Day one of the HETMA Virtual Conference opened, as it often does, with conversations already underway before the formal program began. Informal morning coffee sessions once again proved to be a valuable part of the event, creating space for peer-to-peer discussion across a wide range of institutions and roles. For many attendees, these early conversations reinforced the value of community-driven engagement alongside scheduled sessions.
State of HETMA
The HETMA Board of Directors shared updates on the organization’s trajectory, including the announcement that the RoadTo10K membership goal has been reached. While the milestone reflects continued growth, board members emphasized that the organization’s focus is shifting toward engagement rather than numbers alone.
As with many professional associations, the challenge now lies in increasing active participation across the membership. The discussion highlighted a commitment to developing new ways for members to connect, contribute, and remain engaged, with an emphasis on sustaining a vibrant and participatory community. In maybe the ultimate sign of faith in the org, Joe Way has said he will be stepping back from the day-to-day work, voicing his trust in the leadership of the org.
Ensuring Universal Design in AV
A session focused on universal design explored how AV professionals can better leverage shared resources, such as FLEXspace, to avoid duplicating efforts and to learn from peer implementations. Participants noted that while accessibility features are often present in classrooms, they are not always fully considered or effectively implemented.
The conversation returned repeatedly to the idea that ADA compliance represents a minimum standard, not an aspirational goal. Institutions were encouraged to reflect on how they want to be known, whether as organizations that accept compliance risk, those that simply meet requirements, or those that proactively design learning environments for equitable access.
The curb cut effect was cited as a useful analogy, illustrating how accessibility-driven design benefits a wide range of users beyond its original intent. Attendees also emphasized the importance of ensuring that access does not depend on self-identification and that assistive technologies, particularly assistive listening systems, deliver audio quality that genuinely supports learning.
FLEXspace, informally referred to as FLEXspace 4.0, was positioned as a practical tool for vetting technologies, sharing experiences, and reducing the friction of starting from scratch. Participants were encouraged to contribute their spaces and insights, reinforcing the collaborative foundation of the HETMA alliance.
Navigating the Bumps in the Road: Overcoming Challenges in Higher Ed AV
This session addressed the realities many higher education AV teams are facing, including limited budgets, staffing constraints, and growing expectations. Participants acknowledged that institutional size does not necessarily correlate with available resources, with both small and large institutions experiencing similar pressures.
Cuts to paid training and professional development were identified as a common challenge, underscoring the importance of free or low-cost opportunities such as HETMA events. As refresh cycles lengthen and the number of supported spaces increases, AV professionals are being asked to do more with fewer resources.
Proactive strategies emerged as a key theme, particularly the use of remote monitoring and control to support preventative maintenance and smarter workflows. Examples included usage-based alerts, such as monitoring projectors at consistent hour intervals rather than relying on fixed schedules. The consensus was that proactive, data-informed approaches are essential for maintaining service levels under constrained conditions.
Demystifying Networked AV (AV-over-IP)
The discussion around AV-over-IP reflected both strong advocacy for networked AV and a recognition of the challenges associated with deployment. While some panelists argued that there are few reasons not to adopt AV-over-IP as a standard, others shared practical considerations that can complicate implementation.
Institutions with established AV-over-IP environments described the importance of network readiness, particularly around multicast traffic management and proper configuration of IGMP and Layer 2 settings. Bringing network teams into the conversation early was identified as a critical success factor, as was the need for AV professionals to develop foundational networking knowledge and a shared technical language with IT partners.
At the same time, participants acknowledged that AV-over-IP is not a universal solution. Certain use cases, such as environments requiring tightly synchronized displays or extremely high-resolution content with minimal encoding, may be less suited to network-based distribution. The session ultimately reinforced a pragmatic approach, balancing standardization with an understanding of specific space requirements.
Outside the Sessions
Beyond the formal sessions, some of the most valuable exchanges took place during the conference “breaks.” Much like tuning in for the Super Bowl commercials, these informal conversations often delivered insights that rivaled, and sometimes surpassed, the panel discussions themselves. In these less structured moments, attendees were able to dig deeper into session topics while also branching into adjacent issues facing higher ed AV professionals.
These conversations extended well beyond the scheduled agenda, touching on practical challenges, shared experiences, and emerging ideas that resonated across institutions. While it occasionally made stepping away for a quick bio break difficult, the depth and quality of these discussions reinforced the value of creating space for organic connection alongside formal programming.
