2024 Call for Session Proposals

Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Through Advocacy, Collaboration, and Transformative Liberation

Political and societal attacks are threatening and undermining decades of progress of diversity offices and those committed to leading with equity and ensuring our campuses and organizations are beacons of inclusive excellence. The work of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE) is more urgent and critical than ever - for practitioners and academics who work every day to advocate for, collaborate on, and transform institutions and communities through a lens of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We must continue dismantling systemic barriers and fostering inclusive excellence so that more students, faculty, and staff can find belonging and success in higher education and beyond. 

We know how important our work is. Now is the time to make it undeniably clear that diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts result in better student outcomes and are vital to the health of our economy and society. At the 2024 Annual Conference, NADOHE will continue the critical work of combating misinformation, sharing valuable data and research on the impact of diversity, equity, and inclusion work, and advocating for our members. The conference will also create space to energize the profession and mobilize valuable coalitions. What we do matters. This is our time to fight harder, to make our work more visible, and to invigorate members and allies with tangible ways of moving this work and the profession forward.

The 2024 Annual Conference will highlight the depth of diversity, equity, and inclusion research and scholarship, as well as the applied work of diversity, equity, and inclusion practitioners, including best practices and policies from leading experts in the field. The conference will emphasize structural equity, anti-racism, and intersectionality (i.e., a theory originally outlined by Dr. Kimberlé Crenshaw that emphasizes individuals’ identities intersect in ways that impact how they are viewed, understood, and treated) as core to diversity, equity, and inclusion work. We encourage submissions from 4-year colleges and universities, community colleges, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions, and Minority-Serving Institutions.

Proposals may address, but are not limited to, the following broad topics:

• Innovative research related to diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and social justice
• Creative contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion on campuses
• Intersectionality of race, gender, and other identities
• Case studies and methods for tracking outcomes of diversity, equity, and inclusion work
• Faculty recruitment, retention, and promotion
• Staff recruitment, retention, and promotion
• Curricula and course development
• Anti-bias training, anti-racism training and professional development

Proposal Submissions have closed.

Proposal Formats

NADOHE seeks proposals for concurrent sessions. Sessions can include theory and/or research, but presentations are strongly encouraged to have an applied and/or practitioner perspective. Proposals may be submitted for one of the following two formats:

1. Deep Dive, Case, and/or Research Study (60 minutes)

   1. Deep Dive (Panel Presentation): A highly interactive presentation given by up to three content leaders, focused on developing the audience’s skills around critical areas such as anti-racism, equity and inclusion, intersectionality, and/or around one of the conference's proposed topics. 
   2. Case or Research Study (Individual or Panel Presentation): An academic presentation given by up to three content leaders, offering perspective around a specific topic centered on issues of anti-racism, equity and inclusion, intersectionality, and/or around one of the conference's proposed topics. 

2. Express Talk (30 minutes; 20-minute presentation): A “TED”-style presentation given by a content leader that explores a single idea with practical tips through storytelling. Given the theme of this year’s conference, we would like to invite Express Talks revolving around the issues of resistance, self-care, collective impact, navigating challenges and complexity, building coalitions, and advancing intersectional work.  

Proposal Tracks & Audience

If submitting a proposal for a specific track, please indicate which track your submission falls under:

• Health Equity: Provides an opportunity for diversity officers and leaders advancing diversity, equity inclusion, belonging, and social justice across health professions, education institutions, and healthcare and related organizations to engage in robust conversations that facilitate the sharing of best practices, strategies, and tools.
• Academic Diversity Office (ADO): An ADO is similar to a CDO and has responsibility for prioritizing and executing diversity, equity and inclusion strategic plans and practices in specific academic units – disciplines, schools, departments and colleges – rather than the entire campus. The ADO track focuses on defining the ADO role; sharing the lived experience, challenges, and opportunities of an ADO; exploring how their responsibilities are defined by the mission of their academic unit structure, leadership, and the institution’s CDO; and developing critical success factors and professional development that is needed for an ADO to succeed and advance in their career.

Please indicate which audience your session proposal is most appropriate for:

• Seasoned Diversity Officer (i.e., seven or more years of experience)
• New Diversity Officer (i.e., 1 to 5 years of experience)
• Other diversity, equity, and inclusion professional 

You agree to present in person at the 2024 Annual Conference by submitting a proposal.

Proposal Submissions closed Friday, November 10, 2023 at 11:59PM EDT.

Thank you for your submissions.

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