Weekly Newsletter: Tuesday Is News Day

Important: Review Your Grade Rosters, deadline May 15, 5pm

We've learned that there was a hiccup in the Grade Submission Database that may have impacted any grades you entered on Thursday, May 9th between 1:00 am and 3:00 pm. Admissions and Records has asked faculty to double check that ALL our grades are properly submitted. So, if you don't mind, even if you've already submitted grades, take a moment to check your Spring Grade rosters one more time. If needed, resubmit your grades for any sections that may have been affected.

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Spring 24 Faculty Reflection Forms and Summer 24 Syllabi

The Tasks

Review the course evaluations from Spring 2024, complete the Faculty Reflection Form (FRF) and upload it to the collection form by June 16, 2024.  If you did not teach Spring 2024, please complete the FRF and note on it that you did not teach Spring 2024. If you are teaching Summer 2024, you will upload your syllabi to the collection form too.  If you are not teaching Summer 2024, please note that on the collection form.

Instructions

Download a copy of the Faculty Reflection Form to your computer, fill it out and upload it in the correct section of the collection form: Academic Year 23-24 Collection Form

We are using the same collection form as before: it collects information and documents for the entire 23-24 academic year.  Because the form itself cannot be rearranged without disrupting the spreadsheet of information and documents submitted, you’ll have to scroll down to the sections needed at this time: one to submit the Faculty Reflection Form and the other to submit summer syllabi or note that you are not teaching summer classes.

Please scroll down the  Academic Year 23-24 Collection Form until you see the following:

🙂FACULTY REFLECTION FORM DUE JUNE 16, 2024🙂

Follow the directions and upload your completed Faculty Reflection Form.

If you are teaching Summer 2024, upload your syllabi within the first two weeks of the start of the summer session(s) you’re teaching.  If you are not teaching any summer classes, please go to this section and state that you are not teaching summer (this easy step for you is of great help to the committee).

Be sure to hit SUBMIT before exiting the Google Form!

Please scroll down the  Academic Year 23-24 Collection Form until you see the following:

🙂Summer 24 Syllabi, Option #1🙂

Follow the directions and provide the link to the folder containing your syllabi or, alternatively, upload each summer syllabus in the Option #2 section.

Be sure to hit SUBMIT before exiting the Google Form!

You do not need to resubmit documents you previously submitted, e.g. syllabi from previous semesters.  Those have already been deposited in your folder for review by the Faculty Evaluation Committee.

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Please Promote: Student Submission to Curiositas

Curiositas is ACC's academic journal for the Liberal Arts, Humanities, and Communication. We are dedicated to publishing excellent student work that showcases curiositas, the meddlesome, intense curiosity that underlies our disciplines. As you're completing your final grading, please nominate or submit your best student work to be considered for next year's edition. You can check out our current issue at our website, and submit there too! Please reach out to Alex Watkins, alexandra.watkins@austincc.edu, if you have any questions!

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Update on English Major Concentrations

From The Revitalizing the Major Team: 

Greetings, CLS Faculty! 

In the fall, we'll vote to ratify the content and structure of the three English Major Concentrations we've created together. The documents governing the concentrations are linked below. We'd love your feedback and suggestions, or just general questions, so that we can work the final crafting stages smoothly and collaboratively.

Concentration in Honors English and Composition

Concentration in Multicultural Literature

Concentration in Popular Culture

Please direct questions regarding concentration content and structure to Eli Ryder. And, if you have questions about or would like to volunteer to work with our fabulous students with their concentration portfolios, direct those inquiries to Wendy Elle.

We look forward to hearing from you!

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INRW Institute: Training and Mentorship, July 8-12

As we prepare for the Fall 2024 semester and meeting the demands of increased enrollment, INRW has created a year-long program of support that begins with foundational training and continues with mentorship throughout the first two semesters of teaching INRW 0340 paired with ENGL 1301 courses.  This will include direct mentorship with current co-requisite instructors, peer class observations in the Fall, synchronous and asynchronous meetings, and self-reflection.  

Purpose:

To ensure all INRW instructors are well versed in the best practices for INRW students at ACC.  

Timeline:

Summer: Attend week-long in-person institute (7/8–7/12)

Fall: Potentially teach first INRW 0340 and ENGL 1301 paired course/ establish mentorship and focus on reflection of teaching

Spring: Continuation of mentorship and self-reflection

General Information:

• We will be holding the INRW Institute from July 8th–12th at Highland Campus.   

• Successful completion of this training will allow instructors to be eligible to teach INRW 0340 paired with ENGL 1301.  

• With developmental students being best served via face-to-face instruction, this training will be focused on instructional activities and implementation in the FTF classroom. 

• Participation will meet your peer dialogue requirement.

• Participants will be notified no later than June 1st.

Questions:

Kendall Dingee: kdudley@austincc.edu

Q&A Session: 

May 6th, 6:00-7:00 

Zoom link: https://austincc.zoom.us/j/82576561868?pwd=enVYM0JaOFkvQnlyY3hySU1XSFFOZz09

Can't make the meeting? Feel free to drop a question on our Padlet: INRW Institute Q&A Padlet

Interest Form:

To indicate interest, please take a few minutes and complete the interest form: INRW Institute Interest Form (you will need an unofficial transcript to complete this form)

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CLS Blackboard Shell, Review and Comment

At the CLS Tres de Mayo Meeting we got a sneak peek at the Blackboard shell that the Textbook and Technology Committee has been working hard to build.  CLS Faculty can now VIEW the Shells in the demo area of Blackboard. Please keep in mind that we are in the perusal and feedback phase of this process. The Shells are not ready for you to export and use yet. 

Access the BB Shells by following this link: https://austincc-demo.blackboard.com/ultra/stream 

Click on COURSES and find Template 1 and Template 2

Share your feedback on this form: Blackboard Shell Comments and Suggestions

CLS faculty have been added to the BB Shells as Facilitators.  This means that you will be able to look around in Instructor View, but you will not be able to change any content.  So please don't try to change any content!

If you are unable to access the BB Shells, please contact Anja Ketcham and include your ACC ID in the email (it's the fastest way to add you).  

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Become a CLS Mentor 

At our Tres de Mayo CLS meeting, Luanne Preston mentioned our need for faculty mentors.  

Quick Details about the Mentor Role: 

Mentor requirements:  Three years teaching at ACC; "very good" or "excellent" student evaluations. Complete online ACC mentor training.

Mentor stipend:  $200 per mentee per semester; an expectation of about 10 hours of contact with mentee, including in-person meeting (if possible) and optional classroom visit.

If you are interested in mentoring a new or returning CLS faculty member in the Fall 2024/Spring 2025 semesters, then please complete this I Want to Be a Mentor form. 

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CLS Love Notes 💜

It's the end of the semester, and sometimes students shout us out in emails, brief notes, evaluations, and thank you cards.  If you're willing to share these Love Notes from students, please add them to our Love Notes repository by filling out this form: CLS Love Notes.  CLS may share these on the CLS Department Profile or website.  

And speaking of Love Notes, here's a perfect example: ACC graduate says, "Professor Wendy [Elle] is the BEST! I wish I could take her with me to grad school!" 

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Please Promote: Fall '24 Honors CLS classes

Do you have curious, highly motivated students you think would do well in an Honors CLS course? Please let them know about our available Fall '24 courses! Below are the course titles, and you can take a look at the course profile page for more in-depth descriptions. 

• English Composition II: Texas Writers (ENGL 1302, 701), Joe O’Connell

• British Literature 18th c. to the Present: Gothic Literature (ENGL 2323, 700), Hyflex, RGC, MW 10:30-11:50 am, Melissa Holton 

• American Literature Civil War to Present: Sunrise in the Americas: Contemporary Indigenous Arts & Activism  (ENGL 2328, 701), Hyflex, CYP TTh 10:30-11:50 am, Heidi Juel 

• American Literature Civil War to Present: American Apocalypse: Wrecking and Rebuilding (ENGL 2328, 700), HLC, MW 1:30-2:50 pm, Anne-Marie Thomas

We also offer Honors courses in 14 other disciplines. If you have potential Honors students this semester who might be intimidated by the prospect of taking Honors courses, please give them a little nudge in our direction and encourage them to fill out an application. Alternatively, consider sharing our TLED-produced student impact video with your classes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPMmfxvpOoA.   

Please contact athomas2@austincc.edu with questions.

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Zoom Shakespeare! May 16 

A new initiative called Broadening the Accessibility and Reading of the Drama of Shakespeare (BARDS) is hosting its first CLS cold read of a play on Thursday, May 16 (8pm-9:30pm). Join Shakespeare nerd enthusiast Amber Luttig-Buonodono and your CLS colleagues in an unrehearsed, low-stakes, encouraging voyage into Act One of A Midsummer Night's Dream, followed by subsequent acts on Thursday evenings through June 13. All experience levels, including no prior experience, are encouraged to participate. Let's break down the gates of Early Modern theatre! 

More info HERE. 

Please RSVP via this FORM so we can send you the Zoom link!

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CLS Goes to the Movies: Wildcat, June 1 or 2

Do you love the works of Flannery O'Connor?  Have you been intrigued by the trailer for Wildcat?  Well, AFS Cinema has three showings set for June 1 (3:45p and 6:15p) and June 2 (4:30p).  If you are interested in meeting up with CLS colleagues for a viewing experience (and perhaps food afterward), please add your name, email, and day/time preferences here: CLS goes to the movies: Wildcat.  

Disclaimer: the organization of this event will be very informal.  I’ll send out an email, and encourage people to communicate with colleagues who have the same day/time preferences. 

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Summer ACC CLS Book Club

From Chris Gardner

Hey there reader! 

Yes, we absolutely have Book Club during the summer. What, you can't read in the heat? 

This summer, we will gather at Easy Tiger by the Highland Campus to discuss a proper novel. 

You are encouraged to sign up for our non-binding interest list to keep receiving emails or propose a text if/when you feel the urge. 

Details regarding text selection and date will be sent to all interested parties noon on Wednesday 5/15.

Two Additional Reminders: 

1) We are an open group. The invites go out to CLS, but you can always bring a +1.

2) Book Club will be paired with a book swap. Bring a book or books you are willing to part with, and let's spread some stories around. 

Hope to see you there!

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Mediation and Faculty Consultation Sessions

From Jill Bosché 

Empower your teaching and well-being with our upcoming professional development sessions:

1. The Meditating Professor Series with Lupe Mendoza: Explore techniques to infuse creativity and resilience into your academic life with practical meditation strategies.

2. Faculty Consultation Groups with Emily Olson: Join discussions with peers, gain insights into student support resources, and stay informed about important ACC policies.

Don't miss out! Click here before Thursday, May 30 to check out the details and let us know when you’re free for the fall sessions. Professional development credit available.

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Brainstorm for Student & Faculty Writing Group, June 18

From Becky Villarreal: 

A group of CLS faculty (prompted by students) are interested in forming a writing (both creative and academic) virtual/hybrid/hyflex group for ACC students. If you would like to participate, please join us via Zoom on Tuesday, June 18, at 11 a.m., for a brainstorming session with Wendy to discuss how such a group would work. We welcome your input! 

Stay tuned for Zoom link. 

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Support English Majors

English Major Interest Form

In an effort to provide a seamless pathway for students to express interest in potentially joining our ranks, we've created an English Major Interest Form. It'd be fabulous if we could have this posted to your Blackboard sites! Pinned announcement, maybe? Or, Menu item in the "Student Support" section? Wherever it fits, we'd love to have the space!

English Major Interest Form

English Major Site Featured Faculty

Our magnificent English Major Website features a few faculty so that our majors can see who they have in their corner. We opened the site with the idea that we would all rotate through these featured spaces, providing a spotlight for many different voices and perspectives. Basically, you're all ROCKSTARS and we want to share the stage with all of you. If you're interested--and why wouldn't you be interested? --give the link below a click and submit your info. Help us show our majors how cool you are!

Featured Faculty Info Collection Form

English Degree Audit

The fillable form allows anyone--you, me, the student, English-major curious folk--to audit a student's transcript and help them see how close they are to becoming an English AA.  Students can take the completed audit to their advisor. (The videos explain how to access a student's transcript and fill out the form)

English Degree Audit Form

How to Access Student Transcripts - YouTube Video

The English Degree Audit Form - YouTube Video

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INRW Co-req Registration form (Summer 24)

Registration for Summer 24 started on April 1. 

Students with 0-14 credit hrs AND who require an INRW coreq can register for co-reqs on Friday April 5.

If a student contacts faculty requesting enrollment in their coreq, please provide this link: Summer 24 Coreq Registration Form

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Vertical Alignment Content Exchange, May 31

Save the date! The CLS Vertical Alignment Content Exchange will allow ACC CLS faculty and high school ELA faculty to meet, network, and share best practices.  (light refreshments: pastries, coffee and water)

When: Friday, May 31, 2024, 9am to 12pm

Where: ACC Rio Grande Campus (RGC) Room 1103 Multipurpose (atrium)

Register here: Vertical Alignment Content Exchange

Contact Beth Frye if you have any questions.