2026 Administrators Conference

We are living through a dizzying moment of extreme environmental, social, political, and economic shifts. These seismic forces vary in tone, intensity, and impact across the architectural ecosystem of academic institutions where, collectively, we educate the future leaders of our shared discipline and the profession it supports. At the 2026 ACSA Administrators Conference, we ask how leaders can manage and influence positive and proactive responses to ongoing shifts, while anticipating future change. How can we identify shared values that provide stability for our communities, while learning from our differences? How do we build a stronger field, together?

The Sonoran Desert region of Tucson, Arizona, is no stranger to extremes. In the borderland, national debates play out on the ground in daily life: growing populations of immigrants and migrants; diminishing resources due to extreme heat and water scarcity; lack of adequate housing and shelter; and tensions over land stewardship and widening economic disparities.  At the same time, the area is a vibrant research center for the study of indigenous cultures, next-generation energy, space science, and innovative engineering. The Sonoran Desert, while uniquely extreme, is perhaps a harbinger of changes coming to other locales.