Embedded Files
Department of Composition & Literary Studies
Dr. Wendy Elle: wendy.elle@austincc.edu
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Last Call: Adjuncts, we need you to participate in the shared governance of our department. Fill out the Voting Adjunct Interest form. Your status as a Voting Adjunct needs to be renewed each academic year. If you've already supplied the info on the interest form, just leave us a note in the required fields. Thanks!
Please use the new CLS email for sub requests, staffing questions, and general departmental inquiries. ✨ cls-office@austincc.edu ✨
Full time faculty should look for an email about the Peer Review of syllabi and assignments. As part of the Evaluation Process, all FT faculty will review the syllabi and assignments of around 6 colleagues. Directions, materials, and deadlines are coming soon!
Update your directory photos! If you haven't sent Chris Stayton a mugshot headshot for the Faculty Directory on our website, we've dropped in a riverbat placeholder. If you're full time or voting adjunct and want to update your image, now's a great time to send your photo his way.
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From Wendy Elle on the Current Moment
From Wendy Elle on the Current Moment
Dear CLS,
Last week’s news was chilling—and there are more items, it seems every news cycle--from the firings and demotions at Texas A&M, Texas State, and some Texas public high schools to the death of Charlie Kirk and to the rhetoric that ensued. Someone asked me—Wendy, what are you going to do about it? What are you going to say?
I believe the week’s news was chilling because it made us afraid that some anonymous THEM will threaten our jobs and tell us that we are no longer allowed the academic freedom to teach ideas that create discomfort and trigger discourse.
And, it made us worry more about the risk of violence on campus as political partisanship crashes into dangerous online cultures. I can’t tell you that there won’t be infringements on our academic freedom; I believe that there might be, even that there are. It's been this way in eras past, and it may get worse before it gets better. I don’t want hate and fear to stop me from teaching what I love to teach—and what I love to teach, I think, has a direct line to slowing the kind of hate and fear that we’ve been seeing on our newsfeeds.
We’re not in the business of indoctrinating our students, but of teaching them how to think for themselves. I turn back to the texts that move me. The old ones. No human has ever lived up to the ideals that they espouse. But I turn back--to our Truth, and our King, and our Lorde, and I believe we can still rise. I turn back to the better angels of our nature and the greatest of these is love and we hold these truths to be self-evident. I am not standing idly by—nor will I praise a fugitive and cloistered virtue; I am teaching critical reading and critical thinking and critical writing. And I think you should, too. Teach with compassion. Protect your students. Help them feel safe to speak, express, and learn. Bring those ideals to your students. I’ll back y’all when I can and stand with you if it helps.
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Important Dates!
Important Dates!
September 16
Phase 2 of Estaffing (adjuncts enter preferences)
September 19
Certify attendance for 14-week sessions
September 22
12-week session starts [upload syllabi to Lighthouse and Academic Year 2025-2026 Collection Form]
September 26
General Assembly [HLC Campus and virtual]
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CLS Announcements
CLS Announcements
CLS Quick Links
CLS Quick Links
CLS Evaluation Materials
2025-2026 Evaluation Deadlines Full Calendar
Academic Year 2025-2026 Collection Form
This form is created and maintained by the Assistant Department Chair for CLS's Evaluation Committee (Beth Frye). Use this form to submit syllabi, Faculty Reflection Forms, and self-reported mandatory training for Fall 2025, Spring 2026, and Summer 2026.
Submit Syllabi by the second week of classes (varies by session; Sept. 5, 2025 for 16 week)
Submit Faculty Reflection Forms (Jan 30, 2026; Jun 12, 2026; Sept 4, 2026)
Submit self-reported Mandatory training (May 29, 2026)
CLS K.I.S.S Spreadsheet
CLS K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Sweetheart)
This spreadsheet allows CLS faculty to see and understand all required professional development tasks as well as several optional PD opportunities.
CLS Faculty Handbook
The Faculty Handbook can answer many questions about CLS policy, staffing, evaluation, and more! Plus, you can find instructions for badge requests and grade changes. The easiest way to navigate the CLS Faculty Handbook is the search field. Look for the magnifying glass 🔍in the upper right corner of the homepage and type your keyword (badge request or change eligibility).
Conference Travel Request Form
File this Travel Expense Request with the LAHC Dean's office to request money for upcoming conference travel and attendance.
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Spring 26 Textbooks (For Adjuncts)
Spring 26 Textbooks (For Adjuncts)
Throughout September, CLS Adjuncts will be going through the staffing process for Spring 2026. Once you accept classes in eStaffing or by email, please submit your textbook requests using the Google Forms below (even if you go Zero Textbook Costs or use Open Educational Resources).
ENGL Textbook Selection: Spring 2026
OR
INRW Textbook Selection: Spring 2026
The CLS department tracks and enters textbook info for all faculty, so you can ignore the emails from the bookstore. In the lead up, please look over the CLS Textbook List, the OER Resources (ENGL), the OER Resources INRW, or the Bedford Bookshelf (an inexpensive way for students to access a variety of Bedford texts)!
Full-time faculty should have added their textbooks to their campus batch files in early September. (Ahem!)
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Reminder: Tag ENGL 1302 Research Essays
Reminder: Tag ENGL 1302 Research Essays
This is your friendly reminder that, for the 2025-2026 academic year, the CLS department is collecting ENGL 1302 RESEARCH PAPERS. (If you are not teaching ENGL 1302, you don't have to tag/submit anything.) We will be collecting our samples via BLACKBOARD.
To make this process successful, however, we need your help! Please make sure you do the following as soon as possible, and by the last day of fall classes at the latest--that's Sunday, December 14th for most classes, or Sunday, October 19th if you are teaching an 8A class.
Have your students submit their ENGL 1302 research paper through Blackboard, in a slot set up as an ASSIGNMENT. (You do not need to grade it on BB.)
Include your PROMPT with the assignment, either as part of the assignment description or as a PDF attachment.
Appropriately TAG your assignment so we can include your section(s) in the sample.
This academic year we are being asked to TAG our assessments for the following:
PSLO 2: Written Communication
PSLO 3: Research for Writing
Gen Ed: Critical Thinking
Gen Ed: Personal Responsibility
To help you with this process, linked here is a video explaining how to correctly tag your assignments.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at theodore.yurevitch@austincc.edu!
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Temporary Pause in Compliance Training
Temporary Pause in Compliance Training
The compliance training in Workday has been temporarily paused until the new and updated courses for FY26 are available.
We will send out the course information and deadlines when the courses are ready.
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📣Shout Outs 📣
📣Shout Outs 📣
Congratulations to Susan Meigs and Arun John for their ACC Bravo Awards for employee excellence!
https://offices.austincc.edu/human-resources/riverbats-bravo-employee-recognition-program/
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Apply Now To Attend a Sustainability Conference for Free
Apply Now To Attend a Sustainability Conference for Free
ACC's Eco Conference Grant application is open. Grant recipients will attend the upcoming Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) Conference in Minneapolis, Oct. 22-24. Travel with the Office of Energy and Sustainability and students who submit winning applications. You actually have a shot at this. Last year our own Amy Cunningham was selected and returned energized.
Apply by September 18th: bit.ly/2025ecoconference
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Apply: Character Education Curriculum
Apply: Character Education Curriculum
Austin Community College (ACC) is launching a new, three-year, grant-funded initiative to formalize character education in the general education curriculum, and we’re looking for eight faculty members to help lead the way. Both adjunct and full-time faculty are eligible to apply.
Selected participants will receive a stipend or spring 2026 (six LEH) and fall 2026 (three LEH) course releases to:
Collaborate across disciplines
Help more students highlight meaning in their general education course requirements
Refine ACC’s character education model
Develop learning toolkits and reflective assessments
Lead conversations with fellow faculty in the fall 2026 semester
Shape the first-year experience for students within the context of courses required for most degrees
Apply by September 30, 2025.You’ll submit your CV, teaching philosophy, and brief responses about your interest in character education.
Decisions announced October 31, 2025.
Questions? Contact Arun John (ajohn@austincc.edu), Ted Hadzi-Antich (thadzian@austincc.edu), or Kelly Greenwood (kgreenwo@austincc.edu).
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Register Now: 2025 Corequisite Summit, Nov. 7
Register Now: 2025 Corequisite Summit, Nov. 7
Calling all English and INRW faculty! We are proud to announce our 2025 Corequisite Summit: Start Strong with Literacy!
When: Friday, November 7, 2025 @ 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Where: Rio Grande Campus (RGC); 1212 Rio Grande Street, Austin, Texas 78701
Conference Information: Website
Registration here (deadline October 17)
Flyer: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1APsDuUusb5W7nrb7UbT-EtK7kIN0iqF9/view?usp=sharing
Registration is limited so register quickly. Also, attending this event gives you 6 hours of PD. Breakfast and lunch will be served, and there will be treats and sponsors to visit. Dr. Emily K. Suh will be our morning keynote speaker, and Jenny Billings will discuss coreq'ing issues and how to overcome them. Our last Summit was a blast, and we cannot wait to see what this year's Summit brings.
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Please Promote: Study Abroad Programs
Please Promote: Study Abroad Programs
Please let your students know about the great opportunities from the Study Abroad Programs at ACC, and specifically about the Summer 2026 British Literature opportunity.
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Training: ENGL-2351, Mexican American Lit, Oct 3
Training: ENGL-2351, Mexican American Lit, Oct 3
All faculty interested in teaching ENGL-2351 Mexican American Literature are invited to complete this interest form for an upcoming in-person training on Friday, 10/3 at Highland campus. If you have ever wanted to teach Gloria Anzaldúa, Sandra Cisneros, or Rudolfo Anaya, now is your chance to join this cohort!
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Call For Presenters: CLS Curriculum Conference
Call For Presenters: CLS Curriculum Conference
Austin Community College's CCCs (CLS Curriculum Conference) will take place on Friday, March 6, 2026, from 12:00-4:00 PM at the Highland Campus (HLC) in Austin, Texas.
This is a call for contributors who are interested in sharing their knowledge in a presentation or panel format. Use this LINK to submit a proposal! Please get your proposal in by Dec. 12, 2025!
PDRS (Professional Development, Research, and Service) will review all proposals and announce presenters at the end of the semester. If you have any questions, email Rob Crowl. Thank you!
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New Paired Course for Students Who Rely on Translation Software
New Paired Course for Students Who Rely on Translation Software
In partnership with ESOL, we are piloting a new program that may help a specific population of students that sometimes struggle in ENGL 1301. If you have students who are eligible for your ENGL-1301 class, but must rely heavily on translation software to manage writing in English, please consider suggesting the following transfer option. Note, we are not mandating this move, but we are offering it as an option for students to choose themselves.
Composition 1, ENGL-1301-280, DLS, TTH 10:30am-12:00pm
Non-Course Based ESOL Reading, NCBE-0112-002, DLS, TTH 8:30am-9:00am
Non-Course Based ESOL Writing ,NCBE-0113-002, DLS, TTH 9:10am-9:40am
Non-Course Based ESOL Grammar,NCBE-0114-002, DLS, TTH 9:50am-10:15am
These 12-week classes are synchronous online classes in order to allow more students access. If students are interested, please help them contact either the CLS or ESOL department. We can help students make an even exchange for their ENGL 1301 section, and they will add the synchronous, paired courses in the 12-week semester.
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CLS–English Staffing Outline
CLS–English Staffing Outline
So, I have been working on a document to explain how we staff English classes. You'd think it would be a simple, elegant affair. It's complicated--but I think it is fair. When all Is said and done, I will add this to the CLS Faculty Handbook. But for now, email me at Wendy Elle and let me know what's confusing and any questions you have!
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Job Opportunities: Full-Time Faculty, INRW and English (Dual Credit), deadline midnight 10/26
Job Opportunities: Full-Time Faculty, INRW and English (Dual Credit), deadline midnight 10/26
Check out full job descriptions and apply through the links below (Workday login required):
INRW: https://www.myworkday.com/austincc/d/inst/15$392530/9925$15011.htmld
English (Dual Credit): https://www.myworkday.com/austincc/d/inst/15$392530/9925$14956.htmld
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International Day of Peace: Sept 19
International Day of Peace: Sept 19
Whether your passion is for building equitable communities, promoting sustainable practices, innovating at the intersection of business and sustainability, or advocating for social justice, this event is for you. We will create a space to share ideas, connect with like-minded peers, and reflect on how we can collectively foster peace, well-being, and sustainability on campus, in your life, and in your future.
Celebrate International Day of Peace with ACC’s Center for Peace & Conflict Studies! We will explore how social, economic, and environmental sustainability contribute to a safer and more peaceful world and how each of us can participate. Connect with organizations across the college representing a wide range of interests including, STEM, business, and communal and individual well-being, and more. Participate in activity stations, engage with panelists and Q&A sessions, and discover how your local actions contribute to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
RSVP: https://forms.gle/ugWHqLXxmhCoDicY6
Date: Friday, September 19, 2025
Time: Refreshments & Social hour starts @ 5 PM
Programming starts @ 5:30-7:15 PM
Location: RGC 3340
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Celebrate 75 Years of UT Press with Us – Library Event This Sunday, 9/21
Celebrate 75 Years of UT Press with Us – Library Event This Sunday, 9/21
We at The University of Texas Press at UT Austin are thrilled to be celebrating 75 incredible years of publishing this year—and we’d love for you to join us for a special event to mark the occasion!
Our 75th Anniversary Library Celebration is happening this Sunday, September 21st, from 10 AM to 8 PM at the Austin Central Library. We’re honored to have Mayor Kirk Watson kick off the day, followed by conversations, readings, and appearances from a wonderful lineup of authors, including Sarah Bird, Hanif Abdurraqib, and many more UT Press writers—plus some exciting special guests. Books will be available for purchase on site from First Light Books.
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Trouble with Blackboard Ultra? You're not alone!
Trouble with Blackboard Ultra? You're not alone!
If you have questions about BB Ultra or need assistance, here are a few resources:
If you have questions about BB Ultra or need assistance, here are a few resources:
After hours call-in support via Anthology (Spring break 2025 through December 2025)
866-992-5190
In-house support
email blackboardultra@austincc.edu to request help
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Accessibility in Blackboard Courses
Accessibility in Blackboard Courses
Please check your BB accessibility score at the beginning of the semester and as you add new items to your courses throughout the semester (video to demo Accessibility Reports).
If you need help fixing the accessibility of your Blackboard courses, check out the resources below!
Instructional design support offers DE Accessibility Training.
TLED has great resources on its Accessibility information page.
Materials from Trent Griggs' ADA Blackboard Compliance Training at the 2025 CCCs:
Distance and Alternative Learning Website
Blackboard Accessibility Orientation
Examples of Reasonable Accommodations
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College Announcements
College Announcements
Message from Dean Toño Ramirez
Message from Dean Toño Ramirez
Good afternoon, LAHC. In the past few days I've been approached by many of you with concerns about the ways in which recent events might affect your work at ACC. I thought it worth taking a moment to address these:
How Many Elephants Can Fit In One Room?
Stay strong, folks.
Toño
-----------------------Admissions and Enrollment Instructional Support Site
-----------------------Admissions and Enrollment Instructional Support Site
Admissions and Enrollment designed an internal Google site to support ACC faculty. It has all the information that instructors need about attendance certification, grade submission, withdrawal, reinstating students, etc. The information is streamlined and very easy to navigate. Check it out: Admissions and Enrollment Instructional Support Site and bookmark it in your browser for future use.
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Great Questions Community Seminar, Sept. 17, 6pm-9pm
Great Questions Community Seminar, Sept. 17, 6pm-9pm
What Is an American?
What Is an American?
On Wednesday, September 17, please join members of our community for this special Great Questions Community Seminar where we'll ask this timely and important question. Guided by the text of the Declaration of Independence and the perspective of individuals like Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, Barbara Jordan and Gloria Anzaldúa, we'll be joined by state and local elected officials in exploring the unique nature of American identity in our unfolding political experiment. This event is in partnership with Student Life and ACC's Government Affairs Division, and is in recognition of Constitution Day.
After small group discussions moderated by ACC students and faculty members, we'll hear what elected officials from the State, County and City governments took away from their experience as participants. Expect to engage with lawmakers, judges and county officials. Please join us for this special event at HLC on Wednesday, September 17. Those who RSVP here will be emailed the exact location.
Check out the reading and discussion questions here, and get all the details about the schedule in the RSVP form.
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Updates from the Basic Needs Team
Updates from the Basic Needs Team
From Dr. Amber Sarker, co-chair of the Basic Needs Design Team
Check out this short video: Basic Needs Faculty Update where faculty can see how to access the alerts, as well as learn about other services on campus. Additionally, here is a Google Doc with one-pagers on services and a Google Doc with sample syllabus, email, and Blackboard wording.
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Creative Writing Calendar
Creative Writing Calendar
View the full F25 Creative Writing Events Calendar!
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Impactful Teaching: Insights for Success, Video Series
Impactful Teaching: Insights for Success, Video Series
Looking for inspiration at the start of the new semester? Check out the Insights for Success series, which shares data collected from the Change Initiatives Leadership Academy.
Name Connections: The Power of Belonging
Collaborative Group Work: Strategies for Effective Group Work
Redefining Feedback and Motivation: Radical Candor
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Please Promote: Faculty Advising, Liberal Arts
Please Promote: Faculty Advising, Liberal Arts
Make sure that your students know about the resources available through Faculty Advising in Liberal Arts.
Who We Are:
Faculty, who are subject-matter experts in various disciplines such as psychology, communications, philosophy, humanities, government, and more.
We Help Students:
Explore and select a discipline-specific major
Discover possible major-to-career pathways
Develop strategies for college success
Clarify academic and transfer goals
Who We Work With:
General Studies AA majors
Students considering majors in the Liberal Arts
Learn More: https://sites.google.com/austincc.edu/facultyadvising-libarts
CLS Resources
ACC Resources
ACC Resources
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