Schedule at a Glance

Monday, September 25

8am – 5:15pm Registration Open (Courtyard Foyer)

9 – 10am Newcomer’s Welcome Session (Salon A)

10am – noon Emerging Leader Pre-Conference: Calling All Aspiring Leaders (Salon A)

Growing and evolving is the purpose of continuing education. Join the West Region Emerging Leader program to boost yourself to the next level. The Emerging Leader program will include a pre-conference session and subsequent online poster sessions to foster your growth as the leaders of tomorrow. Emerging Leader session registration is separate from full conference registration and can be accessed here.

Noon – 1pm Welcome Luncheon (Courtyard Ballroom)
Includes remarks by Wayne Smutz, UCLA, and President, UPCEA

1 – 5:15pm Exhibit Hall Open (Courtyard Foyer)

1 – 1:30pm Dessert with Exhibitors (Courtyard Foyer)

1:30 – 2:30pm Concurrent Session Block #1

2:45 – 3:45pm Concurrent Session Block #2

3:45 – 4:15pm Exhibitor showcase; networking (Courtyard Foyer)

4:15pm – 5:15pm General Session: Evolving Ecosystems and the Impact on the Economy, Education and the Regional Workforce (Courtyard Ballroom)

Beginning with a snapshot of job trends both nationally and globally, this presentation will forecast evolving industries and sectors of growth as well as how these developments are fueling the demand for alternative credentials. Data sources will include nation-wide benchmarking and employer data as well as a special focus on regional workforce elements.

5:15 – 6:30p Opening reception and Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Open House (28th Floor)

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have been a staple of popular culture for decades, but they are finally becoming a reality. Join conference exhibitors and attendees at this informal reception to get a feel for what these new technologies are like and how they might impact our work. Several UPCEA West member institutions will bring VR & AR devices for attendees to test drive and will be on-hand to talk about how their institutions are meeting the training needs they are creating. The list of participating institutions and devices will be announced closer to the conference.

6:30pm Optional dinner groups / Dinner on your own

Tuesday, September 26

8am – 4:15pm Registration Desk Open (Courtyard Foyer)

8am – 4:15pm Exhibit Hall Open (Courtyard Foyer)

8am – 9am Breakfast / Networking (Courtyard Ballroom)

9am – 10am Keynote General Session: Calling BS in a Data-Driven World - Dr. Jevin West (Courtyard Ballroom)

The world is awash in BS. Pandering politicians, winking advertisers, startup soothsayers, television “experts”, and even some scientists use the news media to promulgate half-truths, misrepresentations and sometimes outright lies. In response, Jevin West and his colleague, Carl Bergstrom, created a class and website aimed at combatting this misinformation — callingbullshit.org — with a particular emphasis on data, figures, visualizations, and statistics. In this session, he will discuss how to identify and respond to BS in data we encounter in our personal and professional lives. In particular, he will help us decipher what is involved in the higher ed push for "Big Data" and show some visualization techniques that can help us communicate data more clearly and accurately.

10 – 10:30am Exhibitor showcase; networking (Courtyard Foyer)

10:30 – 11:30am Concurrent Session Block #3

11:30 – 1pm Awards Luncheon (Courtyard Ballroom)
Includes remarks by Bob Hansen, CEO, UPCEA

1:15 – 2:15pm Concurrent Session Block #4

2:15 – 2:45pm Dessert with Exhibitors (Courtyard Foyer)

2:45pm – 3:45pm General Session: The Universe of Alternative Credentials (Courtyard Ballroom)

Business, industry, and changing demographics suggest the demand for traditional four year degrees will remain flat or decline, while alternative credentials will increase. Suppliers of alternative credentialing can come from a number of places, but will higher education keep pace? This presentation will showcase essential elements of the Alternative Credential landscape, including foundation support, advocacy for badging and micro-credentialing, institutional responses, and benchmarking data which defines the emerging trends in alternative credentials.

Panelists: Rovy Branon, Melanie Mitchell, Wayne Smutz, Nancy Salzman Moderator: Bob Hansen

3:45pm – 4:15pm Prize Drawing and Announcements (Courtyard Ballroom)

4:45 – 6:45pm Off-site Excursion/Reception (included)
Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room

Join us for drinks while discovering the art, science and craft of inspired coffee at Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room in Seattle’s vibrant Capitol Hill neighborhood. This one-of-a-kind coffee shrine captures the past, present and future of Starbucks, just nine blocks from the original store. You will be treated to brewing demonstrations and tastings at the Experience Bar and guided tours of the facility and roasting process. The Roastery and Tasting Room is a short 15 minute walk from the hotel; however, a shuttle bus will be provided for those who would prefer transportation to the event.The shuttle bus will rotate between the hotel and Starbucks every 20 minutes throughout the event, with the first hotel pick-up beginning at 4:45pm downstairs at the hotel front entrance on 6th Avenue. The last shuttle back to the hotel will depart Starbucks at 7:15pm. For those who would prefer to walk, maps will be available at the UPCEA West Registration Desk.

Hosted by University of Washington Continuum College

6:45pm Dinner on your own / Optional Dinner Groups (meet @ Starbucks Reserve Roastery)

Wednesday, September 27

8:30am – 12:00pm Registration Desk Open (Courtyard Foyer)

8:30am – 12:00pm Exhibit Hall Open (Courtyard Foyer)

9am – 10am Business breakfast meeting (Courtyard Ballroom)

10am – 11am Dean’s Panel (Courtyard Ballroom)

11am – noon Wrap-up and Grand Prize Drawing (Courtyard Ballroom)

12pm Adjourn