CIC’s Institute for Chief Academic Officers is an annual professional development event for senior leaders at independent colleges and universities. The 2026 Institute brings together chief academic officers with chief advancement, enrollment, financial, and marketing communication officers. This year’s theme, Creating Tomorrow’s Institutions, Together, will challenge participants to look to the future and radically reimagine higher education through the lens of stewardship, innovation, and cross-functional collaboration. The overarching question is: “What are we doing to make sure our institutions thrive today and 100 years from now?”
What would an independent higher education ecosystem look like if designed today? How can institutions collaborate without losing mission integrity? How do we break down silos between academic affairs, finance, advancement, enrollment, marketing, and other divisions? What role does technology play? How can we together develop a framework when sustainability efforts fail? How can CAOs and other leaders lead ethically through mergers, teach-outs, or closures? These and other questions will inform this year’s programming.
CIC offers special pre-Institute workshops for new chief academic officers and experienced chief academic officers. An addition to this year’s program is a third pre-Institute workshop titled “Aligning Program Costs and Workforce Demand for Student Success.” The workshop will utilize the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO)’s Student Success Hub’s latest toolkit and CIC’s Insights Tool.
Who Should Participate?
This year, the following campus roles are invited to the Institute:
- Chief Academic Officers
- Chief Advancement Officers
- Chief Enrollment Officers
- Chief Finance Officers
- Chief Marketing and Communication Officers
CIC membership is not required for registration; independent college and university administrators are encouraged to participate.
Pre-Institute Workshops
Workshop for New Chief Academic Officers
Saturday, November 7
7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Chief academic officers who have served for fewer than two years are invited to participate in this workshop, led by experienced colleagues, that addresses issues that newer CAOs often face. Participants will work in small groups, analyze case studies, and discuss topics such as accreditation; assessment and institutional effectiveness; faculty governance and leadership; appointments, promotions, and tenure and its alternatives; managing time, technology, and paper; and working with peer administrators. Participants will be paired with an experienced CAO mentor.
Workshop for Experienced Chief Academic Officers
Saturday, November 7
7:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Having served for at least three years, chief academic officers usually have mastered the fundamentals of the role. At this stage, CAOs discover greater opportunities to lead rather than simply manage. What are the key questions CAOs can and should address at this stage in their careers? For example, how do CAOs balance attention to their institutions’ immediate issues with a focus on their long-term academic needs? How can CAOs attend to their own professional lives while also serving their institutions? How do CAOs work effectively with the president and other cabinet officers on strategic planning? Participants will explore these and related questions and gain fresh perspective on the next stage of their careers as CAOs.
Aligning Data, Strategy, and Financial Practices to Advance Student Success
Saturday, November 7
7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Independent colleges face mounting pressures—from enrollment volatility and demographic shifts to affordability concerns and rising expectations for student outcomes. For senior leaders, meeting these challenges requires more than incremental adjustments. It demands an integrated, mission-centered approach that aligns academic priorities, enrollment strategy, and financial decision-making.
Grounded in the work of the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) Student Success Hub, this interactive pre-conference workshop provides a practical framework for connecting data, strategy, and financial practices to advance sustainable student success. CIC’s Insights Tool provides access to information about your institution in the context of similar peers. To dive deeper, workshop participants will explore how to evaluate program performance, align investments with institutional priorities, and scale high-impact initiatives beyond short-term or siloed efforts.
Through facilitated discussion and scenario-based exercises, leaders will develop a shared language around academic investment and financial stewardship, identify key cross-functional metrics, and draft an actionable roadmap for integrated planning—positioning their institutions to thrive in a resource-constrained environment while staying true to mission.
Hotel and Travel
Hotel Reservations
Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel
700 Aliceanna Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
Phone: (410) 385-3000
Room Rate:
$234 single/double per night
Hotel Reservation Deadline:
October 6, 2026
PLEASE NOTE:
Hotel Reservation Procedure: Participants first need to register for the Institute in order to make a hotel reservation at the CIC discounted rate. Reservation details including a discount code will be provided to Institute participants with the confirmation email once registration is completed.
Registration will open mid-June. Hotel rooms may sell out before the deadline, so participants are encouraged to register for the Institute and reserve their hotel rooms as soon as possible. Please note that hotel reservations made after the deadline will be accommodated only on a space-available basis and may be at a rate higher than the CIC rate.
Registration Information
The deadline for the early-bird registration rate is September 4, 2026. To ensure timely preparation of accurate and complete conference materials, please register for the Institute by October 6, 2026.
Not a CIC member? In addition to reduced registration fees for the Institute, view the full list of member benefits.