The continuing education office staff assists in every step of planning a conference. If a faculty member meets a professional in his or her discipline and believes students will benefit from the person's professional experience, the faculty member may request to have that professional speak at a conference. Sometimes professionals may already be scheduled to speak at RU as part of the Scholarly Lectures Program, and they may be asked to lead a conference the next day. Typically, the continuing education staff meets with the faculty member to determine the costs of the program, work out a budget and plan what type of conference will meet the need. Full support is offered in such ways as helping faculty establish the learning objectives of the conference, preparing instructional materials, reserving space in university buildings, managing registration and arranging for recreational services.
Food service is also available.
Approximately 3,500 people are expected to attend the conferences, excluding Quest, during this summer.