As Co-Chairs for this autumn's Annual Conference, we'd like to personally invite you to join us in Dearborn for the 2006 MCPA Annual Conference!

This year's event promises to be our most exciting and rewarding one yet, as delegates from across Michigan and the nation join leading faculty, key administrators, community leaders and invited guest speakers in dialogue about the opportunities and challenges new technologies present.

You can start the conversation on Sunday afternoon by participating in one of two exciting Pre-Conference opportunities. Designed to maximize energy efficiency and reduce environmental waste, Lawrence Technological University's groundbreaking new Taubman Student Services Center will serve as a classroom for pre-conference participants! On your tour, you'll learn more about the building and its design, as well as the goals and philosophy which inspired its construction. Our second Pre-Conference offering affords participants the chance to visit the Arab American National Museum, the first in the nation dedicated to the achievements of Americans of Arab descent. A panel discussion of Arab-American students will reflect on their experiences in post-secondary education. All in all, an extraordinary opportunity to learn more about this community of students on our campuses.

The formal conference program begins Sunday evening, as a panel of faculty and administrators ponder the broader questions about technology and community that inform this year's theme. We're fortunate to have current ACPA President Dr. Jeanne Steffes join us as moderator for this evening's panel. Bring your own ideas and questions to this challenging and thought-provoking dialogue! We're also delighted to have Dr. Debra Rowe with us as this year's Keynote Speaker. Currently a professor of Sustainable Energy Technologies and Behavioral Sciences at Oakland Community College, Dr. Rowe has achieved national prominence for her efforts to advance the cause of sustainability in higher education. You can expect a rich program of workshops, as well as innumerable opportunities to engage with colleagues old and new. Moreover, in a time of ever-shrinking resources for professional development the MCPA conference represents an extraordinary value for the money at just $105 for early-bird member registration. This year's conference affords participants an unequaled opportunity to participate in discussions about some of the most important issues facing higher education today. We encourage you to join in this important conversation! Please register now and make plans to join us in Dearborn this October!

     Amy Karaban                                        Bob Coffey
     Co-Chair                                               Co-Chair
     2006 Annual Conference                       2006 Annual Conference