For individuals who are incarcerated, accessing legal documents and information is often difficult, if not impossible. While law libraries located in facilities and tablets that provide access to Westlaw and LexisNexis are typically the first stop, these resources are limited. When materials are unavailable—or when navigating them requires additional expertise—individuals who are incarcerated often turn to law librarians in state, academic, and county libraries for assistance. Providing this support, however, is far from straightforward. Correctional policies and security restrictions often…
Past Events
Catharine Bond Hill, John B. King, Jr. and David Brooks at the ATI Presidential Summit
Adequate Access
The Role of the Law Library in Serving System Impacted Communities
At the American Library Association Annual Conference in Chicago, Illinois, Tammy Ortiz will present a poster on an Ithaka S+R project focusing on the role of the law library for system impacted communities. The United States incarcerates more people than any other country in the world. For individuals impacted by the legal system, access to the law is of critical importance. A series of Supreme Court rulings, notably Bounds vs. Smith (1977) and Lewis vs. Casey (1996), established a limited…
Exploring Online Enrollment Trends in the Era of State Authorization Reciprocity
At the Midwestern Higher Education Compact M-SARA Annual Meeting, Ini Umosen will present findings from Ithaka S+R’s recent reports related to State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA), “Exploring Online Enrollment Trends in the Era of State Authorization Reciprocity” and “Examining Employers’ Perceptions of Online Credentials: A Discrete Choice Experiment.” The session is scheduled for June 25, 2026.
Research Communities
The Role of the Research Enterprise in Student Success and Society
At the ConnectUR 2026 Annual Conference, Ithaka S+R’s Chelsea McCracken will present on current and past projects that relate to undergraduate research, including a workshop on sustaining open source software in the research enterprise, a recent researcher survey, and a project on open source program offices on university campuses. The session will include time for a Q&A session on topics attendees think would be most helpful to the undergraduate research community.
Research Communities: The Role of the Research Enterprise in Student Success and Society
This session at the ConnectUR 2026 conference proposes a novel framework, Research Communities, for conceptualizing learning and student success in higher ed, and summarizes progress towards developing Ithaka S+R’s Research Communities portfolio, a set of completed and prospective research projects centered on studying three topics fundamental to the continued functioning of higher ed: the researcher pipeline (how people become and remain researchers), democratizing research (how researchers relate to society), and community organization (how researchers work together). Learn more about…
The Future of Anthropology Departments
Enrollment, AI & Building Sustainability
On June 16 at 2:00pm ET, Ithaka S+R’s Chelsea McCracken and Claire Baytas will participate in a webinar for members of the American Anthropology Association, sharing findings and insights from their recent report on The Academic Humanities Today: Findings from Conversations with Department Chairs. Learn more about the webinar.
“I just wanted to take a different path”
On the Cultural Assets that Sustain First-Generations in Higher Education and the Workplace
Behind every data point about first-generation student success is a story of resilience, negotiation, and aspiration. This session at the NASPA Conference on Student Success in Higher Education will bring those stories to the forefront through findings from a qualitative study of graduate, first-generation, BIPOC library professionals. Grounded in Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth framework, we will invite attendees to rethink first-generation identity through an intersectional, strengths-based lens and explore how these insights can inform more inclusive programs, services, and support…
Designing Access Together
Aligning Partnerships, Programs, and Student Voice
What does it take for basic needs programs and partnerships to work together more effectively? As institutions increasingly rely on partnerships to address student basic needs, many programs and partnerships are often built in isolation. This interactive session at the NSAP Conference on Student Success in Higher Education will introduce a new Partnership Development Framework designed to align programs, partnerships, and student voice. Join this session to identify structural gaps in access and leave with practical strategies for more coordinated,…
From Detecting to Mentoring
Teaching for Trust and Learning in the Age of AI
False accusations of cheating based on unreliable AI-detection tools can erode trust, undermining constructive faculty-student relationships. Caution regarding GenAI’s impact on learning integrity is warranted, but a policing mindset contributes to student anxiety and negates the emotional dimensions of learning. Drawing on student experiences that highlight faculty’s central role in shaping students’ AI-adoption, this presentation for the University of Central Florida’s Teaching and Learning with AI Conference proposes a mentoring mindset as a human-centric approach to academic integrity. Mentoring…
Leadership Unlocked
Using Assessment Data to Enhance Leadership Development Opportunities for FGLI Students
Encouraging first-generation student participation in meaningful leadership opportunities is a core feature of the Kessler Scholars Program, supporting more than 1,200 first-generation and low-income students nationwide. At the NASPA Conference on Student Success in Higher Education, Jennifer May-Trifiletti, Kristen Glasener, and Chrystle Greene will share how they use assessment data to strengthen leadership experiences for peer mentors and student advisory board members, highlighting adaptable strategies other institutions can apply to assess and improve opportunities for student leadership.
Holistic Transfer and Credit Mobility in Action
At the University System of Georgia’s Adult Learner and Military Connected Convening on June 10, 2026, Ithaka S+R’s Pooja Patel will give a presentation framing the national landscape surrounding holistic credit mobility and providing context for the work that Ithaka S+R has supported across states and systems.
Improving Transfer Outcomes
Tools & Strategies that Support Student Success
Transfer pathways are a common journey for many students, but too often, students lose credits, time, money, and momentum along the way. The good news? There are emerging tools and advising practices that can help change that. Join this webinar on June 10 at 2:00-3:00pm ET to explore how practitioners can better support transfer students through stronger advising and smarter use of tools. Presenters from Ithaka S+R will introduce their Holistic Credit Mobility Framework, which helps institutions and partners…
Much Ado About Authorship
Research Integrity & AI Systems
What counts as authorship when AI assists—or drafts—content? An upcoming NISO webinar will dig into disclosure practices, tools and workflows for detecting machine-generated text and images, handling hallucinations and manipulated content, and editorial policies that safeguard trust while keeping reviews efficient. The webinar will feature panelists Mark McBride and Kari Weaver. Learn more about the session, scheduled for June 10, 2026, at 11:00am.
Collaborative Strategies to Support Adult Learner Re-enrollment and Affordability
More than 36 million adults in the United States have some college experience but no credential. Many adult learners who consider returning encounter persistent affordability challenges that slow or prevent re-enrollment and completion.In a plenary session at the MHEC College Affordability Summit: FAFSA & Beyond, Elizabeth Looker, Joanna Dressel, and Toni-Anne Richards will explore the complex financial and structural barriers that shape adult learners’ educational journeys. Grounded in national and regional data, we will examine trends in adult…
Postsecondary Value Convening
In 2024, Arnold Ventures, the Gates Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, and Strada Education Foundation partnered to fund a set of applied research projects aimed at closing the gap between what we know about student success and what policymakers can actually do about it. Through a competitive RFP process they commissioned thirteen projects focused on three interlocking topic areas: institutional improvement and support; accountability in diverse institutional contexts; and governance and structural dynamics. This full-day, in-person convening brings together the researchers…
From Insights to Action
Introducing the Practical Guide for Sustaining Open Source Software in the Research Enterprise
Ithaka S+R is participating in a virtual convening hosted by the Apereo Foundation to share our Practical Guide with the participants of the SOSSRE workshop, which was held in August 2025. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the Sloan Foundation, and by a gift from Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative, this presentation will summarize both the previously published SOSSRE report and the newly published Practical Guide, which provides technical recommendations for sustaining open source research software in academia. The reconvening will also include…
Transfer Explorer Learning Network
Reverse Transfer and Why It Matters
Join us on May 21, 2026 at 3pm ET for the next Transfer Explorer Learning Network session. This quarter, we are talking about reverse transfer and how it can be an important pathway to degree completion for students. The session will feature an overview of reverse transfer, why it matters, and the challenges that students and institutions may encounter. Then, we will hear from guest speaker Dr. David Yancey of Coastal Carolina University, who will share insights from the real…
Tracking Pathways
How States Build Data Systems that Matter
At SHEEO’s Higher Education in Prison Convening on May 12, 2026, Alex Monday will join Charles McGrew, Haley Shoaf, and Belinda Wheeler for a conversation on how states can build and use data systems that illuminate the full educational and workforce pathways of justice-impacted students. Presenters will share concrete approaches for linking correctional, postsecondary, and labor market data, as well as methods for tracking access, progress, completion, and outcomes over time. Attendees will be invited to reflect on their own…
Defining AI Literacy Cohort Information Session
As students and instructors experiment with AI tools, colleges and universities are being called upon to provide support while also navigating complex questions around academic integrity, ethics, and accessibility. Against this backdrop, developing effective and comprehensive AI literacy initiatives remains a pressing priority across higher education. This July, we’re launching Defining AI Literacy, a collaborative cohort that will work with approximately 15 colleges and universities to define AI literacy using established…
Strengthening and Aligning Governing Boards
On May 5 at 3:30pm-5:00pm ET, Ithaka S+R’s Martin Kurzweil and Catharine Hill will participate in a virtual workshop hosted by AASCU and designed for leaders of regional public universities. Other speakers include Brian O. Hemphill, Doug Lederman, and Charles L. Welch. Learn more. …