2008 Annual Conference
Detroit, Michigan
June 25 - 29

Each summer, the society holds a conference that is intended to provide an intellectually broadening experience for editors. Discussions include matters of importance anywhere in the world, with speakers who are experts in their fields. There is also a lot of critical give-and-take as members critique each other's editorial pages. (Sessions do not include discussions of how to sell more advertising or how to increase circulation, although there is plenty of support for the view that a better editorial product will attract both advertisers and subscribers.)

The real meat of the conference is in the exchange of ideas and the comparison of experiences among members from many different backgrounds. It would be difficult for any editor to attend an ISWNE conference without expanding his or her horizons. Rubbing shoulders with knowledgeable discussion leaders and fellow editors who have coped with similar problems helps to provide a better perspective on local, national, and world affairs. It equips participants with a better understanding of many issues of importance to their readers.

For many years, the annual conferences were held at Giant City State Park near Southern Illinois University's Carbondale campus or at Pere Marquette State Park near Alton, Ill. After the move to Northern Illinois University, the conferences were held at the university's Lorado Taft Field Campus near Oregon, Ill. In recent years, the society has moved the conference to other locations — Toronto; Denver; Washington, D.C.; Halifax; Colorado Springs; Brookings, S.D.; Calgary; Boston; Flagstaff, Ariz.; Erie County, Pa.; Victoria, B.C.; Madison, Wis.; Joplin, Mo.; Galway, Ireland; Grafton, Ill.; Alberta, Canada; Norman, Okla.; Black Hills, S.D. — always in a campus setting.