Hotel / Lodging

Hampton Inn - Detroit/Auburn Hills North (Great Lakes Crossing Area)

3988 Baldwin Rd, Auburn Hills, MI 48326
Front Desk: (248) 322-1100

Book before: April 27, 2026

Higher Ed Hive rate: $149.00 per day (includes complimentary hot/cold buffet breakfast)

About the Conference

Welcome to the proposal submission and review portal for the Higher Ed Hive: Midwest Conference. The Southwest Center for Human Relations Studies (SWCHRS) at the University of Oklahoma, in partnership with Oakland Community College, is excited to announce the inaugural Higher Ed Hive: Midwest Conference, taking place May 27-28, 2026, at Oakland Community College in Auburn Hills, MI. This exciting initiative is designed to bring together thought leaders, educators, and practitioners to critically engage with some of the most pressing challenges facing higher education today. The Higher Ed Hive is designed to foster regional collaboration, build new scholarly and practitioner networks, and catalyze innovative solutions across areas critical to the future of higher education.

Call for Proposals

We are pleased to invite proposals, submissions, and recommendations for the upcoming regional Hives. All Higher Ed Hive events are guided by eight thematic focus frames that address the most urgent and transformative areas in higher education. We welcome contributions that offer insight, strategy, and innovation across the following areas:

Civic Discourse and Engagement: Methods for engaging across ideological and socioeconomic divides, campus-based or community-based dialogue programs, empathy-building and deliberative democracy practice, the role of algorithms in shaping political opinions and polarization, and misinformation and media literacy in civic digital spaces.
Financial Aid: Exploring the complexities of financial aid systems, including the implications of rising costs, burgeoning student debt, and management of aid resources.
Student Access and Opportunity: Strategizing how best to serve nontraditional college student populations, including formerly incarcerated individuals, those experiencing homelessness, parenting students, older adults, and military-affiliated learners.
The Transition from Learning to Work: Preparing students to navigate an evolving labor market, addressing skills gaps, and promoting lifelong learning pathways.
Pedagogy: Reimagining teaching and learning frameworks to meet the needs of students with a range of learning experiences.
Redefining and Reimagining the Academy: Empowering institutions to (re)define their missions in teaching, research, community engagement, and innovation, while reinforcing their commitment to the public good.
Leadership Development, Policy, and Ethics: Equipping leaders with the tools to drive ethical, policy-informed decision-making in an increasingly complex higher education landscape.
Student Leadership Development: Examining models of civic engagement and student organizing, and exploring approaches to supporting protest, advocacy, and activism within higher education contexts.

Submit a Proposal

Managing Your Submission

If you need to make changes to your submission, you can do so by making edits to your proposal in the “My Submissions” tab. Do NOT submit the same proposal again.

Important Dates

Proposal Submission Deadline: March 13, 2026
Decision Notification: March 27, 2026
Conference Dates: May 27-28, 2026

Regional Institute Learning Objectives

Strengthen Civic Discourse and Digital Literacy

(1)

Apply methods for fostering productive dialogue across ideological and socioeconomic divides.

(2)

Evaluate the influence of digital media, algorithms, and misinformation on civic engagement, and explore interventions that enhance media literacy and deliberative democracy on campus.

Apply Transformative Leadership Practices

Apply Transformative Leadership Practices Grounded in Ethics and Innovation

(1)

Demonstrate knowledge of inclusive and ethical leadership frameworks that respond to shifting demographics and complex institutional challenges.

(2)

Explore new language and policy approaches that sustain mission-driven change while navigating evolving political and cultural dynamics in higher education.

Expand Regional Strategies for Opportunity and Access

(1)

Identify institutional and community-based models that expand access and opportunity for non-traditional student populations (e.g., formerly incarcerated, parenting students, First Gen).

(2)

Analyze regional needs and develop context-specific solutions for equitable educational access across diverse learner populations.

Integrate Cross-Sector Collaboration

Integrate Cross-Sector Collaboration into Student Success and Career Readiness

(1)

Develop strategies for aligning academic programs with workforce demands by building partnerships between universities, public agencies, and industry.

(2)

Critically assess how AI and technological innovation are reshaping employability and the learning-to-work transition for graduates.

Why Attend?

Learn strategies for navigating federal and state-level policy changes.

Build leadership skills centered on opportunity and innovation.

Network with peers committed to strengthening higher education's role in a changing society.

Access practical tools to enhance workforce development pipelines and institutional resilience.

Midwest Conference

Registration