Q: Why does the alliance use person-centered language? 

A: The Alliance believes that language is a powerful tool in shaping the culture and narrative in the field of higher education in prison, and in society as a whole. With this in mind, and drawing upon the rich history of work that has previously been engaged on this topic, we want to express our opposition to the usage of terms that are rooted in a history of violent and oppressive systems. Along with a vast majority of our community members, we share the view that terms such as “prisoner”, “inmate”, “offender”, “convict”and “felon” are stigmatizing, dehumanizing, discriminatory and continue to enact violence and do not acknowledge an individual’s full identity. We consider it standard practice to abstain from such language, unless you have experienced incarceration and choose to self-identify as such.  You can read the full overview of the guidelines here: https://www.higheredinprison.org/frequently-asked-questions

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Q: Is registration required and how do I register?

A: We ask that all attendees register for the conference. Registration is free and open to the public and can be completed here: https://www.higheredinprison.org/virtual-nchep-2021-registration

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Q: Can I sign-up for sessions on the same day a session is hosted?

A: Yes, you can sign up for events the day or or even after they have started. The full schedule can be viewed here: https://www.higheredinprison.org/virtual-nchep-2021-schedule

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Q: Who do I contact if I need technical support during a session?

A: If you have a question about technology you can either email: nchep@higheredinprison.org or in an emergency situation, call our office: 720-738-9220

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Q: Where can I find the full schedule for the 2021 Virtual NCHEP?

A: The full schedule can be viewed here: https://www.higheredinprison.org/virtual-nchep-2021-schedule

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Q: Why is the 2021 NCHEP a virtual event?

A: Originally scheduled for November 12-15th at the Denver Marriott Tech Center (Denver, CO), the 2020 NCHEP was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, the decision was made to host a virtual conference in March 2021.

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Q: Will an in-person NCHEP be hosted in 2021?

A: Yes, in addition to the virtual NCHEP in March 2021, which presents paper and panel submissions planned for the 2020 NCHEP (that was eventually postponed because of the global pandemic) an in-person conference is also planned for November 2021 (health guidelines pending), to be hosted in Denver, CO. Details about the in-person NCHEP will be shared shortly after the end of the virtual conference in March.

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Q: Why did the Virtual NCHEP begin by using two platforms (Crowdcast and Zoom) and then switch only to zoom?

A: The Alliance initially intended to use the Crowdcast platform for all conference events, but upon further review of the functionality of the platform and some of the challenges it presented to hosting an event of our size, the decision was made to use Zoom (a platform that almost everyone is familiar with and comfortable using) and to use Crowdcast for Keynote and Plenary Sessions, to allow for a platform that is specifically designed for these type of “conference-style” events, but then later we discovered some serious technical concerns with the Crowdcast platform and decided not to risk any technology-related issues and switched completed to the Zoom platform. This decision was made in advance of the start of the conference and all attendees were notified.

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Q: How do I get the passcode to access sessions?

A: The passcode to use for Zoom sessions (all sessions except for the Keynote and Plenary Sessions) will be sent after registering for the conference. You can register here: https://www.higheredinprison.org/virtual-nchep-2021-registration

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