The 2020 Teaching Public Administration Conference (TPAC) will be co-locating with the annual NASPAA Conference being held in Chicago, IL on Thursday, October 15th and Friday, October 16th.  This is an opportunity for SPAE members to collaborate with NASPAA on issues relating to research and teaching, especially in the context of civic engagement and inclusive societies.  Information on the NASPAA portion of the conference can be found at: https://www.naspaa.org/events/2020-naspaa-annual-conference

This year’s theme, “Building the New Civic Square,” is timely and significant to every program, and we know you have something to say. At this point, we fully expect by October we will return to business as usual and be able to meet in person for #NASPAA2020 in Chicago. However, if this is not the case, the conference will take a hybrid or virtual form. We encourage all of our members to continue to submit your panel proposals!. At the same time we are mindful that many of you are otherwise occupied and working to put new unprecedent plans in place on your campus. Therefore, we are extending the deadline for panel proposal to Friday, May 1, 2020. We would like to assure you that if you submit a proposal that is accepted, you will be able to present it—in whatever form best fits the situation in October. So don’t hesitate to submit—your colleagues will want to hear your voice, your ideas, your experience, your research. The success of our annual gathering depends on that.

We will continue to monitor the international public health situation, and in June, our Executive Council will make the decision as to whether the conference will be in-person, hybrid, or virtual. But please know – the conference will go on: your work in educating the next generation of public servant is too important for it not to! We will be following all guidelines set forth by our federal and local governments and health agencies. We are also in close contact with local Chicago authorities and member schools. In addition, we are working with the hotel to ensure that proper control measures and best practices are being implemented.

Separate TPAC information regarding the conference has not been published. As it currently stands, SPAE members will submit proposals in response to the NASPAA call for papers.