Ever wondered why planning the ACHA Annual Meeting takes nearly a year? Or why submitting your Program Submission and Presenter Disclosure Forms on time is so important?

Every step of our planning process is designed to deliver a high-quality, engaging conference that meets the diverse needs of our attendees—whether you’re a nurse, health promotion professional, administrator, clinician, or another key player in college health.

Below are the key stages of our planning process. See how your contributions help shape an impactful and enriching experience for all. Don’t miss your chance to be part of it — register today!

June

  • The Call for Programs site is built and launched.

July – September

  • The Program Planning Committee (PPC) meets monthly to discuss needs assessment data, continuing education (CE) considerations, and the submission review process.

September

  • The Call for Programs deadline is typically the third week in the month.

October

  • The section program planners work in conjunction with CE Advisors in Practice Area Groups to review submissions.
  • A standard rubric is used to determine those that best meet the needs expressed by members.
  • The Call for Posters deadline is in late October.

November

  • Practice Area Groups make their final selections.
  • The PPC meets at the host hotel for 1 ½ days of thoughtful discussion and collaboration. Selected programs are finalized and placed into timeslots. A great deal of time is spent trying to avoid duplication of topics or presenters.
  • Section planners-elect begin the review of posters.

December

  • The CE Committee reviews all selected sessions and begins assigning credit as applicable.
  • All program primary presenters are notified about the status of their submission.

January

  • The CE Committee meets in early January and finalizes credit. Their goal is always to maximize the amount of credit for each session.
  • All poster primary presenters are notified about the status of their submission.
  • Production begins on the Preliminary Program.

February

  • For several types of credit, ACHA staff must submit an application each year. Some of these applications require us to submit information collected on the Program Submission and Presenter Disclosure Forms. If we do not have complete information from presenters and co-presenters, we cannot apply for credit for those sessions.
  • The Preliminary Program is posted to the ACHA website.

March

  • A call goes out for anyone interested in volunteering as a presider or facilitator.
  • ACHA sends out the Room Usage Survey to gauge approximate number of attendees in each session and assigns meeting rooms based on these estimates.

April

  • The Early Bird deadline for registration is typically in mid-April.
  • ACHA receives final approval for the CE applications submitted in February.
  • Production begins on the Final Program.
  • The meeting app and Attendee Meeting Planner are finalized.

May

  • All meeting materials are ordered, printed, packed and shipped to the host hotel.
  • It’s time for a great meeting!