Call for Oral and Poster Presentations

Deadline for Submission: January 31, 2026

Notification of Submission Status by February 16, 2026

VITA U Conference

The University of Georgia – Athens, GA – May 18 - 20, 2026.

Please note: Extended abstracts are required for presentations (oral and poster). Abstracts detailing planned research for the 2026 tax season are encouraged. 

Introduction

The purpose of the VITA U conference is to provide a forum for academics to share their research and scholarship focused on tax-based service-learning programs affiliated with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. Scholarly work focusing on any aspect (i.e., teaching, research, structure, community impact assessments, etc.) of university/college-affiliated VITA programs is encouraged. Student submissions are also encouraged.

 Types of Submissions

Submissions for presentation at VITA U must fall within one of two categories: oral presentation or symposia presentation. Presenters are required to be present at the conference. We are unable to accommodate virtual or hybrid presentations. Please indicate if you would like for your extended abstract to be published in the conference proceedings.

Oral Presentations – Extended abstracts must provide sufficient detail to assess the likelihood of successful implementation (if planned research) or the overall significance and benefit of the scholarly work for other conference participants and VITA stakeholders.

• Proposals should not exceed 2,000 words. Tables and figures are not included in the overall word count.
• Proposals based on prior year tax seasons are encouraged.
• Proposals detailing research planned for the 2026 tax season are also encouraged. 
• Accepted oral presentations will be given 20 to 25 minutes at the conference, followed by questions and discussion.
• If the submissions exceed the capacity to accommodate oral presentations, some high-quality submissions may be accepted as poster presentations. 

 

Symposia – Panel sessions can also be proposed for presentation. A panel discussion should include a group of individuals, each representing different perspectives on a topic. Symposia topics are unrestricted but should align with the conference's purpose of examining university-affiliated VITA programming. A symposia proposal should specifically identify panel members, their roles on the panel, and the expected benefits that the panel discussion will bring to conference attendees. Symposia submissions should not exceed 1,000 words. 

 

Submission Conditions

Authors will be notified whether their submission has been accepted by February 16, 2026.

Submitting authors must ensure that a presenter for the proposal attends the conference in person to present. All travel costs and conference registration fees are the sole responsibility of the presenter. 

Presenters of accepted proposals are expected to:

• Register for the conference and pay registration fees by April 24, 2026.