Call for Preconference Proposals
The conference planning committee invites you to submit proposals for the preconference session for the fifth annual Texas Conference on Student Success.
The conference will take place on October 7-9, 2026, on the Texas State University campus in San Marcos. Preconference sessions will be on October 7 from approximately 9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (with a 1-hour lunch break). The deadline for preconference proposal submissions is 11:59 p.m. CST on April 30, 2026.
Preconference programs accepted by the selection committee will be provided a conference registration fee waiver for up to three presenters.
NOTE: The call for submissions for the regular concurrent sessions will open in June as a separate process.
Preconference Sessions
The Texas Conference on Student Success is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for higher education professionals to share best practices, discover innovative ideas, develop new connections, and experience diverse perspectives, all in the interest of supporting student success.
Preconference sessions provide an opportunity to facilitate engaging, hands-on environments that go beyond the traditional presentation format. Successful sessions will bridge the gap between theory and practice, providing the time and space for attendees to develop strategies that they can transfer to or share with their home institutions.
The committee encourages proposals for topics that are timely for student success professionals, including but not limited to:
- Artificial Intelligence in Teaching and Learning, Support Services, or Operations
- Transfer & Dual Credit Excellence
- Mental Health and Holistic Student Support Programs
- Innovation in Student Support Programs
Guidelines
Submissions will include the following:
- Session title
- Session description or abstract (maximum 500 words)
- Session goals and learning objectives
- Relevant audiences for the session
- Agenda for the full 4.5 hour session
- Plan for interactive engagement with the participants
- Adaptability to other institutions
- Details of previous delivery of proposed session, if applicable
- Presenter expertise/background on the topic (a CV or resume may be included)
- Supporting presentation materials (optional)
NOTE: Presenters may make adjustments to their original session title, agenda, etc. if approved by the preconference planning committee.
Evaluation Criteria
The review committee will evaluate proposals based on:
- Interest: Will this session be highly interesting? Is there a clear audience for this session?
- Application: Would these ideas be highly adaptable to other institutions?
- Clarity: Are the abstract and purpose, goals, and learning outcomes of the proposed session well articulated?
- Engagement: Does the session have a high-quality plan to hold the interest and engagement of participants for 4.5 hours?
- Creativity: Will this session introduce new or transformative ideas, approaches, and concepts?
- Relevance: Is this topic timely, offering advancement to the field of student success?
- Presenter(s): Do the presenters show depth of experience or unique professional perspective?
- If research-based: Is this session grounded in research (description of methods, findings, and recommendations, as well as emphasis on research results and collected data, where applicable?). Note: Proposals will NOT be penalized if not research-based as this is not a requirement.
Please direct questions to mcbreen@tamu.edu.
Timeline
- Proposal Submission Deadline: April 30, 2026
- Notification to Primary Presenter via email: No later than May 15, 2026
- Primary Presenter Acceptance Confirmation: May 23, 2026
- Conference: October 7-9, 2026