The National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience & Students In Transition now welcomes online submission of conference session proposals. If you would like to submit your proposal online, you can take advantage of our interactive submission process below. However, we encourage you to read all of the information and directions for completing a proposal before getting started. The proposal form can be faxed to you upon request. If you have any questions as you complete this form, contact Shana Harrison at scharri2@mailbox.sc.edu or call (803) 576-6328.

Concurrent session, roundtable discussion, and poster session proposals are invited on topics addressing the myriad aspects of the first year of college. Quality proposals that sufficiently and seriously address college student transitions in the first-year of college are welcomed for review.

Proposals should be submitted via our web site at www.sc.edu/fye/events/annual/proposal/.

The proposal deadline is September 9, 2008. You are strongly encouraged to submit proposals as soon as possible. Since the conference program must be finalized and presenters notified in time for preconference coordination, it may not be possible to accept late proposals.

Program proposals will be reviewed for selection based on appropriateness and consistency with the conference topic, timeliness of session topic, creativity of approach, and demonstration of expertise by presenters. The conference proposal review committee reserves the right to combine similar proposals to create 60-minute panel discussions. An interactive schedule planner of all accepted proposal topics will be available on the Center’s web site after December 12, 2008.

Due to budgetary considerations, it is not possible to offer an honorarium or to waive registration fees for program presenters. All program chairs and additional presenters will be expected to register and pay appropriate conference registration fees. Presenters not registered by the registration deadline will have their presentation removed from the conference program.

The cost of providing LCD projectors for conference sessions continues to reach exorbitant levels; therefore, conference organizers are unable to provide this audio-visual option. Presenters may bring their own equipment if they wish. As an alternative to computer-supported presentations, we encourage the use of overhead transparencies. We have found them to be equally effective.

Poster Sessions
These sessions allow for 90 minutes of informal interaction with a large number of conference delegates. Poster sessions are presented in the form of an exhibit and delivered primarily through the use of visual display and handout materials. The poster session host should expect to make brief remarks, share information, and answer questions about the presentation topic. Numerous poster sessions will be scheduled concurrently, and conference delegates will be free to move from one poster session to another.

• Research Findings - This type of poster session is appropriate for presenting research results focused on first-year student issues.
  
  
• Assessed Programmatic Approaches - This type of poster session is appropriate for a presentation on a specific assessed programmatic approach at a single institution.

Concurrent Sessions
These 60-minute sessions allow for 30-45 minutes of formal presentation and 15-30 minutes of discussion. This session type is best for those wishing to make formal presentations with questions and interaction. Concurrent session types:

Concurrent session types:

• Research -These sessions are appropriate for presentations on quantitative or qualitative research that has been conducted on issues related to first-year students or the first college year.
  
  
• Trends and Issues - These sessions are appropriate for presentations addressing emerging trends, current issues, and broad concepts.
  
  
• Assessed Institutional Initiative - These sessions are appropriate for presentations addressing and highlighting specific programs/initiatives that have been instituted, assessed, and shown to be successful on a particular campus.

Roundtable Discussions
These sessions are designed to promote open discussion around a significant or major issue or theme. Rather than making a formal presentation, session facilitators will encourage and maintain substantive discussion. Roundtable discussions should not emphasize any one program or institutional initiative, but rather give all session attendees an opportunity to share ideas and learn from one another’s experiences. This session type is best for those presenters wanting to share ideas and gain information from other conference participants in an open forum.

Exhibitor Presentations
These sessions provide vendors the opportunity to network with conference participants in a formal
setting providing information on publications, products, or services. Presentations are scheduled in
a 60-minute time slot during the conference.

Exhibitor Presentation Types:

• Commercial (for profit) - These presentations are designed for those companies or organizations that are interested in promoting publications, other products, or services solely on a for-profit basis.
• Commercial (academic) - These presentations are designed for research centers or service organizations who wish to present research findings that result from the use of commercially available assessment or research instruments.
  
  
• Non-profit - These presentations are designed for those companies or organizations that are interested in promoting publications, other products, or services solely on a not-for-profit basis.