Association for the Study of Higher Education Logo

Call for Conference Volunteers

We know the quality and success of the conference is contingent upon the collective engagement of each and every member serving as Reviewers, Chairs, and Discussants. Service in these roles helps to ensure the integrity of our conference and, subsequently, the field of higher education scholarship. However, we also know that the rapidly changing landscape of higher education and the challenges we are facing more broadly in society, and within our communities are taking a toll on our members. Please know that we value you and the time and energy you give to ensuring our conference programming can meet the moment.

A current ASHE membership is required for service to ensure that we all share in the professional accountability and supportive environment that define the ASHE community.

If there are ways in which ASHE can make your volunteer time as a Chair, Discussant, and/or Reviewer more accessible, please contact Alicia Castillo Shrestha, Associate Director for Conference and Events at alicia@ashe.ws.

Submit a Conference Volunteer Interest Form

Proposal Reviewers

We invite you to help shape the conference program by serving as a proposal reviewer. By participating, you provide a meaningful service to our colleagues through concrete, developmental feedback. This thoughtful exchange strengthens our collective scholarship and ensures a meaningful and engaging conference program.

  • Interactive Symposiums, Self-Designed Sessions, Research Papers, Scholarly Papers, Policy Briefs, and PVDS proposals will be assigned 3 Reviewers, with at least 2 doctoral/terminal degree holders (e.g., PhD, EdD, JD, etc.). The third Reviewer may be a doctoral candidate (meaning anyone who has defended their dissertation proposal) or a member with substantial research or practical expertise relevant to the proposal who does not have a terminal degree (e.g., a policy maker or policy researcher with 10+ years experience). 

  • Posters and Works in Progress sessions will be assigned 3 Reviewers, with at least 1 doctoral/terminal degree holder (e.g., PhD, EdD, JD, etc.). 

The Program Committee will make every effort to ensure that Reviewers receive proposals related to their area(s) of expertise in topic and/or method. At times, however, Reviewers may be assigned as a “higher education generalist” Reviewer who understands the general context of higher education and research methods, but may not have expertise in the specific topic or method. Ideally, at least two of the three assigned Reviewers will have knowledge in the topic and/or method, if not all three. 

More information about the review process can be found at www.ashe.ws/review-process.

Reviewers will be able to indicate how many reviews they are willing to review, either up to 7 or up to 14. In recent years, members have reviewed on average 8-10 proposals.

Timeline & Time Commitment

  • April 30: Deadline to apply for Reviewer positions through ASHE Conference Portal

  • Mid May: Assignment of reviews

  • Early June: Reviews due

Qualifications

Each proposal assigned will take on average 15-30 minutes to read and then to complete the reviewer form in the Conference Portal. The Program Committee will offer a web-based training for Reviewers in May 2026 that can be viewed live or at a later date. The Program Committee will provide example reviews on the ASHE website to showcase the kind of reliable, constructive, and developmental review process that is characteristic of strong peer review.

Session Chairs 

The Program Committee pairs Chairs and Discussants with Research, Scholarly, and PVDS presentations to ensure a rich exchange of ideas. While Works in Progress (WIP) sessions do not have Discussants, a Chair leads each session to guide the conversation forward.

To support your success as a Session Chair, the Program Committee provides web-based training and a comprehensive guide leading up to the conference. As a Session Chair, you serve as the bridge for your session—introducing colleagues, managing time, and sparking the post-presentation discussion. You also help your fellow presenters and the Discussant stay connected as you prepare for the event.

We welcome graduate students to this vital role; a doctoral degree is not required.

Timeline & Time Commitment

  • April 30: Deadline to apply for Chair positions through Conference Portal

  • Early July: Notification of Assignment

  • Early August: Assignment of time and location

  • September 3: Presenter, Chair, and Discussant conference registration deadline. If you are assigned as Chair or Discussant, you have a professional and ethical obligation to register for and attend applicable events: ASHE 2026 Virtual Conference Day, Conference, or respective Pre-Conference

  • Early October: Contact presenters and Discussant (template emails will be provided in the guide)

  • October 1: Papers for Virtual Conference due through ASHE Conference Portal

  • October 15: Papers for In-Person Conference due through ASHE Conference Portal

  • October 22: Attend ASHE Virtual Conference Day and serve as Chair (if applicable) (template schedule and script will be provided in the guide)

  • November 3-6: Attend ASHE 2026 Conference and serve as Chair (if applicable) (template schedule and script will be provided in the guide)

Qualifications

Session Discussants

As a Session Discussant, you play a vital role in advancing our collective scholarship and helping colleagues grow. By reviewing Research, Scholarly, and PVDS works in advance, you provide the thoughtful, constructive feedback authors need to refine their research for publication.

Your expertise brings the session together. In your ten-minute oral comments, you serve as a bridge—identifying common themes and exploring how different methods and theories shape our understanding of higher education. To ensure you feel prepared, the Program Committee offers web-based training and a comprehensive guide to support your preparation and feedback process.

We invite members with terminal degrees or significant professional expertise to help us maintain the high quality of our conference dialogue. Whether you are assigned by the Program Committee or join a self-designed session, your insights are essential to sparking the meaningful scholarly exchange our community relies on.

Timeline & Time Commitment

  • April 30: Deadline to apply for Discussant positions through ASHE Conference Portal

  • Early July: Notification of Assignment

  • Early August: Assignment of time and location

  • September 3: Presenter, Chair, and Discussant conference registration deadline. If you are assigned as Chair or Discussant, you have a professional and ethical obligation to register for and attend applicable events: ASHE 2026 Virtual Conference Day, Conference, or respective Pre-Conference

  • October 1: Papers for Virtual Conference due through ASHE Conference Portal

  • October 15: Papers for In-Person Conference due through ASHE Conference Portal

  • October 22: Attend ASHE Virtual Conference Day and serve as Discussant (if assigned) (template schedule and resources will be provided in the guide)

  • November 3-6: Attend ASHE 2026 Conference and serve as Discussant (if assigned) (template schedule and resources will be provided in the guide)

Qualifications

  • An earned terminal degree (e.g., PhD, EdD, JD) or substantial (10+ years) research or practical expertise.

  • Expertise in the subject area of the session for which they are assigned. This would ideally include methodological expertise, especially for advanced methods; however, the method in which authors answer related research questions may vary.

  • Ability to synthesize 3 different presentations, find common themes, and deliver this summary to session attendees

  • Ability to provide critical, honest, and constructive feedback to authors and openness for follow-up questions from authors (e.g., for clarity of comments)

  • Current membership in ASHE and registration for ASHE 2026 Conference or respective Pre-Conference agreement to uphold the ASHE governing policies including the Events Code of Conduct; Ethics Policies; and Inclusion, Equity, and Organizational Diversity Policy