Program Cycle

Each year, the Community Exchange program cycle begins with a “Call for Proposals” (CFP) issued approximately nine months before the event. The CFP includes options to submit proposals for talks, workshops, working meetings, and other gatherings. There are four core “tracks,” which each describe and provide examples of suitable topics, and submitters can select a Primary and Secondary track – thereby increasing the potential for acceptance and indicating interest in becoming one of the dozen “cross-topic” sessions that are given higher levels of visibility.

The ”Call” is open for six weeks for Session Proposals, but remains open for Working Meetings and other gatherings until four weeks before the event. Once the call for talks is closed, a community-led Program Committee reviews and scores the proposals, selects talks, and works to design the schedule. (Session proposals are usually selected before Registration opens for an event. Working meetings are selected and scheduled internally, based on space availability, with priority for Internet2-sanctioned working groups first, and then first-come, first served for other proposals.)

Letters of acceptance are sent to submitters, who are asked to confirm their “intent to present” (in person); after this is received, the talks are added to the event program! Sometimes one or more of the track teams are overwhelmed with proposals and are either late in making their selections, or have talks that may be accepted if space becomes available (but are not in the initial schedule). These submitters may not receive acceptance letters until after the Registration is opened; if proposals are accepted after the “early rate” has expired, these submitters (and their speakers) are offered a code to obtain the early rate.