Study Architecture 
ProPEL Bridging Proximities: Redefining Leadership
in a Changing Academy
Washington D.C., October 1, 2025 – The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) invites current and future educational leaders to consider the frameworks, relationships, and proximities that impact architectural education and leadership at the 2025 Administrators Conference | Bridging Proximities: Redefining Leadership in a Changing Academy.
Hosted by the University of Arkansas Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design, the Administrators Conference will take place on November 6-8, 2025, in Fayetteville, AR. Join academic leaders from colleges and universities around the world to engage in a critical exploration of proximity—as a conceptual, spatial, institutional, and ethical condition shaping architectural education and leadership. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in thought-provoking sessions, collaborative workshops, engaging tours, and events.
The conference will kick-off at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art on Thursday, November 6, where conference-goers will have the opportunity to tour and explore the museum ahead of the opening keynote. Founded by philanthropist and arts patron Alice Walton, Crystal Bridges is a public non-profit charitable organization that consists of a series of pavilions nestled around two spring-fed ponds, house galleries, meeting and classroom spaces, and a large, glass-enclosed gathering hall. New administrators and new attendees are invited to join a networking meet-up before the opening keynote to build relationships and collaborations.
Robert Burns will present the opening keynote at Crystal Bridges. Burns is the director of the Home Region Program at the Walton Family Foundation. He leads the foundation’s work in advancing economic and cultural vibrancy, opportunity, and inclusion in Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta. Burns will bring valuable insights from his 25 years of experience in workforce housing, philanthropy, community development, and governmental affairs.
Friday, November 7, will include sessions delivered by aspirational leaders in the academy and nonprofit sectors. The evening’s keynote will be given by the Chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Sharon L. Gaber, Ph.D. Since her arrival as Chancellor in 2020, UNC Charlotte has embarked on a bold 10-year strategic plan that articulates a new vision to drive discovery and innovation for the region as a globally recognized public research university. Under her leadership, the University officially earned the nation’s top research designation, Carnegie R1, in February 2025. Gaber was named one of the Charlotte Business Journal’s Most Admired CEOs in 2021 and was featured on the publication’s prestigious Power 100 list in both 2022 and 2024. She has earned a spot on Business North Carolina’s Power List for four consecutive years, and in 2025, the American Enterprise Institute named her one of the best college presidents of the century.
On Saturday, November 8, attendees will have the chance to exchange ideas and strategies during conference workshops. Hosted by the ACSA College of Distinguished Professors, the Administrators Workshop will facilitate a series of highly interactive, mentorship-focused conversations among new and experienced administrators on the challenges—and rewards—of academic leadership. Later that afternoon, the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) will host a workshop on the essentials for preparing for a successful accreditation visit under the NAAB 2020 Conditions and Procedures.
Attendees will have opportunities to sign-up for conference tours that explore Northwest Arkansas. On Thursday, November 6, there is a pre-conference, E. Fay Jones Architecture Tour that will highlight the most iconic works of Jones, a master of organic design and winner of the AIA Gold Medal. A post-conference, Contemporary Architecture Tour will be offered on Saturday, November 8. This tour will feature a curated selection of contemporary landmarks from world-renowned architect Marlon Blackwell, to thoughtfully designed public spaces and sustainable developments.
The 2025 Administrators Conference promises to serve as a venue for attendees to navigate complex proximities—between the academy and the profession, technology and humanity, immediacy and long-term vision—while championing architecture’s relevance in a world that urgently needs its vision.
About the University of Arkansas, Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design
The Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design enjoys a national reputation for producing outstanding designers who are well prepared for professional practice. Within the curricular context of an excellent professional design education, the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design provides a vital school-wide design culture and educational environment grounded in critical design thinking, multidisciplinary collaborations, and civic engagement. For more information, visit https://fayjones.uark.edu/about.
About the Association of Collegiate Schools in Architecture (ACSA)
The mission of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture is to lead architectural education and research. Founded in 1912 by 10 charter members, ACSA is an international association of architecture schools preparing future architects, designers, and change agents. ACSA’s full members include all of the accredited professional degree programs in the United States and Canada, as well as international schools and 2- and 4-year programs. Together, ACSA schools represent 7,000 faculty educating more than 40,000 students.
ACSA seeks to empower faculty and schools to educate increasingly diverse students, expand disciplinary impacts, and create knowledge for the advancement of architecture. For more information, visit www.acsa-arch.org.
Questions
Hanifah Jones
Digital Marketing & Communications Manager
202-785-2324
hjones@acsa-arch.org
