Realizing the Higher Education Value Proposition

October 19-20, 2026

Cleveland State University | Cleveland, OH

This year’s conference comes at a pivotal moment for higher education. Together, we’ll explore strategies and insights to help administrators adapt, innovate, and lead their institutions toward success. Additional details—including speakers, session topics, and registration—will be released soon. Stay tuned and plan to join us in Cleveland.

Registration

Early Bird Registration

Through August 16

$450

AAUA Members

$625

Non Members

Regular Registration

August 17 – October 7

$550

AAUA Members

$700

Non Members

Student Rate

$100


Registration includes two continental breakfasts, two lunches (one boxed and one buffet), coffee and tea throughout the day, afternoon snacks, and a Day 1 cocktail reception.

Dietary Accommodations: If you have dietary restrictions or food allergies (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, kosher, halal, or other needs), please indicate your needs during registration or email conference@aaua.org. We will make every effort to ensure appropriate meal accommodations.

Refunds will not be provided for cancellations. However, registrations may be transferred to another individual.

Timothy M. Renick, Ph.D.

2026 Keynote Speaker

Timothy M. Renick, Ph.D.

Executive Director, National Institute for Student Success

Georgia State University

Named one of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders by Fortune magazine. Timothy Renick is the founding Executive Director of the National Institute for Student Success and Professor at Georgia State University. Between 2008-2020, he directed the student success efforts of the university, overseeing a 70% improvement in graduation rates and the elimination of all equity gaps based on students’ race, ethnicity, or income level. Dr. Renick has testified on strategies for helping university students succeed before the both the U.S. Senate and House, and he has twice been invited to speak at the White House. His work has been covered by the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Time, and CNN and cited by former President Barack Obama. Dr. Renick was named one of the Most Innovative People in Higher Education by Washington Monthly, was the recipient of the Award for National Leadership in Student Success Innovation, and was awarded the prestigious McGraw Prize in Higher Education for the wide-ranging impact of his data-based approaches on the field of student success. The U.S. Department of Education recognized Renick’s National Institute for Student Success with its Trailblazer Award, and his work was the subject of Andrew Gumbel’s book Won’t Lose This Dream. He has been principal investigator for more than $80 million in grants focused on promoting better and more equitable outcomes for college students. A summa cum laude graduate of Dartmouth College, Dr. Renick holds his M.A. and Ph.D. in Religion from Princeton University.

2026 Keynote Speaker

C. Scott Green

President

University of Idaho

C. Scott Green took office as the 19th president of the University of Idaho on July 1, 2019. President Green joins U of I as a highly accomplished executive with a career in global finance, operations and administration. He is also a proud alumnus of the university, graduating in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science in accounting.

Born in Moscow, Green’s family moved to Boise, where he graduated from Boise High School. Following his degree from the University of Idaho, the third-generation Vandal went to work for Boise Cascade Corporation. He went on to attend Harvard Business School and received a Master of Business Administration in 1989.

Green worked for Deloitte and Touche as part of its accelerated career program from 1989-1994. He then worked in banking, serving in various management roles for Goldman Sachs and ING Barings. He published two books on the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which reformed regulations around auditing and financial reporting.

Green went on to leadership in global law firms, including service as CEO at Pepper Hamilton and as executive director at WilmerHale. He most recently served as the chief operating and financial officer for Hogan Lovells, one of the largest law firms in the world, with annual revenues of over $2 billion. Green led all of the firm’s worldwide operations, technology, conflicts and finance functions. He has had global responsibility for more than 3,000 employees in more than 30 countries.

The first non-lawyer to run an American Lawyer 100 law firm, Green was recognized as one of the Top 50 Big Law Innovators of the Last 50 Years by The American Lawyer magazine in 2013. A certified public accountant, Green was inducted into the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ Business and Industry Hall of Fame in 2006. He won the Institute of Internal Auditors Outstanding Contributor Award in 2004 and 2006.

Agenda

October 19

8:00-9:00 am Continental Breakfast
9:00-10:30 am
Presidential Panel (plenary)
10:40-11:30 am
Breakout Sessions
11:40-12:30 pm
Breakout Sessions
12:45-2:15 pm
AAUA Awards Luncheon
2:30-3:20 pm
Breakout Sessions
3:30-5:00 pm
Keynote (Tim Renick)
5:00-6:15 pm
Cocktail Reception

October 20

8:00-9:00 am Continental Breakfast
9:00-10:00 am Plenary Session
10:10-11:00 am Breakout Sessions
11:15 am-12:05 pm Breakout Sessions
12:15-1:30 pm Lunch and PDC Topic Tables
1:40-2:30 pm Breakout Sessions
2:45-4:15 pm Closing Keynote (C. Scott Green)

Speakers

Walter Iwanenko, Ph.D.

Walter Iwanenko, Ph.D.

President of Gannon University

Lee Fisher

Lee Fisher

President of Baldwin Wallace University

Laura Bloomberg, PhD

President of Cleveland State University

John Comerford

John Comerford

President of Otterbein University

Sharale W. Mathis, Ed.D.

Campus President, Capital & Tunxis
CT State Community College

Planning Your Visit

Accommodations

Crowne Plaza Cleveland

Crowne Plaza Cleveland at Playhouse Square

$129/night + tax

Block Name: CSU October Block
Use code: COB
Valet parking: $49/night (in/out privileges)

Or call 1-800-2CROWNE

Directions & Parking

Getting to Cleveland State University

Overnight Parking at CSU: $10 per night

Sponsors

Support the future of higher education by sponsoring a conference focused on helping campus leaders adapt, innovate, and lead through a pivotal moment in higher education.

2026 Sponsors

Discover Cleveland