Call for Proposals

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Call for Paper	MS Excel	Adobe PDF
Presenter Biography	MS Excel	Adobe PDF
Equipment Request	MS Excel	Adobe PDF

Conference Theme: SUSTAINABILITY--Fortifying Education with Access and Retention

Dear Presenter:

The 2009 WESTOP Conference Workshop/Moderator Committee invites you to submit a proposal to our upcoming Annual Conference in Phoenix, Arizona. We know that there is an incredible wealth of knowledge throughout the region, and we hope that those professionals are willing to share that knowledge for the benefit of TRIO and other educational equality personnel. This year’s theme is “Sustainability: Fortifying Education with Access and Retention.” Please keep this theme in mind as you develop your proposal. The selection committee wants to attempt to have a mix of workshops that is representative of all TRIO Programs, to ensure that all attendees walk away with knowledge that they can take back and utilize with their home programs. The workshop proposals should all be geared or directed towards improving strategies for Access and Retention in today’s educational environment.

Your willingness to present is deeply appreciated; however, please note that honorariums or reimbursement for travel related expenses will not be offered. The Conference Committee also regrets to inform all potential presenters, that neither the Hotel nor WESTOP will be able to provide Audio and Visual equipment for workshops that may require a PowerPoint presentation; and we truly apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Presenters will have to provide their own laptop and projector if they plan to use PowerPoint.

This year, WESTOP is hoping to implement a gradual transition to a more “GREEN” and environmentally conscious stance. We are aware that the Association may not be entirely ready to go completely paperless, but we do ask that presenters provide a minimum amount of copies of your workshop materials. This year we will attempt to have PowerPoint presentations and or outlines posted on the WESTOP website prior to the start of the conference, so that each member can print out the material he or she may need. All workshops should be 75 minutes in total length: 60 minutes for the presentation and 15 minutes for a question and answer session and evaluation. Below is a list of suggested topic areas, but feel free to submit a proposal that you feel addresses the importance of Access and Retention or strategies to improve these two key components of this year’s theme.

• Effective Program Tutoring Practices
• Effective Academic Advising/Counseling Techniques for Low Income Students
• Technology and the Benefits to Maintaining Close Communication with Program
Participants
• Students Retention Challenges
• Utilizing Alumni as a Tool For Retention
• Promoting Program and Participant Success to Increase Access to Educational Opportunities
• Successful Participant Recruitment and Retention
• Establishing Effective Avenues of Communication with Target Schools
• Recruitment Practices that Work
• Establishing a Peer Mentor Program Within Our Program Participants

The deadline to submit a complete proposal is Friday, January 9, 2009. Your Proposal Form must be submitted electronically to sgalvez@callutheran.edu along with a Speaker Profile Form and Room Set Up. All three forms (Workshop Proposal, Room Set Up and Biography) will be available for downloading on the WESTOP website. Please note that late or incomplete proposals will not be considered. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to call me at 805-493-3292.

Thank You,
Sergio Galvez
2009 WESTOP Conference Committee Chair

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