The Way Up Leadership Conference 2026

Most institutions have accepted that AI matters. Very few have decided who decides.
AI is already in use by team members across your institution's operations. It is in the advising notes, the syllabus drafts, the applicant screens, and the financial aid workflows, and almost none of it is governed. Most institutions are not behind on AI because they lack tools. They are behind because no one has made the decisions those tools require.

This session is built for deans, directors, and department administrators: the people who receive AI implementation without the authority to make the underlying decisions. We will work through five governance decisions every institution must make, assess where yours actually stands, and identify the specific moves available to you at your current level of authority. You will leave with usable language, a diagnostic you can share with your leadership team, and one concrete action to take with them.

This is not a tools, demo or prompt training session. Bring your institution's real situation and expect meaningful conversation with peers facing the same questions.