Weekly Newsletter: Tuesday Is News Day

Tuesday, January 30, 2024

It's the third week of the semester, and that means it's time to certify attendance! You should have received detailed instructions in an email from Glynis Kaye Miller titled Class Roster Student Attendance Certification.  The certification process is quick, painless, and really important to our students and our institution. 

Full-time faculty, remember that Heidi and the Evaluation Committee need your Peer Reviews complete by Monday, February 5th.  Check your email for "Peer Review for you to do!" from Anja, follow the directions, and help keep our evaluation process running smoothly and on time! 

As the semester moves along, our announcements will have more Please Promote items.  These are events and opportunities that we've been asked to share with our students.  This week, we have Please Promote items from Creative Writing, Honors, and Student Affairs.  Pass them on and keep our students informed about all the great opportunities at ACC!

Finally, keep your eyes out for a forward from Diane Whitley Grote this week regarding our Textbook Nomination and voting processes. (This Is DIFFERENT than the Textbooks Selection process for adjuncts who are teaching this Summer. That's below. And, full-timers you DO NOT need to fill out that form. We got you already!)  I do want to keep forwards to a minimum, but this one Is packed--and It will be added to next week's newsletter In case you lose track of It. So, everyone who votes--y'all be looking for the Textbook Nomination email that will be here asap.

February....here we come!

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Deadlines! 

January 29/30 

Estaffing phase 1: Enter summer 2024 preferences (MSTA, IA, HPH status)

January 31 

(Everyone) Certify your class attendance!!

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 

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CLS Announcements

Faculty Evaluation Requirements

1. Peer review of assignments.  This particular item pertains ONLY to full-time and temporary full-time faculty.  Dig through your email for "Peer Review for you to do" sent by Anja between Jan. 10 and Jan. 15 .  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: if you have not yet submitted your syllabi, upload them to the collection form Academic Year 23-24 Collection Form This item was 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  This item was due by January 26.

4. Peer Dialogue  Check this out: 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

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

Heidi Juel, Faculty Evaluation Committee Chair

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Certify Attendance, Jan 31

You should have received an email from the Registrar titled "Class roster student attendance certification" with these instructions: 

Student attendance certification is submitted using the MyACC / Course Management / Attendance Certification system. 

1. From the main ACC web page, go to Faculty & Staff and choose MyACC

2. Find the Course Management heading, and then click Attendance Certification

3. Select the desired Term and Course

4. Once in the course, find the View box options, and select the Certify Attendance Roster. 

5. All entries in the drop-down field default to an initial entry of 'Attended' to begin with. Faculty will then change the entry using the drop-down field to 'Never Attended', as needed. A selection must be made for each student.

6. Hit 'Submit' at the upper right corner of the roster to have your certifications recorded. 

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Textbook Selections for Summer 2024 (Adjunct Faculty)

We've created a new Textbook Selection Form for adjunct faculty, and we'll be rolling it out in the next two weeks as adjuncts accept their summer 2024 assignments in eStaffing.  This form is (hopefully) less clunky than last year's but will still email you a receipt of your selections. 

Here's the link to the Textbook Selection for Summer 2024 Form. 

How to use the form:

1. Type in your name.

2. List the courses/sections you're scheduled to teach (include a note about First Day Access if needed).

3. Choose texts for your scheduled courses from the dropdown options.  

   • Ignore the dropdown options for courses that you are not scheduled to teach; no response is required.  

   • If you need to review review textbook options and ISBNs, here's the CLS Textbook List.

4. Include any notes that will help us assign the correct texts.

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Last Call: 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. 

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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

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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

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Please Promote: Elite University Transfer Panel and Dinner, Feb 13

Please share this Transfer Week opportunity with your students: 

As part of Transfer Week, the Honors Program is partnering with Transfer Services to feature a panel of ACC Honors Program alumni who have transferred to elite institutions: Yale, Columbia, and Rutgers. Want the inside scoop on how they did it? Join us on February 13th from 6:00-7:00 pm as we discuss transfer tips, scholarships, and more.

We can accept up to 40 participants for this event at Highland Campus, and we’ll even provide dinner! Register here. Attending remotely? Zoom registration is here. For questions, contact honors@austincc.edu

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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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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! 

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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, 1/28/24, about 27 folks have yet to reply. I will be re-emailing you if I still need your information. Thanks for taking care of this!

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College Announcements

Admissions and Enrollments: Welcome to Spring 2024

Greetings, Instructional Colleagues, and Happy Spring Semester! 

From all of us in Admissions and Enrollment, we hope you are doing well as the semester gets underway. We are sending this information about a number of ways we support faculty, working together to support student success.

Admissions and Enrollment has an internal Google Site designed just for faculty. We are sending this announcement to all department chairs and deans.  Please share this with your respective faculty and instructional support colleagues.  

This site is available on the ACC InfoHub Resources page under Faculty Resources. We also recommend bookmarking the Admissions and Enrollment Instructional Support site directly for your quick reference. 

How can WE support YOU?

Admissions and Enrollment partners with instruction on many processes throughout the semester including assistance with class enrollment, schedule changes, attendance certification, and grade submission among others. We are available in-person and virtually to assist you and your students. Front-counter service teams are located at every campus, and our administrative teams--Executive Dean, Registrar, Transcript Evaluations, and Graduation--are located at the Highland Business Center. 

We are also available for in-person and virtual classroom visits to share information about our support services with you and your students. If you are interested in a classroom visit, departmental meeting visit, or need additional Admissions and Enrollment assistance, please reach out to any A&E Operations/Outreach Regional Directors.  

We look forward to collaborating, and wish you a great semester!

ACC Admissions and Enrollment Team

Christine Hall, North Regional Director of A&E Operations/Outreach (CYP, NRG, RRC, SAC) chall1@austincc.edu, 512-223-0420

Cynthia Rodriguez, Interim Central Regional Director of A&E Operations/Outreach (EGN, EVC, HLC, RGC) cynthia.rodriguez@austincc.edu, 512-223-3038

Patty Behr, South Regional Director of A&E Operations/Outreach (HYS, RVS, SAC) patricia.behr@austincc.edu, 512-223-6065

Linda Terry, Executive Dean, Admissions, Enrollment and Completion-Districtwide. lkluck@austincc.edu 512-223-7666 

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Please Promote: Great Questions Community Seminar, Feb 7 

Please share this opportunity with your students:

Join members of our community in asking the Great Questions of humankind through discussions of transformative texts. Community Seminars include opportunities for students, faculty, staff and community members to discuss Great Questions, guided by transformative texts that productively raise them. Community Seminars are interactive and fun. They begin with free tacos and hopefully end with greater wisdom. 

On February 7, we will be focusing on a selection of James Baldwin's 1962 essay, Down at The Cross. Engage with Baldwin and each other in exploring the intersection of race, religion and political culture in shaping a future worth hoping for. It's not necessary to have ever attended a Community Seminar before, so first time attendees are very welcome! 

Join this discussion at the Community Seminar at Highland Campus on Wednesday, February 7 from 7:30pm-9:30pm!

While all are welcome to attend, this RSVP form is required. We need to get an accurate headcount for food, as well as to put you in small discussion groups. You'll also need to complete the short reading assignment from the text before coming, which is available at the above link.  

We will start the evening with tacos at 7pm. At about 7:30pm we'll all gather in a large presentation hall at HLC to go over ground rules before splitting off into small groups for discussion. The evening will end with a debrief back in the presentation hall. This is an engaging event where you'll spend most of the time talking in small groups about Great Questions. 

The exact location at HLC will be emailed to those who RSVP. We'll be in touch with those who RSVP! 

Contact Ted Hadzi-Antich Jr. for more info! 

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Please Promote: Scholarship Application and Essay Writing Workshop, Feb 7 & 8

ACC's Support Specialists and Academic Coaches will be presenting Scholarship Application and Essay Writing workshops.

Rio Grande Campus Room 1108 

Wednesday, February 7th at 2pm 

Thursday, February 8th at 10am

Contact: Elida Guardia Bonet Success Coach, Student Affairs

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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

Hyflex Teaching and Training

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

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