Weekly Newsletter: Tuesday Is News Day

Tuesday, January 16, 2024

Learning and growing--herein Is our Inaugural Tuesday is News Day CLS Newsletter. I feel like invoking a Greek muse or something. This will update all the time, with an email going out every Tuesday. Previous Newsletters will be archived for future reference. Below you will find the various announcements and emails and attachments that come my way.  Each separate Item appears under the purple dotted lines for clarity! Big thanks to Anja Ketcham and Colin Shanafelt for maintaining and building the newsletter with me!

CLS Accomplishments, Submit by Jan 31

CLS is working on a CLS Department Profile, which will be a physical and online bulletin that offers an overview of our department--our stats, our initiatives, our awards, etc. One section we'd like to include is Achievements, Publications, and Awards.  If you have any of these from the 2022-2023 , and you are willing to share, please let us know but completing the form before. We'll keep this form open until the start of the Spring semester--January 31.

CLS Accomplishments & Link to the Form 

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CLS Curriculum Conference Registration, Submit by Feb 23

Please join us for the first-ever CLS Curriculum Conference 

When: Friday, March 1, 2024    12p - 4pm 

Where: Highland Campus with Hyflex options

Explore session details at the CLS Curriculum Conference Website

And register to attend by February 23 CLS Curriculum Conference Registration 

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Love Notes for the CLS Profile, Submit by Jan 31

CLS is working on a CLS Department Profile, which will be a physical and online bulletin that offers an overview of our department--our stats, our initiatives, our awards, etc. One section we'd like to include is Love Notes:  brief statements, notes, or feedback from students that you may have received. If you have any of these from the last year or so, and you are willing to share, please let us know but completing the form before. We'll keep this CLS Love Notes form open until the start of the Spring semester--January 31. 

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Last call for the Spring CLS+ Book Club!

Each spring, we read a single-author short story collection. One fine spring evening, we'll gather at Easy Tiger by the HLC, chat about the stories, and swap books. We'd love for you to join us. 

You can find details, a sign-up sheet, and a spot to recommend collections at our Book Club Page. 

Go ahead and do Future You a solid. Sign up now and throw a few new-to-you collections on your TBR pile.

We'll see you in the spring! 

Chris Gardner

Dual-Credit Liaison 

Department of Composition and Literary Studies

Hays Campus 1103.00/A

512-262-6677

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Vertical Alignment Team Links for post meeting email:

Directions for Data Collection:

PLEASE READ!  THE GOOGLE SHEET WILL NOT EXPLAIN ITSELF 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Y_H_0O6zt9g0yDNR1SwVGno0G_35jAQKIqsyuNuzCzc/edit?usp=sharing

Google sheet for Vertical Alignment Data Collection:

PLEASE MAKE A COPY OF THIS GOOGLE SHEET BEFORE YOU START!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vii2nODYwrrKgss1dk3jzKWiYyRb84EEGhgaqqDKF30/edit?usp=sharing

Tentative Date for Vertical Alignment Content Exchange

Thursday, May 30

Save the date and contact Beth Frye if you want to present (yes you do :-))

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Honors

Do you want to start the new semester off with a sense of wonder and amazement about our students and our program? Of course you do! Check out our TLED-produced student success video, and plan to share it far and wide. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that it's among the best content that ACC has ever produced, and we owe Ted a HUGE thank you for setting this process in motion during his TLED fellowship. Corey Kline was the lead on this project, and we were incredibly lucky to work with him.   

Two of the students in the video (Marisela Perez Maita and Myles Lopez-Cepero) are new Honors scholarship winners, and Columbia U-bound Marc received a write-up by ACC in December--he gives a shout out to Lei and Ricardo here. 

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CLS Meeting Links for those who missed last week's meetings

INRW: recording not available

CLS: CLOUD RECORDING: https://austincc.zoom.us/rec/share/zdPJVQJtpxl3QJTLjqaewN7xgqVuntPuiSkBwmK7IXmzqVehF05qVhHHXPXlaRVw.2rFSKdEBKszn03rn

Passcode: x?!tzG74

Assessment: https://austincc.zoom.us/rec/share/t5fnQBhPjrJhAi0YJx2FiyzbbxJreopBaLsMfB_K_HBt1Bx8TBVyq89QNfcvCOho.lM52Y4ebgCo_2XTW

Passcode: 1&D5L5qp

Dual Credit: recording not available; please review the Agenda for CLS Dual Credit S24 Meeting 

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Congratulations to Lindsay Lawley Rerecich!

Lindsay is ACC's new Associate Dean of Dual Credit! She'll be staying on to teach 1 class with us, and we are excited for her new role at the college level.

Thanks and Congratulations to Eli Ryder and Luanne Preston!

Beginning Summer 2024, Eli will take over as Assistant Dept. Chair for Curriculum!

Beginning Spring 2024, Luanne Is the new Assistant Dept. Chair for Dual Credit!

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Faculty Evaluation Email

1. Peer review of assignments.  This particular item pertains ONLY to full-time and temporary full-time faculty.  Look for the email from Anja entitled "Peer Review for you to do".  Follow the instructions and let Heidi Juel know if you have any questions. hjuel@austincc.edu  This item is due by Feb. 5.

2. Syllabi. This item pertains to EVERYONE teaching Spring 24: Review the section syllabi information in the CLS handbook and write your syllabi accordingly.  https://sites.google.com/austincc.edu/cls-faculty-handbook/faculty-resources?authuser=0#h.gqb2v4o64cgd  When your syllabi are ready, upload them to the collection form Academic Year 23-24 Collection Form (do not email them to anyone; uploads only.  Posting your syllabi to Lighthouse is insufficient; you must upload your syllabi to the collection form).

This item is due by January 26.

3.  Faculty Reflection Form This item pertains to EVERYONE: download this Faculty Reflection Form, fill it out and upload it here: Academic Year 23-24 Collection Form  You can look at sample completed Faculty Reflection Forms in the CLS Handbook at the link in #5 below. This item is due by January 26.  (Do not submit a Faculty Input Form; we are not using that form anymore.)

4. Peer Dialogue  This item pertains to EVERYONE.  Here is the link to instructions, hook-up lists, the Peer Dialogue Form and the link to submit your completed form: Peer Dialogue Folder If you really have no idea where to start with this peer dialogue, please contact Heidi Juel. hjuel@austincc.edu   This item is due by August 15, but get it done and submit it here: Peer Dialogue Collection Form

5. Helpful link to the Faculty Evaluation page of the CLS Faculty Handbook

Thank you for your work and your timeliness in submitting these required documents.

Heidi Juel

Faculty Evaluation Committee Chair

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S24 Updates to ACC's Master Syllabus

ACC has made updates to the Master Syllabus; take a look at them here ACC Master Syllabus.  The most significant change is the addition of Parent and Family Engagement to the College Policies document (page 6-7). 

Parent and Family Engagement Services

ACC understands how important parent and family support is to every student's college journey. From parents and siblings to step-parents, grandparents, partners, and loved ones, the Parent and Family Engagement Office at ACC is committed to empowering families to support student success. The office provides a family orientation to ACC, free workshops explaining the world of higher education (financial aid, student resources, career and transfer services, etc.), a monthly newsletter full of student success tips, and a website designed to answer family members' frequently asked questions. All students, especially first-generation students, are encouraged to share these resources with their families and invite them to be part of the Riverbat experience. Contact familyengagement@austincc.edu or visit the Parent & Family Engagement website for more information. 

Also, of note are ACC's Artificial Intelligence Draft Policies.  These do NOT replace the AI policies in the CLS syllabi, but they do offer several examples of policies that ACC professors are adding to their syllabi.  CLS professors can use these examples as they craft their specific AI policies.  

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Blackboard Assist and Inspire Academic Alerts

You may have noticed the new "Assist" link in Blackboard (on the left after you log in), and if not, be sure to check it out and share it with your students.  "Assist" provides quick access to various resources that ACC provides for our students. Many students don't know about all the resources that ACC provides, so this is a great one-stop-shop for when students need help with with child care or rent, or access to mental health counseling and academic coaching, or many other resources that can help them succeed. 

And speaking of success and Blackboard, please remember to use Inspire Academic Alert throughout the semester. This is our easy-to-use alert tool for students who are absent, missed an assignment or assessment, or might need a nudge toward the Learning Labs. You can also send "kudos" to students for good performance. You can find Inspire Academic Alert by clicking Institution (on the left after you log in) and choosing "helpful links." 

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Save the Date: Peer Dialogue to Discuss AI in the CLS Classroom

The question of how to teach in a world of AI has continually crept into CLS meetings, so this is a great topic for a Peer Dialogue group.  Amber Luttig-Buonodono has graciously accepted the call to host a virtual discussion on February 1st 6-7pm.  This will be a great venue to express your excitement and concern about AI as well as share methods for integrating and detecting AI in student assignments.  Zoom invitation below: 

Topic: CLS AI Peer Dialogue

Time: Feb 1, 2024 06:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://austincc.zoom.us/j/81707318731?pwd=OHBQalNkQmpMWFQ5eDVVcWs1ZDhaUT09

Meeting ID: 817 0731 8731

Passcode: 738936