Conference Schedule — Watson Conference on Rhetoric and Composition

Schedule

For a more detailed breakdown of the group work time, consult the proposals submitted by each collaborative project.

Zoom-Only Week

Day 1: Wednesday, February 28, 2024

11:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. EST: Conference welcome. [Update, 2/9/24: The conference is starting an hour earlier than previously advertised]
11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. EST: Keynote by Dr. Marcus Croom, "Collaborating Toward Post-White Fields"
3:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. EST: Work session (includes breaks) [access each project proposal for details]

Day 2: Thursday, February 29, 2024

12:00 noon-5:00 p.m. EST: Work session (includes breaks)
8:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. EST: Virtual pub-style trivia night. Open to all conference participants, both Zoom and in-person. Register for free on our Activities and Outings page.

Day 3: Friday, March 1, 2024

12:00 noon-3:00 p.m. EST: Work session (includes breaks)
3:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. EST: Showcase of deliverables; debriefing on the collaborative process and conference. (Note: In-person participants will give asynchronous feedback via Slack on the deliverables of their Zoom "project buddies." In-person participants are also welcome to attend the Zoom showcase.)

[Virtual creative writing workshop on Saturday, March 2, 2024 from 4-6 pm EST with bestselling writer Crystal Wilkinson. Details and RSVP on our Activities and Outings page.]

In-Person/Hybrid Week

Location Note: All meals, Dr. Croom's keynote, and the showcase will take place in Miller IT Center's Bigelow Hall (Room 131G)

Day 1: Thursday, March 7, 2024

[A shuttle will depart the Galt House Hotel for UofL's Miller IT Center at 8, 8:30, and 9 am]
9:00 a.m.-9:30 a.m. EST: Breakfast & conference welcome
9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. EST: Work session (includes breaks) [access each project proposal for details]
12:30 p.m. EST: Lunch
1:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m.: Work session (includes breaks)
[A shuttle will depart Miller IT Center for Black Jockey's Lounge. The first shuttle departs at 5:15 pm, and the last departs at 6 pm.]
5:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m.: Reception (alcohol-free) with hors d'oeuvres and sweets at Black Jockey's Lounge. Learn more on our Activities and Outings page.
[A shuttle will depart Black Jockey's Lounge for the Galt House Hotel at 7:30 pm.]

Day 2: Friday, March 8, 2024

[A shuttle will depart the Galt House Hotel for Miller IT Center at 8, 8:30, and 9 am]
9:00 a.m.-9:30 a.m. EST: Breakfast
9:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. EST: Keynote by Dr. Marcus Croom, "Collaborating Toward Post-White Fields"
11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m. EST: Work session
12:30 p.m. EST: Lunch
1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.: Work session (includes breaks)
[A shuttle will depart Miller IT Center for Roots 101 African American Museum at 4:45 pm.]
5:00 p.m.-6:30 p.m.: Group visit to Roots 101 African American Museum. Register for free on our Activities and Outings page.
[A shuttle will depart Roots 101 African American Museum for the Galt House Hotel at 7 pm.]

Day 3: Saturday, March 9, 2024

[A shuttle will depart the Galt House Hotel for Miller IT Center at 8, 8:30, and 9 am]
9:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m. EST: Breakfast & work session (includes breaks)
10:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m. EST: Showcase of deliverables interspersed with lunch; debriefing on the collaborative process and conference. (Note: Zoom participants will give asynchronous feedback via Slack on the deliverables of their in-person "project buddies.") Champion announced of the Watson Pet-a-Palooza pet photo competition.
[A shuttle will depart Miller IT Center for the Galt House Hotel starting at 2:15 pm; the last shuttle will depart at 3 pm.]

Notes

The Zoom-only week includes 11 hours of group work time, whereas the in-person week includes 12 hours 15 minutes of group work time. (These allotments include breaks.) The number of work hours on Zoom is slightly lower in recognition of Zoom fatigue.
In order to foster connections between the Zoom groups and the in-person/hybrid groups, who might otherwise not interact during the conference, we have embedded the following structures:
- a conference-wide Slack workspace for all attendees, which will include icebreakers and a pet photo contest stretching across the two weeks
- social activities during the Zoom week designed for all attendees, both Zoom and in-person (e.g., online pub-style trivia)
- a "buddy system" for deliverable feedback: 1-2 Zoom projects will be paired with 1-2 in-person projects. On the day of the showcase for Zoom groups (March 1), the in-person project buddies will review the deliverables of their Zoom buddies and share asynchronous responses and feedback on Slack. (In-person attendees are also welcome to attend the Zoom showcase on March 1.) Likewise, on the day of the showcase for in-person groups (March 9), the Zoom project buddies will review the deliverables of their in-person buddies and share asynchronous responses and feedback on Slack.