Our annual Meeting in the Middle will take place in person on 9:45 a.m. on Friday, February 6, 2026. Please see the CFP below for more information. You can register and submit a proposal to present by completing this Google Form and submit a payment by visiting this web page.

Call for Proposals: Carolinas Writing Program Administrators – Meeting in the Middle 2026

When: February 6, 2026, 9:00am-4:00pm (full schedule to come)

Where: Kinard Hall, Winthrop University, 1720 Memorial Circle, Rock Hill, SC 29733

New Voices at Carolinas WPA: The Carolinas WPA Board will select up to four new voices–either scholars or schools that have not previously participated in Carolinas WPA programming–for a featured panel. Those chosen will receive waived registration fees.

Conference Theme: “Building Bridges, Not Walls”

“Engaging across difference makes societies stronger.”
Dr. Rachel Kleinfeld (2024)

Imagine a band with many different instruments (guitars, drums, keyboards, vocals) all playing together to create one song, rather than just one person singing solo. Each instrument (group, belief, perspective, experience, ability) adds its unique sound, and the music (society) is richer because of the variety.

Carlton Green, Kara Pranikoff, and Richard Weissbourd (2025) write: “Colleges and universities are places where students can be free to explore new ideas […] and learn how to thoughtfully listen and understand differing perspectives—even if their own worldview is being challenged.” Such exploration requires curiosity, intellectual engagement, critical thinking, empathy, and civility. These values and virtues are central to the work of writing program administrators, instructors, writing studies scholars, and rhetoricians.

This important work has never been easy, and increased societal polarization has made it even harder. Yet change is possible. Rachel Kleinfeld (2024) reminds us that recognizing this possibility obligates us to act: “the realization that change is possible makes it absolutely imperative for those of us who are change makers to be serious about how to get from here to there. For those of us who want to see a better society we must engage with those different than us. The reward is the better world that we all get to contour into being.”

This year’s Meeting in the Middle theme, “Building Bridges, Not Walls,” invites us to consider the question: How might we engage principles of pluralism, access, and civic engagement to build bridges rather than walls? We solicit proposals that address this question through theoretical, practical, or pedagogical lenses, resulting in meaningful dialogue about navigating difference. While conversations across difference often focus on political or ideological divides, this theme is not limited to those areas. We welcome explorations of difference in all its forms–identity, background, worldview, experience, privilege, ability, and more.

Concurrent presentations are scheduled for 45-60 minutes, depending on the number and type of proposals accepted. Proposals may be for traditional presentations (a single presentation of 15-20 minutes that may be combined with others to form a panel), longer presentations (a single presentation requiring the full 45-60 minutes), roundtable discussions, or full panels.

Please submit proposals to this link not later than the end of the day on Tuesday, January 27th. If you need confirmation of a speaking role prior to that time to secure travel funding, reach out to President Robin Snead (robin.snead@uncp.edu). (We always do our best to include everyone who wishes to present.)

When you submit your proposal, you will be asked to indicate/provide:

the names, institutional affiliation, and email addresses for all presenters
the type of presentation you are proposing (traditional, longer, roundtable, panel)
a title for your presentation (If you are proposing a panel, please indicate a panel title as well as titles for the individual presentations as needed.)
an abstract of roughly 200-words that describes your presentation

You may offer a longer description of your presentation including your goals for the presentation to aid in planning and decision-making, though this is not required.

Greene, C., Pranikoff, K., & Weissbourd, R. (2024, November 14). Teaching Students to Listen and Talk Across Differences. Harvard Graduate School of Education. https://hbsp.harvard.edu/inspiring-minds/strategies-teaching-students-engage-diverse-perspectives

Kleinfeld, Rachel. (2024). Why Pluralism Matters [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/aVao3K8yFDs?si=KCkfgmKaOXJCJYC5.

Proposal Deadline: 11:59pm, January 27, 2026
Registration Deadline: 11:59pm, February 1, 2026

We’re excited to offer graduated pricing levels this year to help those without institutional funding attend at the lowest registration cost possible. Prices below include annual membership in Carolinas Writing Program Administrators, registration, lunch, and parking at Furman University. (Click on this link to submit payment for registration.)

Attendees without Institutional Financial Support: $45

Attendees with Some Institutional Financial Support: $60

Attendees with Full Institutional Financial Support: $75

Additionally, if you would like to invite and bring someone new to the organization, we’re pleased to offer their registration at our lowest cost: $45.

Is funding still a hurdle for attendance? Please let us know (robin.snead@uncp.edu). We might have funds to offset or waive the registration fee.

More information about the event and the Carolinas WPA organization can be found at https://www.carolinaswpa.org; Questions about the event can be sent to President, Robin Snead at robin.snead@uncp.edu. Questions about registration/payment/invoices can be sent to Megan Busch at mbusch@csuniv.edu.

New Venue! New Shirts! We will have shirts for sale at Meeting in the Middle if you didn’t snag yours at Wildacres this past fall.

Maps and more details about travel to follow.