ARLIS/NA Town Hall – The Cost of Connection: Travel, Funding and Conferences

We invite you to join us for the upcoming ARLIS/NA Town Hall on October 22, where we will discuss the evolving higher education landscape in the United States and Canada. In particular, we will explore the increasing prevalence of institutional freezes on non-essential travel and professional development funding, and the implications these changes may have on future conference planning. We will even have the Montreal CPAC available to give a brief update on conference planning and to be available to address any questions or concerns. 
 
This Town Hall will provide a collaborative space to share experiences, generate ideas, and explore strategies to support member participation in future conference programming—whether in-person or virtual. We also welcome your input on ways to make these opportunities more accessible, inclusive, and financially sustainable. Your insights are essential as we navigate these challenges together. We look forward to your participation in this important conversation.

Breakout Room Topics:

• Rethinking Conference Models
  Exploring hybrid formats, virtual options, regional/Chapter micro-conferences, and the potential for alternating conference years to better meet member needs.
• Funding and Resource Strategies
  Discussing sliding scale registration models, reallocation or expansion of travel funds, fundraising initiatives, and sponsorship opportunities.
• Advocacy and Institutional Engagement
  Developing an advocacy framework and toolkit, including an ARLIS/NA position statement on the importance of professional development funding, templates for requesting institutional travel support, and curated lists of alternative funding sources.
• Member Wellbeing and Sustainability
  Addressing burnout, fostering connection beyond conferences, and promoting sustainable engagement practices.

Additional Initiatives for Consideration:

• Formation of a cross-committee working group (APPC, Development, CPAC) to explore coordinated efforts around travel aid and advocacy.
• Revision of budget and funding strategies to better support member participation, including consideration of expanded travel funding and equitable registration models.
• Development of a centralized resource hub to support members in navigating institutional policies and identifying funding opportunities.
• Recommendations for future conference models based on member feedback: What formats best serve our community? Should we consider more virtual or regional conferences, or alternate formats year to year?

We hope you will join us and contribute your voice to this vital dialogue.