Instructional Technology Council

July 19-21, 2012
Minneapolis, Minnesota
The Westin Minneapolis

This year’s three-day ITC Leadership Academy will be in beautiful downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota at the Westin Minneapolis. It will begin with a preliminary session on the morning of Thursday, July 19, 2012, concluding with the graduation dinner on the evening of Saturday, July 21, 2012.

The focus for this year's three-day academy will be providing leadership development in a changing eLearning environment. The faculty for the 2012 Academy will provide immersive opportunities and incorporate scenario-based learning activities to explore how effective leadership in eLearning can:

• Harness technology to achieve program success,
• Provide outstanding academic and student support,
• Keep pace with, and influence, changing federal policies, such as state authorization for out-of-state institutions, student authentication, and accreditation,
• Leverage internal campus politics,
• Incorporate data-driven decision making into your planning, and
• Improve course and program quality to enhance student retention and completion rates

The agenda for the 2012 Academy is participant-driven and includes readings and online discussion work prior to meeting in Minneapolis.  The face-to-face meetings will include three days filled with discussions with eLearning experts and practitioners, hand's on activities, group work and reflection.

Participants will gain the opportunity to:

• Learn how your institution works—so you can create a sound, effective, sustainable leadership strategy for your environment
• Develop a leadership model that fits your institution
• Identify and acquire key tools for successful leadership in distance learning
• Gain a network of practitioners

Hotel Information
The Westin Minneapolis

All of the meetings for the ITC 2012 Leadership Academy will take place at the Westin Minneapolis.  Originally built to house Minneapolis’s historic Farmers & Mechanics Bank, the building the Westin Minneapolis now occupies was built in 1941.  The hotel features the original 34-foot vaulted bank lobby, marble staircase, and wood carved emblems, signifying the leading industries of the World War II era.  The Westin Minneapolis is centrally located at the pulse of cosmopolitan Minneapolis.  It is conveniently connected to more than seven miles of the skyway system—the city’s signature walkway to business, shopping, and entertainment venues.

While you are in Minneapolis, you can visit the Guthrie Theatre, First Avenue (the backdrop to Purple Rain), Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, the Minnesota Opera, the Minnesota Orchestra, Science Museum of Minnesota, Target Center (home to the Minnesota Twins), and the Walker Art Center.  Hop on the light rail for a shopping trip out to the Mall of America.  As an added bonus during our stay, the city of Minneapolis will celebrate the 2012 Minneapolis Aquatennial from July 13-21, 2012 - a city-wide festival that will include a block party, beach bash complete with a sandcastle competition and milk carton boat races, torchlight parade and fireworks at the Target Center.

All guest rooms at the Westin Minneapolis feature the famed Westin Heavenly Bed® and Heavenly Bath®, MP3 and iPod players, 32” LCD televisions, wireless and wired Internet, oversized working desk with ergonomic mesh swivel chair, and a chaise lounge for relaxation.  Enjoy the banker’s boardroom where the 2012 Leadership Academy meetings will take place, with floor-to-ceiling windows and breathtaking views of Minneapolis. Note that the dress code is casual! See more information about Minneapolis.

Please call 1-888-627-8343 before Friday, June 22, 2012 and mention you are attending the ITC 2012 Leadership Academy to receive a special room rate of $159 per night for Academy participants. Complementary high-speed Internet connections in all guest rooms and access to the hotel's health and fitness facility, are available for all of the Academy participants.  The hotel will honor this group rate—three days before and three days after the meeting—based upon availability.  The address for the Westin Minneapolis 88 South Sixth Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402, phone 612-333-4006. Parking is $30 per day.

The Minneapolis Westin is a 25-minute drive to/from the Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport.  The hotel is just one block from the Nicolet Mall light rail stop - service to/from the airport is just $1.75 each way. SuperShuttle service to/from the airport costs $18 one way, $32 round trip.  Taxi service to/from the airport costs $40-45 each way.

ITC 2012 Application Form for Participants
Application Deadline—June 8, 2012

The Instructional Technology Council will select a group of 25 distance learning leaders to participate in its 2012 Leadership Academy.  To be a participant, please complete and send this application form to the ITC office before June 8, 2012.  Applicants must include a letter of nomination from their institution and a one-page essay explaining what he or she would like to gain through participation with their fellow academicians.  Participants will be announced June 15, 2012.

Registration Fee: $795.  ITC will send an invoice to each applicant chosen to participate in the 2012 Leadership Academy.  Registration is due by: July 1, 2012 (no refunds issued after July 8, 2012).