Audio: Auditory Amplification

We use audio amplification in all conference spaces to ensure that spoken content is accessible to as many participants as possible. Clear, consistent amplification supports attendees who are hard of hearing, those who rely on assistive listening devices, and those who benefit from steady, predictable vocal audio rather than unamplified speech that rises and falls depending on where they sit.

In the General Session ballroom, the volume is intentionally calibrated to:

• carry sound clearly to the back of a very large room,
• ensure consistent audio quality across all seating areas, and
• support the virtual broadcast and recordings for participants who cannot attend in person.

We recognize that this level of amplification can create access friction for participants with sensory or auditory sensitivities.

Because sound needs vary widely and no single volume level will work for everyone, we offer the following options to support individual access and comfort:

• seating toward the middle or back of the room often provides a more comfortable volume level,
• earplugs or noise-reducing headphones are welcome,
• participants may shift seats or step out and return as needed.

General and plenary sessions are livestreamed and recorded to support multiple modes of access. If the volume in the ballroom becomes overwhelming, participants are welcome to step out to view the session from an alternate space or enjoy it later at their own pace.

Microphones are available in every session room and are an essential part of our auditory access practice. Consistent microphone use is required whenever presenters or participants speak, regardless of room size or vocal projection. Presenters are expected to use microphones throughout their session, including during presentation delivery and interactive discussion, to support shared auditory access as a condition of presenting. Please reference the Presenter Guide. 

Consistent microphone use ensures that:

• attendees who are hard of hearing or using assistive listening devices can fully participate,
• audio remains clear and even throughout the room, and
• cognitive processing load is reduced for participants who rely on steady, amplified sound.

Audio: Live Captioning Practice

Live captioning will be provided for the following sessions:

• Presidential Address
• Keynote Session
• Awards Presentations
• Anchor Session

Live captioning supports access for participants who benefit from visual reinforcement of spoken language, including those with auditory processing differences or who find captions support focus and comprehension in high-demand environments.

Captioning will be provided in real time and integrated into both on-the-ground and virtual experiences. For on-the-ground attendees, captions will be displayed on screens within the General Session space; participants who benefit from viewing captions may wish to sit closer to the screens, keeping in mind that sound levels are typically louder toward the front of the room. For virtual participants, captions will be embedded within the livestream platform. 

Presenters using projected slides during concurrent sessions are encouraged to enable built-in captioning features to further support visual access to spoken content.

Care Work & Family Support 

Childcare will be available during all concurrent conference sessions, with additional availability offered for select evening events, as resources allow. Advance registration is required to ensure appropriate staffing levels, space, and provider-to-child ratios are secured before the conference.

Childcare is staffed and contracted through a professional service based on the number of children registered by the advanced deadline. Once staffing and space are confirmed, these costs are fixed and cannot be adjusted in real time.

To support broader access, participants pay a small childcare reservation fee, and the POD Network subsidizes the remaining childcare costs. When registered childcare spots are not used, and we are not notified in advance, the organization still incurs the full staffing and space costs.

If your plans change, please notify us as early as possible, or by the childcare request deadline, whichever comes first. Early notice allows us to adjust staffing when feasible and helps ensure the continued availability of subsidized childcare for future conferences.

A dedicated Lactation Room will be available throughout the conference. This private space includes refrigeration for milk storage and is available at any time during conference hours. We are committed to supporting caregivers in balancing conference participation with care responsibilities.

Dietary Needs & Meal Arrangements

To support safe, inclusive meal options, we ask all participants to indicate any dietary needs during the registration process. This includes:

• allergies or medically necessary dietary restrictions,
• religious or cultural dietary requirements,
• vegan or vegetarian preferences and
• gluten-free needs.

Providing this information in advance allows us to work with the hotel and catering teams to accommodate as many needs as possible within the venue’s constraints. Advance notice is essential for planning appropriately and minimizing risks—particularly for attendees with food allergies.

All food items will be clearly labeled with key ingredients and dietary indicators. Attendees with stated dietary requirements must speak with a banquet attendant to receive their designated meal. This ensures participants receive the correct meal prepared to meet their specified needs.

Financial Assistance

The POD Network is committed to lowering financial barriers to participation and supporting equitable access to our conference and community. We recognize that financial circumstances vary widely and that cost can be a barrier to professional engagement, advancement, and belonging.

To support broader participation, the POD Network offers needs-based financial assistance for members who may otherwise be unable to join the annual conference. Assistance may include support for:

• On-the-ground or virtual conference registration
• Travel-related expenses
• One year of POD Network membership

Award amounts vary based on applicants’ stated needs, access to other funding sources, and estimated participation costs. Our goal is to distribute available funds as equitably as possible and extend support to those for whom financial constraints present a barrier to access.

In addition to needs-based assistance for members, the POD Network also offers grants and fellowships to support participation, leadership development, and community engagement. Fellowship opportunities may include:

• Adjunct/Part-time Faculty POD Annual Conference Scholarship
• Donald H. Wulff Diversity Fellowship
• Graduate Student, Professional Student, and Postdoctoral Scholar Development (GPPD) Career Development Grant

Descriptions, application processes, and eligibility criteria for these fellowships will be posted each year on the conference website.

Full details about financial assistance and fellowships, including timelines and application requirements, will be shared annually. We encourage anyone for whom financial support would enable participation to apply.

Mobility Access & Wayfinding

Our goal is to make mobility access as predictable as possible so that participants can move through the conference space with autonomy. We rely on the hotel’s built-in accessibility infrastructure and will share guidance on locating and using the accessible routes, entrances, elevators, and restrooms as provided by the host venue. 

Hotel staff are often the most knowledgeable and reliable sources of mobile accessibility within their building. POD Network staff and volunteers will also be available throughout the event to help direct participants to accessible pathways to the best of their ability and knowledge. However, their familiarity with the space may be naturally limited, particularly early in the conference.

We will provide wayfinding information, including maps of conference areas and the routes with the least physical resistance, based on materials supplied by the hotel.

Additional notes for mobility access:

• Seating will be arranged to allow space for wheelchairs, scooters, and other assistive devices in all session rooms.
• Elevators may experience high traffic during peak transition times; we appreciate patience and recommend that participants plan a few extra minutes between sessions.
• If participants need assistance locating an accessible route or entrance, please reach out to hotel staff or POD Network staff and volunteers at the registration desk.
• If participants use or benefit from mobility devices and would like to rent equipment for the duration of their stay, national mobility rental services are available via Harmony Home Medical, which delivers directly to hotels.

Religious Observance & Participation Support

We honor and respect the diverse religious and spiritual practices represented within our community. To support participants in observing their traditions during the conference, we aim to provide information and accommodations that enable meaningful participation without compromising their religious or spiritual commitments.

If participants require time, space, or specific considerations related to religious observance—such as scheduling needs for presentation, as the conference dates are fixed and dependent on space availability—they can contact the POD Network in advance. While not all requests can be accommodated, advance notice helps us explore available options within the limits of the venue and the conference schedule.

Restroom Access: Gender Inclusion

Gender-inclusive restrooms will be available near our meeting rooms for the comfort, safety, and inclusion of all participants. These facilities are open to anyone who wishes to use them. Signage will be provided to help participants locate the nearest gender-inclusive restroom during the conference.

Sensory Support & Regulation

A Quiet Room will be available throughout the conference for participants who need a low-stimulus environment to decompress or regulate sensory input. This space is designed to support rest, reflection, and recovery from the heightened activity of the conference. Lighting will be soft, noise will be minimized, and the room should remain free of conversation or device sound to maintain a calm environment.

Please note that lighting levels in session rooms are maintained at a consistent brightness to ensure safe navigation and visual accessibility for participants with sight-related disabilities. While these levels may feel bright for some, they are necessary to support mobility and visual access across the conference environment. Participants who need to manage light sensitivity are warmly welcome to wear tinted glasses, sunglasses, hats, brims, or any other personal tools that support comfort and light regulation.

Participants may experience session room temperatures differently, as hotel HVAC systems in large venues provide limited adjustment. We encourage participants to bring layers or personal warming or cooling items so they can regulate temperature as needed throughout the day.

Self-regulation is welcomed and encouraged in whatever form supports participants’ access needs—whether that means stepping out of sessions, using sensory tools, taking movement breaks, or spending time in the Quiet Room. Participants may leave and return to sessions at any time, as they feel comfortable doing so.

Virtual Access Integration

The following sessions will be livestreamed for virtual participants and recorded for later viewing:

• Presidential Address
• Keynote Session
• Awards Presentations
• Anchor Session
• POD Talks
• Research Sessions

These livestreamed offerings are designed to provide a high-quality viewing experience with clear audio and consistent visual access. Recordings will be available after the event for participants who need flexibility due to time zones, caregiving responsibilities, disability-related pacing, or other access needs.

Our virtual broadcast option is intentionally integrated with the on-the-ground conference experience to expand access to the Annual Conference content in ways that are sustainable, high-quality, and equitable for participants, presenters, staff, and volunteers. This integration maintains the fidelity of each session type and ensures parity in how conference content is presented and experienced, ensuring that participants receive the same presentation across modalities and that virtual presenters can represent their engagement as participation in the POD Network Conference for professional records, CVs, and resumes.

By embedding virtual participation directly into the conference structure, we are able to broaden access to the conference itself, particularly for those who are unable to travel, while balancing equity for presenters, consistency for participants, and the realities of staff and volunteer labor.

Creating an inclusive environment is an ongoing, shared project that thrives when all community members and participants engage actively in co-creating access. Accessibility is not a fixed endpoint; it requires collective responsibility and participation. 

We invite participants to engage with access checks to help foster an environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute. This culture of co-created access encourages participants to take on the role of access advocates for themselves and others. An inclusive space is built when each person recognizes their agency in shaping the environment and is motivated to make it more accessible and inclusive — not just for themselves, but for their peers as well. Together, we can work collectively to make the conference a space where all can participate fully, respectfully, and meaningfully.

Engagement with Diverse Perspectives

The POD Network is committed to cultivating a professional learning environment where diverse perspectives are welcomed and respected. Inclusion calls for the presence of multiple ways of knowing, learning, teaching, and making meaning. Knowledge in educational development is formed through varied forms of evidence, inquiry, and scholarly traditions, and our collective work depends on engaging these differences with curiosity, humility, and accountability.

Meaningful engagement across differences requires practices that honor dignity, uphold psychological safety, and support full participation. In alignment with the Affirmation of Care, Dialogue, and Accountability, participants are expected to engage with one another in ways that demonstrate respect, generosity of interpretation, and shared responsibility for the learning environment. This includes listening without interruption, responding thoughtfully to ideas that differ from one’s own, and offering constructive, contextualized critique oriented toward collective growth rather than personal harm.

We recognize that harm can emerge through microaggressions—everyday comments, behaviors, or assumptions that marginalize, dismiss, or undermine others, particularly those from historically excluded or minoritized groups. Microaggressions are inconsistent with our community commitments, and their impact decreases participation and a sense of belonging, and erodes the community’s trust and credibility. 

Engaging across differences can be challenging, particularly in moments of disagreement, uncertainty, or high demand. We ask participants to approach these moments with intention: pause when needed, seek clarification in dialogue, and remain accountable for the impact of their words and actions.

Professional gatherings bring together individuals with diverse experiences, perspectives, and expectations, and these differences can create both opportunities for learning and moments of tension. Accountability provides a shared framework for navigating interactions, identifying and reporting access barriers, and supporting continuous improvement in organizational practices so barriers can be addressed, learned from, and reduced over time. Accountability within the POD Network includes both community engagement expectations and the organization’s responsibility to review, respond, and evolve its practices in alignment with its values.

Reporting concerns is an essential part of sustaining access and participation; it allows the organization to respond to unintended gaps, support those affected, and strengthen future practice. The following expectations clarify how the POD Network approaches engagement, dialogue, and responsibility within a professional learning environment grounded in care, reflection, and mutual respect.

When concerns arise—whether related to access barriers, harmful interactions, or violations of community expectations—we ask participants to report them to POD Network staff or designated volunteers so that appropriate steps can be taken.

The POD Network’s Affirmation of Care, Dialogue, and Accountability guides community members in addressing interpersonal challenges through dialogue and shared responsibility. The Anti-Harassment and Non-Discrimination Policy outlines the formal procedures for addressing concerns involving discrimination, harassment, or conduct beyond the scope of interpersonal community engagement. Participation in POD Network programs indicates agreement to uphold these standards and to contribute to a professional environment grounded in dignity, accountability, and shared responsibility.

If you witness or become aware of behavior that may harm, discriminate, or be perceived as harassment toward another person, you have a duty to take the appropriate action outlined in the Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy to prevent further harm.

Concerns may be shared in person with conference staff or volunteers, or by emailing the POD Office. Reporting helps identify patterns of harm, address immediate needs when possible, and inform ongoing organizational learning.

When concerns rise to the level of formal complaints of harassment or discrimination, or when continued participation by an individual whose conduct is under review may result in ongoing harm to others or the broader POD Network community, organizational leadership may determine that removal from the event is necessary to uphold a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment.

Individuals who bring forward concerns will be met with respect and care, along with a commitment to take reasonable steps to mitigate ongoing harm and reduce the likelihood of future harm. In addition to addressing individual concerns when possible, aggregated reporting data is shared with organizational leadership to inform ongoing improvements to community engagement, equity, and inclusion, while protecting individual privacy.