expanding Center:Big (and Little) Bangs inWriting Center Theoryand Practice

Paula GillespieCindy Johanek

Jay Sloan

2001 Denison University Granville, OH

Inquiry and Innovation:Images of WritingCenters

Joan MullinMike Palmquist

Cindy Johanek


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Year Host & Location Theme Keynote(s) Chair(s)

2000 Lansing CommunityCollege East Lansing,MI

Writing Centers, WritingCultures: StudentSuccess and InstitutionalRoles

Christina MurphyJoe Law

Jill Pennington

1999 Indiana University (withNWCA) Bloomington,IN

Writing Center 2000:Meeting the Challengesof the New Century

Muriel HarrisEdward M. White

Ray SmithJohn Peterson

1998 Youngstown StateUniversity Youngstown, OH

Moving Forward,Looking Back (inmemory of GratiaMurphy)

Mary KingPanel: OriginalBoard

Sherri Zander

1997 University of PittsburghPittsburgh, PA

Front and Center:Re-imagining Our Work

Patricia StockJohn Trimbur

MargaretMarshall

1996 Michigan StateUniversity EastLansing, MI

Moving Beyond theBorders; Meeting in theMargins

Cynthia SelfePeter Carino

Sharon Thomas

1995 Indiana University Bloomington, IN

Can the Center Hold?Evolving Missions & theChallenge of Writing inthe Disciplines

Joan MullinDavid R. Russell

Ray SmithJohn Peterson

1994 University of Toledo Toledo, OH

Ray Wallace Joan Mullin

1993 Ball State University Muncie, IN

Writing Centers:Innovative Theories andPractices

Jeanne SimpsonJames Berlin

Cindy JohanekLaura Helms

1992 Western MichiganUniversity Kalamazoo, MI

Art Young

1991 Lil Brannon

1990 Indiana State UniversityTerre Haute, IN

Bridging LearningCommunities

Douglas Hunt Peter CarinoBrenda Ameter

1989 Ohio WesleyanUniversity Delaware,

OH

Voices of Empowerment Andrea Lunsford Ulle Lewes

1988 Indiana University ofPennsylvania Indiana,PA

Collaborative Pathways John Collins(workshop)Muriel Harris(workshop)Linda Reif(workshop)

Lee MasielloMichaelWilliamson


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The 29th East Central Writing Center Association Conference

Bowling Green State University Writing Center, Bowling Green, Ohio

March 15, 16, and 17

Under Construction: Writing Center Strategies, Research, and Contributions

Just as writing is a powerful mode of learning, so too are writing centers powerhouses of learning. Theyare powerful centers where knowledge and ideas are constructed and revised, without which universitiesand larger communities would be less compassionately, logically, and coherently built. Bring your

testimonials about the critical nature of writing center work. Share the strategies, research, andcontributions of your writing centers. Bring your construction hats to this conference. And look for signsthat announce: "Caution! Writers at Work!" Submit proposals related but not limited to

Writing Center Strategies:

Administrative Pedagogical Technological

What strategies do administrators and writing consultants construct and use that build writing centers

more strongly and/or that overcome administrative challenges? What strategies have we constructed to

assist the writers with whom we work, i.e., academic writers across disciplines, ESL writers, creative

writers, community writers? How do we construct these strategies?What's at stake as we strategize in

various contexts?

Writing Center Research:

Constructing new identities Documenting results/measuring outcomes Recording our histories

What kind of data do we collect? How do we collect it and with whom do we share it? How can we use

the data to enhance our standings and the standing of the diverse writers we serve? What narratives or

histories should writing consultants be encouraged to share?

Writing Center Contributions:

Aiding retention Personal, regional, national, international work Collaborative, multidisciplinary models

How does writing center work aid retention? Who needs to know and in what forums? What regional-

international relationships have we built? What campus-community relationships have we built? What

contributions have we made that are yet unacknowledged?

Be creative and passionate as you submit your proposals and help construct ECWCA2007! Individual papers, workshops, panels, roundtable discussions, and poster sessions are welcomed.

Proposal deadline: February 2, 2007 (early submissions encouraged)Notifications by: February 9, 2007Questions? Please feel free to contact the conference chair:Dr. Barb [email protected]

ECWCA Conference Planning Guide

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