Weekly Newsletter: Tuesday Is News Day

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

Hey, hey CLS! Things are lookin' shiny (mad props for my Firefly fans who recognize that expression. Sending some early 2000s TV allusions your way...) Anja has taken care to arrange the newsletter a little more sensibly. Thank you, Anja! Please see below--and keep In mind, If you have something to share with the department, send it over! We can get it into this newsletter. You should also be able to access the newsletters from weeks' past by checking the archive. 

Hopefully everyone had a great first week of spring 2024, and now that we're settled in (hah!) let's all remember to get our Faculty Reflection Forms and spring 2024 syllabi uploaded to the Academic Year 23-24 Collection Form by this Friday, January 26.  Like, for real, let's do it NOW so we don't forget!

Have an awesome rest of your week.

(Also, It Is actually Tuesday. We rule!)

__________________

Deadlines! 

January 26 

(everyone) Upload your Faculty Reflection for F23 

(everyone) Upload your Syllabi for S24 

Proposal for MLA Publication The Humanities at Work in US Community Colleges

January 28 

(Third-year portfolio folks) Assess 15 students essays assigned in Blackboard

January 31 

Submit your CLS Love Notes or personal accomplishments to be shared on the CLS Profile

February 5

(FT faculty) Complete Peer Review for Evaluation Committee

February 7 

Apply for DCAA (Dual Credit Annual Appointment) 

February 23

Register for CLS Curriculum Conference 

__________________

CLS Announcements

Faculty Evaluation Requirements

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 Syllabi Writing Resources section of the CLS handbook and write your syllabi accordingly. 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 Faculty Evaluation section of the CLS Handbook (scroll down to the last item Faculty Reflection Form). 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

------------------------

Proposal for The Humanities at Work in US Community Colleges, Submit by Jan 26

We've all got thoughts on the way the humanities blend with the community college mission, so why not share your ideas with the Modern Language Association?!  

Here's a snippet from the call for proposals: "The Humanities at Work in US Community Colleges will focus on instructors who are laboring to communicate the value of their fields to a growing population of students and on administrators who are engaged in the practice of connecting humanities curricula to workforce outcomes. Moreover, it will explore the endeavors of faculty members to cultivate and retain scholarly identities in concert with a five-five teaching load as well as the efforts of chairs and deans as they attempt to weave a common thread between humanistic inquiry and career readiness."  

They're looking for a 300-word abstract and a 1-page CV by January 26. 

Read more about the publication and the proposal requirements on their website.

------------------------

Contribute to the CLS Department 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 Faculty 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 this Google form before January 31. Check out currently posted CLS Faculty Accomplishments.  

Another section we'd like to include in the CLS Profile is CLS 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 this CLS Love Notes form open until January 31. 

------------------------

Peer Dialogue: AI in the CLS Classroom, Feb 1 on Zoom

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

------------------------

Dual Credit Annual Appointment (DCAA), Submit by Feb 7

If you are interested in applying for a Dual Credit Annual Appointment (DCAA), for the 2024-25 school year, please complete this 2024-25 DCAA Interest Form. The five-member committee will review applications beginning February 9th, so please complete the interest form by February 7th. Should you have questions, contact one of your DC Liaisons - Kari Conness, Chris Gardner, or Sarah Stayton

------------------------

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 

------------------------

Please Promote: English Majors Website

Please help us get the word out to students about the English Majors Website.  Talk it up in your classes and share this pre-made message on Blackboard: 

Are you enjoying your time in your INRW or English class this semester? Are you inspired by your professors and your growth? Consider becoming an English Major! Check out our English Major’s website—review the courses you’d take, join a community of like-minded readers and rebels, and geek out with us over banned books and all the cringe we can find. Join us, and get your Main Character Energy on! 

------------------------

ID Badge Reminder for the Lucky Few

ACC has asked a whole bunch of adjuncts to update their electronic badges. If you got the email from Wendy about that, please send her the Info asap--and If you didn't get an email about It, please do NOT worry (or email her :-))  We have 59 faculty on the list, and as of Monday night, 1/22/24, about 40 folks have yet to reply. Thanks for taking care of this!

_________________

College Announcements

Get Registered: Upcoming DE Training

If you are interested in teaching online, hyflex, or hybrid classes, make sure that you check out the spring 2024 training opportunities at the Distance Education Website.  

Online Course Redesign Academy (OCRA): 

• Thursday 2/22 and Friday 2/23 from 1-4pm.  Register here by 2/16

• Thursday 4/18 and Friday 4/19 from 1-4pm.  Register here by 4/12

8-week Course Design (Hybrid and F2F) 

• Spring Institute 2024 (begins 1/29).  Register here by 1/24 

Hyflex Teaching and Training

• Spring Institute 2024 (Saturday 2/24). Register here by 2/16