ASA-IT Conference
May 27-29, 2026
Sanford Convention Center, Bemidji
About the Conference
Centered on the theme “Stronger Together: Aligning Services to Elevate Student Success,” the event will highlight innovative ideas, collaborative work, and emerging trends across areas such as Accessibility, NextGen, Artificial Intelligence, Security, Data Utilization, Equity 2030, and ASA/IT partnerships.
Please complete your registration early to secure your spot. The deadline for guaranteed lodging is May 11, 2026. The conference committee has also arranged for the Sanford Center to accept purchase orders for team registrations this year.
Update: Keynote Speakers
Dr. Elizabeth M. Adams
Dr. Elizabeth M. Adams author and speaker with an Executive Perspective on AI, Leadership & Humanity. Dr. Adams will dive into the world of Responsible AI with “The Way We Lead,” a presentation on navigating the complex landscape of Responsible AI adoption and operationalization.
On a first come basis, attendees will receive keynote speaker, Elizabeth Adam’s book, In the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Choosing Purpose Before Code.
Chancellor Scott Olson
Scott Olson, Chancellor of Minnesota State
Dr. Susan Brower
Dr. Susan Brower, Minnesota State Demographer. Dr. Brower directs the Minnesota State Demographic Center, and, in her capacity, she travels the state talking with Minnesotans about the new social and economic realities brought about by recent demographic shifts.
Dr. Carrie Schneider
Dr. Carrie Schneider, Director of Research from the Office of Higher Education (OHE).
Schedule
The conference will feature a dynamic schedule of keynote presentations, networking opportunities, and seven concurrent session blocks across Thursday and Friday. Preview the concurrent sessions below.
Some session times and presentation details are subject to change as final adjustments are made to the schedule.
Wednesday, May 27
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| Hotel Check-in | Evening |
| Conference Check-in | 4:00 – 7:30 p.m. |
| Vendor Hall Open | 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. |
| Reception | 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. |
| Vendor Receptions | 8:00 – 10:00 p.m. |
Thursday, May 28
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | 7:30 – 9:00 a.m. |
| Conference Check-in | 7:30 – 10:00 a.m. |
| Welcome: President Hoffman, Senior Vice Chancellor Green-Stephen Keynote: Dr. Elizabeth Adams | 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. |
| Vendor Hall Open | 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. |
| Open Time & Networking | 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. |
| Concurrent Sessions #1 | 11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. |
| Lunch & Keynote Chancellor Olson | 12:00 – 1:15 p.m. |
| Concurrent Sessions #2 | 1:30 – 2:15 p.m. |
| Concurrent Sessions #3 | 2:25 – 3:10 p.m. |
| Refreshment Break | 3:10 – 3:30 p.m. |
| Concurrent Sessions #4 | 3:30 – 4:15 p.m. |
| Concurrent Sessions #5 | 4:25 – 5:10 p.m. |
| Open Time & Networking | 5:15 – 6:15 p.m. |
| Dinner Keynote Dr. Susan Brower | 6:15 – 8:00 p.m. |
| Speaker/Event |
Friday, May 29
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. |
| Hotel Checkout | 7:00 – 11:00 a.m. |
| Keynote Dr. Carrie Schneider | 8:30 – 9:15 a.m. |
| Concurrent Sessions #6 | 9:30 – 10:15 a.m. |
| Concurrent Sessions #7 | 10:30 – 11:15 a.m. |
| Box Lunch | 11:30 a.m. |
Concurrent Sessions Preview
Session #1: Thursday 11:00 – 11:45 a.m.
- Human Teaching in an AI World
- Metro State’s Security Architecture and Zero Trust Design
- Launching Systemwide Course Success Insights: A New Power BI Resource for Faculty
- Reinvigorating Equity 2030: From Vision to Everyday Impact
- Beyond the Classroom: A Micro-Credential Framework Connecting Noncredit, Credit, and Workforce Needs
- Identity 3.0: A Conversation on Phases, Impact, and What’s Ahead
- Learning Technologies Open Office Hour
Session #2: Thursday 1:30 – 2:15 p.m.
- Co-Designing an AI-Ready Campus: Faculty & Staff Training Roundtable
- Implementing Workday Student: An Overview and Update
- Beyond Print and PDFs: Rebuilding an Accessibility Resource for the Web
- Backdoors & Breaches: Incident Response Is Everyone’s Job: Group 1
- Beyond the Standard: Power Platform Custom Connectors
- Workforce Pell in Minnesota State: Phase I Application Support
- Rethinking Data Governance for MN State: Defining a Strategy That Works for Everyone
Session #3: Thursday 2:25 – 3:10 p.m.
- Building AI Literacy and Breaking Academic Silos
- From Selection to Readiness: Building an Enterprise CRM to Support the Full Student Lifecycle
- Next Steps for Campus Companion Projects and the Insights Driving Them
- Backdoors & Breaches: Incident Response Is Everyone’s Job: Group 2
- Modern Data Architecture
- An Early Alert Success Story: Aligning Student Need, IT Collaboration, Faculty Engagement, and Staff Outreach to Elevate Student Success
- Institutional Readiness for NIST and Pen Testing: Peer Insights and Strategies
Session #4: Thursday 3:30 – 4:15 p.m.
- Identity 3.0: A Conversation on Phases, Impact, and What’s Ahead
- Digital Accessibility Compliance Approaches Roundtable
- Reporting resources available to you! The Reporting and Analytics team can help!
- Reinvigorating Equity 2030: From Vision to Everyday Impact
- Turning Program Review into Impact
- Round Table – Developing Your Team
- Enrollment Fraud Mitigation and Response Updates
Session #5: Thursday 4:25 – 5:10 p.m.
- Strategic AI Planning: A Systemwide Conversation
- From Selection to Readiness: Building an Enterprise CRM to Support the Full Student Lifecycle
- Implementing Workday Student: An Overview and Update
- Institutional Readiness for NIST and Pen Testing: Peer Insights and Strategies
- Cost-Effective Architecture: Making Power Apps Affordable
- Stronger Together: Building a Statewide Eco-system for Higher Education in Prison
- Opportunities for Partnership: Libraries, IT, and PALS
Session #6: Friday 9:30 – 10:15 a.m.
- Building Institutional AI Strategies
- Student Financials & Financial Aid: Process Alignment for Improved Student Communication
- Digital Accessibility: It Depends! Supporting Campus Awareness and Action from an Information Technology Perspective
- Ballin’ on a Budget: Fleet Management
- Recognizing Learning Everywhere: Tools and Strategies for Credit Mobility
- Faculty Development Strategies Roundtable
- Optimizing Assessment with Brightspace Learning Outcomes
Session #7: Friday 10:30 – 11:15 a.m.
- From Prompt to Process: Lessons Learned Building AI Hub Solutions with Power Automate
- Co-Designing an AI-Ready Campus: Faculty & Staff Training Roundtable
- Next Steps for Campus Companion Projects and the Insights Driving Them
- Backdoors & Breaches: Incident Response Is Everyone’s Job: Group 3
- Data Without Fear: Using AI to Analyze Student Success, Enrollment, and More
- Reaching New Students with Technology Communications: Creative Strategies and Campus Partnerships
- Leadership Lessons – From Transactional to Transformational: Why Tools Don’t Change Teaching – Relationships Do
Register Now
Please complete your registration early to secure your spot. The deadline for guaranteed lodging is May 11, 2026. The conference committee has also arranged for the Sanford Center to accept purchase orders for team registrations this year.
Contact
Contact ITConference@minnstate.edu with any questions.
We look forward to seeing you in Bemidji!