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Question: How Do I Advocate To Attend a Conference When There's No Budget?

Answer:

This is a great question -- it highlights a situation in which many individuals working in higher education may currently find themselves. We recently joined Kelly Cherwin and Andy Hibel on the HigherEdJobs Podcast to discuss this topic, and here we offer a written perspective on advocating for pursuing conferences and professional development opportunities.

We can roughly divide the scenario based on three potential responses from your manager(s):

1. An immediate "yes" (we will talk about how to make your case);
2. A "maybe," with a possible "yes" in the future (we will share strategies on how to get there);
3. A hard "no," which is out of anyone's control (we will talk about some alternatives in this article that still may give you some ideas).

Regardless of the possible outcomes, we'd like to offer the following advice for supervisees and supervisors when approaching this topic.

For staff and supervisees:

1. Strategically advocate for yourself.

The first step of this process is shifting your mindset. Gain clarity about why you want to attend a conference and how it can impact your professional role. If the current budget does not have a line item for this conference, you need to help your manager understand why attending this conference needs to become a recurring item in the annual budget planning process.

The next step is to take action and make a strong case for yourself. Create a one-page summary about the conference, its purpose, your goals of attending, and how it can yield positive outcomes for not only you, but also your role and your unit.

Finally, it is important to consider additional opportunities beyond simply attending the conference. You may only be thinking about attending, but conferences are always full of opportunities. For conferences accepting proposals, you can submit something and become a potential presenter. Otherwise, you can always find a role within an organization or conference, such as volunteering on a committee or joining a special interest group. Regardless of your unit's approval of your request, these committee or group meetings will happen throughout the year and off-conference season. These ongoing interactions may fulfill some networking purposes at the individual level.

2. Be mindful about financial and logistical factors.

It is also important to keep financial and logistical considerations top of mind as you are making your case to attend a professional conference, especially during times of institutional financial strain. There are a few ways to show your supervisor that you are being budget-conscious when advocating for the professional development opportunity:

• Provide different expenditure levels when proposing expenses: When proposing an expense request, draft different scenarios for attending the conference (most expensive, less expensive, and least expensive). Rather than receiving an immediate "no," this may allow you to negotiate with your supervisor to attend the conference in some form or another.
• Look for additional funding opportunities outside of your institution: Some professional organizations offer fellowships or scholarships to attend conferences, especially for early-career members. If you are able to illustrate that you obtained some funding from other entities, your supervisor or employer may be willing to cover the remaining cost.
• Attend regional or local conferences: Travel costs often constitute the biggest expense for attending a conference. While the large national conference can be immensely fulfilling, there are many regional and local organizations that hold events and meetings throughout the year that are easier and less expensive to get to for one or multiple days.
• See if there is a virtual option for the conference: The reality may be that you are not approved to receive funding to attend an in-person conference. This does not automatically mean that you cannot access many of the resources or materials. Instead, research to see if there is a virtual component to the conference you can register for.
• Maximize the travel and align with institutional priorities: Check to see if the conference you want to attend is in a city or region that is of interest to your institution for different strategic priorities. You may be able to justify the travel expenses if you can add additional engagement opportunities, such as connecting with alumni or making industry or business connections, while you are in the area for the conference.

For Managers: Make professional development a priority.

We also want to discuss how managers can play a critical role in supporting individual efforts, especially when resources are tight.

1. Prioritize professional development for your teams: Increasingly, new hires are interested in professional development opportunities and make them part of the negotiation conversation before accepting offers. At the same time, attending a conference should become a standard practice for talent retention, especially for those units and managers who want to make professional development a priority.
2. Get creative during times of financial instability: For managers who have been going to the same conference for years and have little desire to attend, you may consider giving this opportunity to someone on your team. If your unit has limited resources for professional development, consider rotating the individuals who get to attend a conference each year. And finally, encourage attendance among professionals who may not have considered it previously.

Final Thoughts

Aligning the personal benefits for such opportunities with strategic institutional initiatives strengthens your case even during times of financial uncertainty. While we cannot guarantee that these strategies will secure the exact opportunities you hope for, the process of advocating for professional development should be intentional for both individuals and their managers.

You can listen to the podcast version of this topic below if you'd like. And remember, if you have a job search or career question for us, submit it for a chance to have one of our higher ed experts answer it!