Featured Sessions

Adaptive Enrollment: Evolving Enrollment for Today’s Learners

The “Enrollment Cliff” of 2026 is no longer forecast; it is our operational reality. However, this narrative of decline masks a more complex story of regional shifts, technological disruption, and untapped potential. This session will be a discussion about the evolving landscape of enrollment.  Together, we will explore the decline of high school graduating class sizes, how AI is rewriting the student search journey, how to address value proposition questions, as well as how a strategic focus on “post-traditional” learners to bridge the demographic gap. Participants will gain takeaways and real-world experiences to assist member institutions’ enrollment missions with the needs of the 2026 learner and beyond.

David Macoubrie, President and Chief Executive Officer, Inceptia

Creating Space for Now and Next: Essential Support for Leaders Doing Essential Work Part 1

Work is hard. Change is constant, and can be complicated. Solutions aren’t quick. And, perhaps most challenging of all, people are complex. And yet, this is the work of leaders: to build collaborative and connected teams and stakeholder groups in spite of, or possibly through, those complexities. Leading an association of varied stakeholders with divergent goals in a complicated context demanding work. In this session, participants will have an opportunity to have conversation about the work we do for ourselves, mutual challenges and opportunities, refreshment, and reimagining what’s next.

Daniel Juday, Founder, Space Creator

Creating Space for Now and Next: Essential Support for Leaders Doing Essential Work Part 2

This session will continue creating spaces for leaders by focusing on the work we do with others. Discussions will focus on what worked, what helped us feel seen and heard, and what moved participants forward from Part 1 to work with various stakeholders.

Daniel Juday, Founder, Space Creator

Lessons from the Field: Learning from Challenges

This session offers a candid, real-world look at why executive searches in higher education sometimes fail—and what can be done differently. Drawing on firsthand experiences from campuses, we will examine recurring patterns that lead to breakdowns, including unclear expectations, misaligned search committees, and breakdowns in communication. Participants will leave with practical strategies and actionable insights that associations can share with their members to support stronger, more effective campus leadership.

Shawn Hartman, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Academic Search
L. Jay Lemons, President and Senior Consultant, Academic Search

State Opportunity Index: A Framework for Success in College, Career, and Beyond

As higher education in the United States increasingly pushes beyond access and completion to outcomes as the key to the value of college, we pursue solutions that ensure every student’s degree provides them with opportunities for success after college. The State Opportunity Index identifies five priorities for policymakers, practitioners, and advocates as they work together in the service of students. This annual report profiles each state’s context, from the number of graduates who have a positive ROI within ten years of graduation, to the supply/demand forecast for entry-level hiring, to the education-to-career guidance and work-based learning support students experience. The State Opportunity Index team will provide an overview of the framework and the current progress in the public higher education systems in each of the 50 states for a group discussion of how this context can support the priorities of independent colleges and state councils.

Dave Clayton, Senior Vice President of Research, Strada Education Foundation
Kimberly Sluis, Vice President and Chief of Staff, Postsecondary Education, Strada Education Foundation

The Demands of Leaders During Institutional Mergers

As mergers and acquisitions continue to impact higher education, there is a lot of discussion about merger strategy and operations, but not as much about the complexity of how leaders navigate culture and community during the process. This session will draw on current research to assist State Council organizations in thinking about how they can best support presidents and campuses as they navigate these processes.

Emma Jones, Executive Vice President of Leadership, Carnegie

Registration Information

To strengthen each team’s professional expertise and encourage broad attendance, CIC will offer a discounted registration fee for the second participant from a team. Third registrants are able to attend at no cost. These discounts are made possible thanks to generous support from the current conference sponsor Academic Search.

First Registrant: $410
Second Registrant: $295
Third Registrant: $0

Dress Guidelines

Business casual clothing is appropriate throughout the conference.

Cancellation Policy

Refunds will be made in full (less a $50 processing fee) for cancellations received more than ten business days prior to the conference for which participants have registered. Requests received fewer than five business days prior to the start of the conference are ineligible for a refund. Please send cancellation requests, in writing, to the attention of Alonso De Los Rios by email to adelosrios@cic.edu. Registrations are transferable within State Council organizations.

Health and Safety

CIC is committed to the health and safety of conference participants. Please review the current CIC Health and Safety Guidelines and Requirements before registering for the conference.