CIC’s 2021 Institute for Chief Academic Officers, with Chief Student Affairs and Chief Diversity Officers, will offer a variety of networking opportunities to exchange ideas in an informal atmosphere. The 2021 Institute will also include these organized networking opportunities:

Information on CIC Programs and Services

Over breakfast on Sunday and Monday, participants will be able to meet with CIC staff members and advisors to learn about CIC programs and services including: the Executive Leadership Academy and Senior Leadership Academy; the Presidential Vocation and Institutional Mission program for prospective presidents; the CIC Online Course Sharing Consortium; the Legacies of American Slavery project; and the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE), among others.

Luncheon and Discussion Groups for Women Administrators

Sunday, November 7, 12:30–2:00 p.m.

​Roundtable discussions offer informal opportunities for participants with similar interests to share information and ideas.

Sunday, November 7

Best Practices for Faculty Handbook Revision

What are best practices for updating and revising faculty handbooks? What is the CAO’s role in the process? Senior officers are invited to share successes and challenges and to offer advice to those who are planning a handbook revision.

Andy Chambers, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Missouri Baptist University

CIC’s Presidential Vocation and Institutional Mission Program

CIC’s Presidential Vocation and Institutional Mission program is designed for senior administrators—and their spouses or partners—who are considering whether to seek a presidency. The program helps participants clarify their own sense of calling, the significance of the mission of the institution they might lead, and how alignment between personal vocation and the institutional mission fosters effective presidential leadership. Participants will learn about the structure of the year-long program and the nomination process for the 2022–2023 cohort, and will have ample time to ask questions.

Harold V. Hartley III, Senior Vice President, CIC

Emerging from the Pandemic Stronger and Better

The pandemic forced many changes across higher education at a record pace. Which changes will be permanent, and which will fade? What does the “next” normal look like for CIC institutions? Participants are invited to discuss their best campus practices for resilience, recovery, and future success.

Jeffrey Gingerich, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, University of Scranton

Faculty Exhaustion: From Burnout to Thriving

Even before COVID-19, faculty members often felt on the brink of burnout. How can academic leaders help faculty members thrive as teachers, scholars, and positive role models for students? Participants are invited to share approaches for dealing with post-pandemic faculty exhaustion and ideas for supporting faculty members in achieving balanced professional and personal lives.

Teresa A. Garrett, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College, Sweet Briar College

The Future of Global Education and Study Abroad

How will global education and study abroad programs change as the world eventually emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic? How will aspirations and worries of students and their parents influence program plans? The chief academic officer of Campbell University invites participants to join him in a conversation about opportunities and challenges.

Mark L. Hammond, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Campbell University

Helping Students Readjust to In-Person Instruction

How are CIC colleges and universities helping students to readjust to in-person classes and less flexible policies about attendance, deadlines, and grading than were in place during the pandemic? What strategies are proving effective in restoring students’ classroom engagement and reinvigorating their commitment to completing their undergraduate degrees on time? Participants in this conversation will share best practices to bolster student resilience.

Janet R. Clark, Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College

How Libraries Can Be Centers for Strengthening Student Resilience

How are libraries helping students develop a sense of belonging and community that fosters resilience and retention? The facilitator will share best practices to ensure library resources, services, and spaces all help all students feel like they belong. Participants are invited to contribute strategies and insights from their campuses.

Luke Vilelle, University Librarian, Hollins University, and Association of College and Research Libraries Liaison to CIC

 

Key Indicators Tool and Financial Indicators Tool Benchmarking Reports

CIC’s Key Indicators Tool (KIT) and Financial Indicators Tool (FIT) benchmarking reports, provided free to members, calculate metrics that allow colleges and universities to set goals and measure progress across a range of institutional information in a streamlined way. The reports thereby provide a way for institutions to understand and strategically engage a complex set of data in the context of what peer institutions are doing. This discussion will answer questions regarding how KIT and FIT can be used effectively as well as what the reports say about the health of the institution.

Michael Williams, Founder and former President, The Austen Group, a division of RNL

Long-Term Effects of the Online Pivot on CIC Campuses

In response to the pandemic, Mount St. Joseph University (MSJU) developed the In*Sync format for virtual teaching. MSJU’s provost will share results of an institutional survey of students about their course format preferences as a starting point for a conversation with colleagues about how the online pivot impacted campuses and plans for the future.

Diana J. Davis, Provost, Mount St. Joseph University

Mentoring Your Leadership Team

What types of mentoring programs and practices are chief officers at CIC colleges and universities using to develop and strengthen their leadership teams? Participants will share mentoring tips
and discuss successful strategies that encourage individual professional growth and help team members work together effectively to achieve institutional goals.

Kathleen Poorman Dougherty, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Alma College

Practicing Agile Shared Governance

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many CIC institutions to make rapid and consequential decisions about such matters as academic program closures, faculty terminations, and reorganizations. The provost of Ashland University will discuss how shared governance stayed agile on his campus amid the crisis. Participants are encouraged to reflect on the agility of shared governance on their own campuses and to exchange advice on current challenges.

Amiel Jarstfer, Provost, Ashland University

Remote Work Policies for 2021 and Beyond

How have CIC colleges and universities adapted their remote work policies for 2021 and beyond? How is eligibility for flexible work being determined? Participants are invited to discuss benefits and challenges encountered on their campus’s remote work procedures and to share information about how to develop policies that aim to square the interests and needs of faculty, staff members, and most importantly the students they serve.

Jason Lowrey, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Bethany Lutheran College (MN)

Shared Governance Takeaways from COVID

Many routine operating procedures and governance policies went out the window as CIC campuses adapted to the immediate challenges of the pandemic. What were the lessons learned—good and bad—about shared governance during a time of crisis? How might chief academic officers use these lessons to strengthen shared governance on their campuses permanently? Participants will share their experiences and recommendations.

Wendy Hilton-Morrow, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Provost, and Dean of the College, Augustana College (IL)

Vocation and Calling as Differentiators for Retention and Recruitment

Given the critical importance of retention and recruitment, colleges and universities find themselves needing to employ every available tool. The recent focus on the concepts of vocation and calling in higher education affords independent institutions an opportunity to provide something that is often missing in public higher education: greater individualized attention to questions of meaning and purpose among undergraduates. This session provides information on CIC’s Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE), which offers programmatic and financial support to CIC institutions that are making use of these concepts in their recruitment and retention efforts.

David S. Cunningham, Director of NetVUE, CIC
Lynne M. Spoelhof, NetVUE Program Manager, CIC

What We Learned about Our Students during the Pandemic

Join the CAO from Schreiner University in reflection and discussion about what chief officers learned about their students during the pandemic and how these lessons are helping to shape future programs, policies, and initiatives at CIC colleges and universities.

Travis L. Frampton, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Schreiner University

Monday, November 8

7:30–8:15 a.m.

Advising Partnerships for Student Success

What types of advising partnerships between academic affairs and student affairs are promoting student persistence and success at CIC institutions? Participants are invited to discuss cross-divisional collaborations to strengthen advising and to share advice about tools and strategies that enhance the likelihood of students’ success during and after college.

Joseph Lane, Provost and Dean of the Faculty, Bethany College

Assessing Campus Climate

What kinds of quantitative and qualitative assessments of campus climate for diversity and inclusion are being utilized by CIC colleges and universities? Who conducts the assessments? How and with whom are the results shared? Participants are invited to exchange information about their institutional practices and lessons learned.

Peter J. Holbrook, Provost and Chief Academic Officer, Tiffin University

Campus Policing

Providing oversight for campus security or a campus police force is typically not a skill honed during academic preparation programs. It also is not an area in which most college administrators have experience. During our time together, we will have a collaborative conversation about how to approach that work in a way that keeps your campus safe, acknowledges authentic national and perhaps local concerns about policing, and supports the professionalism of campus security or police forces.

Helen-Grace Ryan, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, Bellarmine University

Collaborative Approaches to Setting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Goals

What collaborative strategies—including focus groups, town halls, and campus surveys—have proven useful to setting institutional diversity, equity, and inclusion goals? The facilitator will share best practices and participants are invited to discuss their own successful approaches and to seek advice.

Nakeshia N. Williams, Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Hollins University

Defining the Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer Role

Many CIC colleges and universities have created chief officer positions to guide diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) agendas. How is the chief DEI officer role defined, to whom does it report, and how do institutions avoid placing the full burden of DEI plans and progress on the shoulders of a single leader? The conversation will explore these and related questions about this essential campus role.

Daniel K. Silber, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Piedmont University

Executive Leadership Academy and Senior Leadership Academy

Learn about CIC’s yearlong leadership development programs offered in collaboration with the American Academic Leadership Institute: Executive Leadership Academy (ELA) and Senior Leadership Academy (SLA). The ELA prepares college and university vice presidents for presidencies, while the SLA prepares mid- level administrators for vice presidencies in independent higher education.

Linda M. Bleicken, President, American Academic Leadership Institute (AALI)
Alana K. Cassidy, Director of Sponsorships, CIC

Exploring the Legacies of American Slavery

CIC’s “Legacies of American Slavery” initiative is designed to help member institutions address the continuing impact of slavery on American life through research, teaching, and public engagement. The national network was launched in 2021 with seven institutions that serve as regional collaboration hubs. Join the CIC project director and the CAO of one regional partner (Lewis University) to learn more about the structure and goals of the project—including opportunities for other colleges and communities to participate—as well as Lewis University’s specific activities to explore the post- emancipation themes of migration and mass incarceration.

Philip M. Katz, Director of Projects, CIC
Christopher Sindt, Provost, Lewis University

Forging an Identity as a Hispanic-Serving Institution

What does it mean to serve Latinx students, not just enroll them? Texas Lutheran’s chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer will share best practices for helping Latinx students persist and complete college. Participants are invited to seek feedback about their programs in the planning stages.

David A. Ortiz, Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Texas Lutheran University

From Student Wellness to Student Success

How can chief officers of independent colleges collaborate to design and implement wellness programs that promote student success? Participants will share practices and initiatives that have been effective on their campuses and exchange advice about how to encourage student participation.

Barbara L. LoMonaco, Vice President for Student Life, Centre College

How CIC Colleges and Universities Are Changing to Eradicate Systemic Racism on Campus

How are CIC colleges and universities transitioning from statements denouncing racism to actions that eliminate racist structures, policies, and practices? Participants are invited to discuss institutional changes already implemented or in the planning stages and to strategize with colleagues about overcoming obstacles.

Rebecca Hernandez, Associate Provost for Academic Success and Chief Diversity Officer, George Fox University

Identifying and Developing Faculty Leaders for Equity

Ohio Wesleyan University is advancing its equity agenda with an innovative Equity Fellows Program for faculty members. The facilitator will discuss the program’s design and benefits to date. Participants are invited to share their own campus strategies for developing inclusive leaders.

Karlyn Crowley, Provost, Ohio Wesleyan University

Inclusive Student Engagement

How are CIC institutions fostering inclusive student engagement? How are academic and student affairs leaders collaborating in these efforts to improve inclusivity? Participants are invited to discuss successful programs and practices and to seek advice about their campus challenges.

Timeka Rashid, Vice President for Student Affairs, Baldwin Wallace University

Meaning, Purpose, and Identity: Vocation and Minoritized Students

Academic programs focused on questions of meaning and purpose have had a significant impact on the undergraduate experience, but many institutions have found it difficult to fully bring students from minoritized groups into these conversations. Obstacles include structural inequities, well-intentioned but misplaced pedagogies, and demotivating messages that some students receive long before arriving on campus. Programming focused on the concepts of vocation and calling can be particularly valuable for minoritized students—allowing institutions to avoid a culture of mainstream and margins, and instead providing a “free and ordered space” in which all students can participate.

David S. Cunningham, Director of NetVUE, CIC
Lynne M. Spoelhof, NetVUE Program Manager, CIC

New Approaches to Student Orientation Programs

For fall 2021, Goshen College extended its new student orientation program from two days to a full week to assist first-year students with their transition to college following two pandemic- disrupted high school years. Goshen’s CAO will detail her institution’s new approach and share how well it worked. Participants are invited to share new orientation designs and effective practices in play at their campuses.

Ann Vendrely, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean, Goshen College

Setting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Goals: What’s Realistic?

What makes a diversity, equity, and inclusion goal realistic? How do such factors as institutional mission, location, finances, and stakeholders’ expectations for change influence the setting of DEI goals? Join the chief student life officer from Hanover College in a conversation about how to be successful in setting DEI goals.

Dewain Lee, Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students, Hanover College

Using CIC Course Sharing to Achieve DEI Goals

Participants are invited to share how utilizing CIC’s Online Course Sharing Consortium (CIC- OCSC) opportunities help achieve diversity, equity, and inclusion goals through enhanced student support, diversifying faculty, and sharing courses in key areas. Participants will explore how collaborations within the CIC Consortium can support an institution’s overall DEI plan.

Rob Manzer, Chief Academic Officer and Co-Founder, Acadeum
Carol M. Schuler, Vice President for State Council Programs and the Online Course Sharing Consortium, CIC

1:00–2:00 p.m.

Bridging the Gap Between Higher Education and Employers: Developing Curriculum Pathways

What does a higher education credential represent? It is the responsibility of colleges and universities to prepare graduates for the workforce. Yet research makes clear the lack of preparedness of too many graduates for employment, especially in the development of soft skills. This session will address ways that colleges can partner with employers in designing course and program outcomes to enhance graduates’ soft skills.

Tammy Shelton, Vice President for Business Development, Capital Education

Building and Managing a Sustainable Academic Program Portfolio

Participants are invited to a conversation about how to balance mission, markets, and money when evaluating an academic program portfolio. What data should be examined? How often should programs be reviewed? How can the evaluation process become easier and less time consuming? Where should CAOs look for growth: the development of new programs or the expansion of existing ones?

Lisa Piatek, Vice President for Business Development, Gray Associates

Fair and Affordable Faculty Compensation

Following a concurrent session on the same topic, this discussion will further explore how to engage faculty in conversation about fair faculty compensation that carefully balances consideration of institutional resources with external competitiveness and internal equity resulting in a valid, reliable, and stakeholder- owned pay structure.

Frank A. Casagrande, President, Casagrande Consulting, LLC

Institutional DEIJ Planning: Moving from Vision to Action to Results

As institutions grapple with racism on their campuses and their institution’s complicity, they are creating institutional plans that focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ). In this session, participants will discuss how to focus their DEIJ plans toward action and the metrics to measure success. The discussion leader will engage participants in determining next steps for building a comprehensive and clear strategy for their institution, how to identify areas of improvement, and why specific and measurable metrics are critical to institutional success on DEIJ initiatives.

Angela Street, Director, EAB

New Sources of Federal Funding for Colleges and Universities

This discussion considers the latest developments in federal funding for colleges and universities, including appropriations increases to federal agencies, new developments in congressionally directed spending (such as community projects, formerly known as earmarks), COVID-19 stimulus funding, and new federal funding priorities.

Sally White, Senior Vice President and Advisor for Firm Wide Strategic Initiatives, McAllister & Quinn

Preparing an Institution for Significant and Meaningful DEI Success

Before launching diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, campus leadership must engage in activities to prepare their institution for this important work. Linking DEI work to the core values of the institution and to its strategic purposes are essential first steps. It’s also imperative that leaders gain the commitment of important stakeholders, including trustees, faculty, staff, and students, so that a coherent planning process and implementation can produce significant and meaningful results.

Robert L. Head, Associate Consultant, Hyatt- Fennell Executive Search

Shared Equity Leadership: Who, What, and How?

Who are, or should be, the drivers of equity at colleges and universities? What is shared equity leadership? How do campuses implement, integrate, and invest in equity-minded leadership? Inclusive, equitable, effective instruction is essential to delivering higher education’s goal of ensuring that every student has the opportunity to succeed. This roundtable discussion will explore the collective responsibility to create a more equitable and just learning environment for all students.

Penny MacCormack, Chief Academic Officer, Association of College and University Educators (ACUE)

Sustaining Executives and Institutions through Executive Coaching

How can executive coaching help expand the adaptive capacity and resilience of both leaders and institutions? How can it enhance team effectiveness to set and accomplish institutional priorities efficiently? How can executive coaching facilitate intentional and strategic transitions and onboarding for new leaders?

Steven E. Titus, Executive Coaching Practice Leader and Senior Executive Coach, Academic Search

Tenure on the Post-Pandemic Campus

An experienced consultant will lead a discussion of how both the current pandemic and longer-term enrollment trends may affect tenure practices on higher education campuses. Participants are invited to explore shifts that are already emerging on campuses as well as those to come. The discussion will also explore legal best practices related to program changes and faculty right- sizing.

Mark E. Hanshaw, Of Counsel, Steptoe & Johnson PLLC

Understanding Today’s Graduate and Online Student: Seizing Opportunities for Enrollment and Revenue Growth

As the graduate and online markets evolve, campuses face new challenges and complexities. How do campuses establish new programs? What are ideal onboarding processes for integrating new technologies? How can ROI from marketing and admissions investments be documented? In this session, RNL will lead a discussion of the latest research, strategies, and technology to power enterprise enrollment growth and shape the student lifecycle.

Cherron Hoppes, Chief Academic Officer, RNL

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Consultations

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The Institute provides opportunities for formal and informal meetings of other groups in conjunction with the conference. Meetings scheduled to date include:

Friday, November 5

2:00–6:00 p.m.

Network of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) College and University Chief Academic Officers

Coordinator: Mark Wilhelm, Executive Director, Network of Colleges and Universities, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

6:00–8:00 p.m.

Lutheran Colleges and Universities Chief Academic Officers

Coordinator: Mark Wilhelm, Executive Director, Network of Colleges and Universities, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Saturday, November 6

9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Marpeck Mennonite Chief Academic Officers

Coordinator: Ann Vendrely, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean, Goshen College

2:30–4:30 p.m.

Catholic Colleges and Universities Chief Academic, Chief Student Affairs, and Chief Diversity Officers

Coordinator: Brian Schmisek, Provost and Dean of Facilities, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota

Sunday, November 7

7:00–8:30 a.m.

Breakfast for Conference for Mercy Higher Education Chief Academic, Chief Student Affairs, and Chief Diversity Officers

Coordinator: Mary-Paula Cancienne, RSM, Associate Director of Mission, Conference for Mercy Higher Education

Tuesday, November 9

7:30–8:30 a.m.

Breakfast for Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) Chief Academic, Chief Student Affairs, and Chief Diversity Officers

All administrators at HSIs are invited for discussion of current issues on their campuses. Breakfast will be available during the event.

Convener: Barbara Aranda-Naranjo, Chief Academic Officer and Provost, University of the Incarnate Word

12:15–5:00 p.m.

Christian College Consortium Chief Academic Officers and Spouses

Coordinator: James H. (Jay) Barnes III, President, Christian College Consortium

Wednesday, November 10

8:00 a.m.–Noon

Christian College Consortium Chief Academic Officers and Spouses

Coordinator: James H. (Jay) Barnes III

Belle of Louisville

The Belle of Louisville is the oldest operating Mississippi River-style steamboat. The Belle, a National Historic Landmark and an icon of the Louisville waterfront, was initially designed to be a ferry. The boat is completely paddle driven and can be used on nearly every navigable inland waterway. A variety of tours are available.

Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby Museum

Churchill Downs is home to the world-famous Kentucky Derby. The 147-acre racetrack, which features a one-mile dirt oval racetrack and a seven-furlong turf race course, was designated a National Historical Landmark in 1986. Located on the grounds of Churchill Downs, the Kentucky Derby Museum is dedicated to preserving the history of the Kentucky Derby. The museum’s exhibits highlight the history of this great race, how many of its traditions came about, and the different stages of a race horse’s life, from birth through race day. The museum houses more than 20,000 items, including many that have been donated by jockeys and breeders since the museum opened in 1985.

Historical Cathedral of the Assumption

The Cathedral of the Assumption is a cathedral and mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese in Louisville, Kentucky. The cathedral has had a long and interesting history; shortly after it was built, it was nearly destroyed when anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant activists attacked it. The cathedral is open for daily masses, and the body of the church is made up of individual chairs with kneelers instead of the traditional pews. The inside of the cathedral has been renovated several times but still manages to maintain its beautiful intricate finish.

Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft (KMAC)

The KMAC has one key tag line that explains what the museum is about: “Art is the Big Idea, and Craft is the Process.” The museum helps visitors begin to understand the relationship that art has with craft. Since the museum opened in 1981, it has built an interest among the local people in Kentucky’s rich craft heritage. The museum has moved and expanded over the years and now occupies a four-story building in downtown Louisville.

Kentucky Science Center

The Kentucky Science Center is the largest hands-on science museum in Kentucky and sits in downtown Louisville’s Museum Row. Founded as a natural history museum in 1871, the museum has expanded over time and typically hosts over half a million visitors a year. The center includes a four-story digital theater that was renovated in 2014. A new exhibit, “Science in Play,” has been hugely popular with children.

Louisville Slugger Field

The Louisville Bats stadium, which opened in 2000, was named after the Slugger baseball bat that originates from Louisville. The field has a retro-classic design and is much loved by the locals. Stadium tours can be arranged when no home game is being played. Tours last one hour and are offered twice daily.

Louisville Slugger Museum

The Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory is located along Museum Row in downtown Louisville. The museum shows off the Hillerich & Bradsby baseball bats that are known as the Louisville Slugger and includes a section on the production of bats. With 16,000 square feet of exhibition space, the museum showcases many historical bats, including the bat that Babe Ruth used when he hit his last home run with the New York Yankees. It also features hands-on exhibits where, for instance, visitors can experience what it would feel like to have a ball fly toward them at 90 mph.

Louisville Zoo

Founded in 1969, the 169-acre Louisville Zoo houses approximately 1,700 animals. There are six geographical settings in the zoo: the Asian Plains, African Veldt, the Islands, Australian Outback, and North and South America Panorama. The Gorilla Forest is extremely popular with tourists and is currently home to western lowland gorillas and patas monkeys. The Glacier Run exhibit, featuring polar bears, is a great place to hang out and even includes a splash park for children.

Muhammad Ali Center

The Muhammad Ali Center is a multicultural center with an award-winning museum dedicated to the life and legacy of Muhammad Ali with a mission to preserve and share his legacy. Although most people are aware of Ali’s amazing exploits in the ring, not everybody is aware of his humanitarian service: Muhammad Ali was named a Messenger of Peace by the United Nations. More than a series of exhibitions, the Center offers diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism workshops and other educational programs for children and adults.

Ronald-Brennan House

The Ronald-Brennan House is a historic Italianate townhouse located in downtown Louisville that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Francis Ronald was a tobacco merchant who initially owned this house before selling it to Thomas Brennan in 1884. The house is the last remaining Victorian mansion on its street and still features original lighting and furnishings. The rooms feature stained glass windows, hand-carved marble, and crystal chandeliers.

Speed Art Museum

The Speed Art Museum, located near the University of Louisville Belknap Campus, is the oldest and largest museum of art in the state. The museum features a large collection of ancient, modern, and classical art; the collection focuses mainly on Western art. A recent renovation doubled the museum’s floor space and added a theatre, café, shop, and pavilion. Highlights of the museum collection include pieces by Rembrandt and Monet.

The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts

Opened in 1983, the center is home to the Louisville Ballet, Louisville Orchestra, Broadway Across America, and the Kentucky Opera. The center focuses on education and sends staff all over Kentucky to work with both children and adults to increase their performing arts skills.

The Louisville Palace

Located in the city’s theater district, the Louisville Palace is a music venue with a seating capacity of 2,800. The historic landmark opened in 1928 and was designed by architect John Eberson. The venue has intricate decorations throughout. A vaulted ceiling inside the palace features 139 sculptures of historical figures, and the ceiling in the theatre room is painted like a night time sky. The Louisville Palace hosts a large range of shows and an ever-changing list of performances; visitors should check the schedule in advance.

Thomas Edison House

Thomas Edison House is a modest shotgun duplex property built in 1850 and located in historic Butchertown, the center of meat production in Louisville for over 200 years. Edison arrived in Louisville at the age of 19 to accept a job offer as a telegraph key operator from Western Union. Some of the interesting artifacts found at the Thomas Edison House include cylinder and disc phonographs as well as Edison Business Phonographs. An Edison Kinetoscope, the first home motion picture projector, is also on display in the museum.

Tom Sawyer State Park

“Tom” Sawyer State Park is a 550-acre park that was opened in 1974 on land that used to house Kentucky’s Central State Hospital. The park was named in honor of Jefferson County Judge “Tom” Sawyer who was killed in a car accident in 1969. Sawyer was the father of journalist Diane Sawyer. The park’s amenities include an activities center with a gymnasium that has indoor courts for badminton, basketball, and volleyball as well as an Olympic-sized swimming pool and weight room. The park also has tennis courts, soccer fields, lighted softball fields, a fitness trail, nature trail, BMX track, model aircraft airfield, a dog park, playgrounds, and picnic facilities. The park is also the site of the Louisville Astronomical Society’s Urban Astronomy Center.

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The Galt House Hotel

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All program sessions of the Institute for Chief Academic Officers with Chief Student Affairs and Chief Diversity Officers will be held at the Galt House Hotel.

Dress Guidelines

(All rates below are as of July 2021)

The Galt House Hotel is located approximately eight miles from Louisville Muhammad Ali International airport (SDF). Transportation to the hotel is available from several providers.

Taxicabs