Reaching New Heights: 2024 Kansas Academic Advising Network Conference
September 26-27, 2024
University of Kansas
The Burge Union
1565 Irving Hill Rd.
Lawrence, KS 66045
For more than 150 years, Mount Oread has been home to the state’s flagship institution, the University of Kansas where innovative research and the constant pursuit of knowledge come together. We are excited to meet you in Lawrence, Kansas this September to rally and unite, champion student success and aim higher as advisors during challenging times for higher education.
The Kansas Academic Advising Network is proud to promote high quality professional development opportunities for academic advising professionals from across the state of Kansas and beyond. Your conference registration also includes one-year membership in our state-wide academic advising network.
Important dates
- April 2024: Call for proposals opens.
- June 15, 2024: Conference registration opens.
- August 11, 2024: Call for proposals closes at 11:59 p.m. CDT.
- August 25, 2024: Deadline to book hotel room at discounted rate.
- August 30, 2024: Early-bird (discounted) registration deadline, 11:59 p.m. CDT.
- September 1, 2024: Awards nomination deadline.
- September 20, 2024: Conference registration closes at 11:59 p.m. CDT.
- September 25, 2024: Nominations for steering committee close.
Call for Proposals
KAAN encourages timely, creative and innovative proposals. Submit your proposal today to present at this year’s state conference!
KAAN 2024 Conference Program
Thursday, September 26, 2024
11 a.m. Sign in for optional, half-day pre-conference workshop.
12 p.m. Pre-conference workshop begins.
Workshop: Empowering Advisors Through Understanding: Introduction to Trauma-Informed Practices
Our four-hour, pre-conference workshop is tailored for college advisors who are not behavioral health professionals. It will focus on essential skills for supporting students and offers a deep dive into understanding trauma, its impact on students and principles of trauma-informed care. Through case studies, role play and discussions, participants will learn to recognize signs of trauma, apply trauma-informed advising strategies, and create a supportive environment for their students. Time is also spent discussing secondary trauma and how advisors can recognize signs of trauma affecting themselves in their personal and professional lives. This workshop aims to empower advisors to support student well-being by integrating compassionate practices into their advising.
About the Workshop Speaker
Jake Brillhart serves as pre-law advisor for the University of Kansas. Through Jayhawk Pre-Law Advising, he supports more than 700 students interested in legal careers and attending law school after graduation. See his bio page.
6 p.m.: Pre-conference social and networking event: please join us to make some connections before our conference event! Appetizers will be provided.
Annual Conference
Friday, September 27, 2024
- 7:30 a.m. Check-in and continental breakfast.
- 8:00 a.m. Conference welcome.
- 8:30 a.m. First breakout session.
- 9:30 a.m. Break.
- 9:40 a.m. Second breakout session.
- 10:40 a.m. Break.
- 10:50 a.m. Third breakout session.
- 12:00 p.m. Lunch with keynote presentation and business meeting.
- 1:30 p.m. Fourth breakout session.
- 2:40 p.m. Conference awards presentation and door prizes.
Keynote Speaker
To be posted soon!
Registration & Payments
Not currently a KAAN member? No worries! Conference registration includes one-year membership to KAAN, access to exciting opportunities for leadership, networking, professional development and scholarship, and more.
Each individual attending the conference needs to complete the online registration. Please read and ensure you understand and accept our conference registration policy before you submit your registration for this year’s event.
An option is also available for submitting payment via check by mail or for a business office to pay for registration(s) after you have registered individually for our event. Please check your email confirmation message for details. If your office is paying for your registration after you submit registration, please provide them with this link to submit payment online: https://form.jotform.com/61648244425962.
- Early-bird registration: (by August 25, 2023) $80.00 (includes one-year KAAN membership).
- Regular registration: $95.00 (includes one-year KAAN membership).
If the attendee’s office or department is submitting payment on their behalf, the attendee should provide their email confirmation to their office. Registration is not complete until the attendee receives confirmation that payment has been received.
KAAN Treasurer
contactus@kansasadvising.org
Hotel Information
We have a block of rooms and attendees to this year’s conference may obtain the discounted lodging rate. To book under the conference rate, please RSVP via this special link by August 25. Late reservations can be made through the hotel website. This hotel does provide a similar rate for state government employees. Please direct questions to our rooms coordinator Chloe Martens at chloe.martens@concordhotels.com.
Visitor Parking at KU
Our recommendation: park in the Allen Fieldhouse parking garage. It is located on the corner of Naismith and Irving Hill Road [map]. You may also consider the Central District Parking Garage [map] – it is more of a flat walk to the Burge Union. More information.
Campus visitors may also utilize one of three parking garages on campus and pay the hourly fee of $1.75 for the first hour and $1.50 per hour or part of an hour thereafter.
- Information about paying for parking via smartphone.
- Find more information on visitor parking permits at KU.
Steering Committee Positions
At this year’s annual conference the following positions are up for election:
- Vice Chair (3-year commitment)
- Treasurer (2-year commitment)
- Communications director (2-year commitment)
See also: Duties of steering committee positions.
Submit your nomination for the steering committee with this year’s conference registration. Or, submit a nomination without registering for this year’s conference.
Awards
The KAAN awards program is designed to honor individuals and institutions that have made contributions to academic advising within our organization and within their respective institutions. Several award categories are available, including “Best of KAAN” for the most outstanding presentation at this year’s conference. We highly encourage you to nominate a colleague. See awards details and how to submit your nomination.
Professional Development
KAAN professional development awards provide current members the opportunity to seek funding to grow and expand as professionals. Review the guidelines regarding submitting an application for, and receiving, a professional development award.