We Built It and They Came! A Blueprint for Developing a Community Conference

Nola Coulson, Carlow University Karen Hall, Point Park University

Ruth Newberry, Duquesne University Deborah Ayers, Butler County Community College

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Purpose – Answer the following questions:

• Who are we?

• Why do we have a regional conference?

• What can we tell you about hosting a conference?

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Carlow UnivCarlow Univ• Private

• BB Since 2003

• 2200 FTE/ 82 faculty

• Basic

Who are we?Who are we?

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Point Park UnivPoint Park Univ• Private

• BB Since 2001

• 3300 FTE/ 128 faculty

• Basic

Duquesne UnivDuquesne Univ• Private

• BB Since 1998

• 9000 FTE/ 486 faculty

• Enterprise

Butler CCCButler CCC• Public

• BB Since 2001

• 3800 FTE/ 70 faculty

• Enterprise

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The Pgh Bb User Group takes shape…

Our Mission– Promote collaboration among members

• Conference

– Exchange ideas• Ways to leverage the BB investment• Supplemented, hybrid, and online courses• Committees and student groups

– Share resources• Training, technical support, best practices

– Share the pain• Meetings and User group

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24 Member Institutions in 2007!

• Butler County Community College

• Californian University of Pennsylvania

• Carlow University • Carnegie Mellon University • Chatham College • Clarion University of

Pennsylvania • Community College of

Allegheny County • Community College of Beaver

County • Duquesne University • Gannon University• Geneva College

• Grove City College• La Roche College• Mercyhurst College• Mount Aloysius College • Pennsylvania Highlands

Community College• Point Park University • Saint Vincent College • St. Francis University• Thiel College• University of Pittsburgh• Washington and Jefferson College• Westmoreland County Community

College• Wheeling Jesuit University

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Conference Building Overview

• We Break Ground– 1st Conference, October 2003 - Carlow University

• We Build the Foundation – 2nd Conference, March 2005 - Carlow University

• We Frame Our Structure and Finish Rooms – 3rd Conference, November 2005 - Duquesne

University– 4th Conference, March 2007 - Duquesne University

• We Maintain and Improve– 5th Conference, October 2008 - Butler County

Community College

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Blueprint for a Conference

• What do you want to see/learn from vendors?

• Pick a Conference Chair– Someone to track, manage, coordinate all the details and keep the idea

moving forward

• Call for Presentations– Involve presentations from faculty and staff and group members– Lisa Byrnes, Mt. Aloysius

• Create a Conference Web site– http://www.ltc.duq.edu/pghbbug/

• Form a Review Committee– Develop a review rubric– Email proposals to conference chair– Accept as many proposals as possible

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We Break Ground1st Conference - October 2003 Carlow University

• The Chart… the evolution seen in the categories

• Carlow’s Layout– Attendance free for Users Group members– 8 vendors – small, tiered fee for each

• $250 for presentation slot, exhibit, food• $500 to sponsor a Lunch

• Presenters: User Group Members/Vendors/Faculty

• BB’s Participation – they were learning too!– Keynote

• Sales pitch and product roadmap– Wanted to do the keynotes on both days– Social Hour– Special lunch time gathering

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We Break Ground1st Conference Chairperson - Dos

• Get the help of Colleagues• Keep the momentum going• Meet and plan• Create a shared goal and vision for the

conference • Solicit help from other departments• Build community and commitment

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We Build the Foundation 2nd Conference - March 2005Carlow University• Growth … see the Chart

– March 2005 (pushed back from October 2004)– Revenue covered expenses

• 12 vendors - vendor fees the same– $250 for presentation slot, exhibit, food– $500 to sponsor a Lunch– tier pricing opens options of sponsorship

• Making it easier– Co-chair w/ Ross Donohue, CCAC– Logistics easier a bit

• What’s New– Raffle

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We Build the Foundation2nd Conference Results

The Role of Blackboard Changed

• Blackboard Requests to host– Transaction System Breakfast

• Wanted VPs/ Provosts to attend

– Adrian & Nola contact each other• Adrian Alleyne gives Keynote

– Talked about User Groups

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Time out!Pgh BbUG Re-evaluates its Purpose

• Blackboard used for many purposes- Online, hybrid and web-enhanced classes- Clubs, departments, groups, etc.

• Group’s interest encompasses more than Blackboard…all instructional technology

• Some members move to open source solutions• Host challenges – burnout and dependency

Is conference a distraction?

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We Frame Our Structure3rd Conference - November 2005Duquesne University

• Capitalizing on past strengths… more growth– See chart

• What’s New– Conference Theme: Blackboard and Beyond…– Formalized Sponsor Commitment

• You get this for $$; Collected sponsorship fees sooner

– Developed online registration with pay later option– Secured lodging discounts– Assembled and raffled Institutional baskets

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We Frame Our Structure 3rd Conference Chairperson – Dos

• New Challenges– Keynote Speakers? Sign them up!

• Who? How much? Logistics• Matthew Pittinsky and the President

– The future vision – networked learning

• Melissa Anderson and the Provost– The here and now…

• Give & Take w/ Blackboard• Executive only Luncheon for Pittinsky• The Bb Executive Team and Entourage• Listening Sessions

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We Frame Our Structure 3rd Conference

• Money is a problem!– Institutional “anxiety”

• Breaking even• Whose revenue is it?

– “Seed money” and faith • $10,000 institutional• Sponsorship revenue asap

– $1500 Excess Revenue• Attendees + Sponsors – Costs = Revenue• Crossing Budget Years

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We Finish the Rooms – Is Bigger Better? 4th Conference Duquesne University

• Capitalizing on Success! – The Conference Checklist and the chart

• What’s New– “Sponsored by” Pgh BbUG

• It’s more than Blackboard – it’s Educational Technology• Conference theme: Reinventing the Classroom of Today for

Tomorrow

– Securing Keynote speakers• Enhance your marketing with timely speakers• Travel, Lodging, Honorariums

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We Finish the Rooms – Is Bigger Better?4th Conference

• What’s New– Early Bird pricing for registrants and vendors

• Online registration and payment• 2 days $40/50 or 1 day for $20/$25• Vendor visit cards for prizes

– Poster sessions – get them in some way

• Blackboard’s Support and Requests– K-12 Track – The Social Hour– Listening Sessions

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Maintenance and Improvements 5th Conference - October 2008Butler County Community College

Motivations and Drivers

• Institutional– Showcase campus and Technology Building– Bring conference to a location that serves a

larger regional audience– Expose faculty and administrators to new

educational technologies– Strengthen the 2 + 2 + 2 connection

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Maintenance and Improvements 5th Conference

Motivations and Drivers

• Personal• Commitment to the User Group• Champion Community Colleges • Can get it done

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Maintenance and Improvements 5th Conference

• Future plans– Broaden K-12 presence– Add a hands-on “training track”– Expand beyond BB & learning systems

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Lessons Learned & Words of Encouragement

• It’s worth it! Lots to gain by hosting

• Needs the support of the group; conference comes from the group– Does a conference fit with your mission?

• Must have institutional support

• If we had known,…• Formalize the Group• Create by-laws

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The Conference Blueprints

• Timeline

• Conference checklist

• Budget Overview

• Marketing Tips

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Contacts

• Nola Coulson, Coordinator, Instructional Technology, Carlow University, coulsonna@carlow.edu

• Karen Hall, Associate Director Instructional Technology & Media Services, Point Park University, khall@pointpark.edu

• Ruth Newberry, Director, Educational Technology, Duquesne University, newberryr@duq.edu

• Deborah Ayers, Dean of Educational Technology, Butler County Community College, deborah.ayers@bc3.edu

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