10 am - Morning Workshop and Lunch for Institute/Center Directors and School Deans

An opening roundtable will provide an opportunity for directors of university public service organizations to identify a challenge they are facing – or share new directions or strategies that may be of interest to others. This report-out will be followed by a discussion of leadership/management skills that can help CUPSO directors best serve both their teams and their clients. Non-CUPSO guests who are directors (or who are representing their center) should plan to join.

6 pm - Speed Networking and Dinner

9:15 am - Plenary - A Burning Issue: How Wildfire Policy is Changing in the United States

Wildfires—like other climate-driven disasters—are increasing in frequency, severity, and destructiveness. Communities across the American West are learning to live with wildfire by reducing their risk. This presentation will provide an overview of wildfire policy and show how data and science are informing community decision-making.

10:45 am - CUPSO Story Time

This session will provide an opportunity for participants to hear a selection of case stories from fellow CUPSO members in a modified “lightning talks” format. Come discover projects or programs you may want to replicate in your own region and benefit from other centers’ experience and lessons learned. Our afternoon open-space will provide an opportunity for deeper discussion and collaboration.

12:45 pm - Project Poster Showcase

Circulate around the room to talk informally with CUPSO staff members about work featured in this project poster session. There will be a “People’s Choice” award given out for the best project presented at this session, so be sure to make the rounds, cast your vote, and wear your “I Voted” sticker proudly to encourage your colleagues!

1:45 pm - Afternoon Open Space

Open Space (sometimes called “unconferencing”) provides an opportunity for participants to co-create the agenda. During this time, attendees will self-select into small groups to discuss whatever topics they find most compelling. Details about format and about submitting and hosting topics will be provided earlier in the day.

2:55 pm - Breakout Sessions

Training Post-Pandamic: What's Better? What's Worse?

When COVID hit, we started doing a lot of things that were “just for now.” But as we move away from crisis mode we are realizing some of those changes are not temporary adjustments, but lessons that have shaped the future of training. What are we carrying over from the pandemic? What have we learned? How has the field of training changed? Is it a good change?

Communications Workshop 1: Social Media Basics

Geared toward both communications professionals and staff at smaller centers’ who may wear a communications hat, this workshop will offer basic tips for developing a social media strategy including choosing platforms, how to stay active on social media, tips for types of post by platform and growing the “right” following in the post-COVID social media era.

4:15 pm - Breakout Sessions

Partnering with USDA Rural Development: Resources and Case Studies

USDA Rural Development plays an important role in helping to advance prosperity and connect rural communities to a variety of resources. USDA RD accomplishes this goal through a variety of funding programs, technical assistance opportunities, and partnerships. This session will explore how CUPSO institutions can partner with USDA RD to help serve rural communities and address critical needs. Additionally, the session will spotlight an example of an effective rural economic development capacity building program partnership between USDA Rural Development and the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government.

Communications Workshop 2: Data Visualization and Design Tricks

This workshop will provide instruction and training about research-based best practices for effective data visualization and data storytelling. Participants will learn tips and tricks for creating static visualizations for printed reports using Microsoft Word and Excel, Adobe Express, and cloud-based platforms such as Canva. Attendees will also receive guidance on creating dynamic visualizations from complex datasets.

6 pm - Evening Reception/ Event

7:30 am - CUPSO Business Meeting and Directors' Breakfast

Institute/center directors and school deans should plan to attend CUPSO’s annual business meeting. Among the agenda items will be the annual election of officers.

9 am - Breakout Sessions

Land and Water in the West

Water usage and land-management are complex issues in the Western United States. Huge areas of publicly managed land, a variety of natural resources, farm and ranch lands, tribal lands, and growing towns and cities create a complicated web for policymakers.  Vast wilderness areas share water tables with major metropolitan areas. Wildfires and drought are perennial issues - but so is flooding. How do CUPSO members help communities understand, engage with, and make responsible decisions in the midst of such complexity? This panel will highlight approaches taken to these issues from our centers Idaho and Arizona, in particular.

Investments in Equity

This session will highlight ways that CUPSO members are helping to build more equitable communities. We will hear how the University of Georgia is supporting culture shift when it comes to serving families through an inter-agency 2Gen approach to  improve outcomes for Georgia’s children and families, learn how University of Delaware supports project administration, research, data, and policy formation to address educational equity issues for P-12 students,  and explore how the University of New Hampshire has adopted collective impact strategies to support better outcomes related to public health, social determinants of health, and race and equity.

10:30 am - Closing Plenary: Measuring and Communicating Impact

As CUPSO members work at the nexus of academia and public policy they face the challenge not only of measuring how their work impacts what are often complex challenges but also of communicating that impact to stakeholders in the university and community who may have very different ideas of success.  How do we understand our impact? How do we help others understand the value of what we do?  This session is part of an ongoing exploration that pulls in a variety of perspectives and strategies to help CUPSO members become better advocates of their own work.