Weekly Newsletter: Tuesday Is News Day

CLS Quick Links

Collection Forms for Evaluation Materials

Academic Year 2024-25 Collection

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 2024, Spring 2025, and Summer 2025. 

Submit Syllabi by the second week of classes (varies by session)

Submit Faculty Reflection Forms (Jan 31, Jun 13)

Submit self-reported Mandatory training (May 30)

SUBMIT HERE Supplemental Evaluation Materials due May 30, 2025

This form is created and maintained by the Assistant Department Chair for CLS's Evaluation Committee (Beth Frye).  Use this form to submit Supplemental Evaluation Materials from the 2024-2025 year. (Assessments and Assignments, Peer Dialogue, Values Framework, and Purposeful Change documents)

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

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

LAHC Travel Expense Request 

File this Travel Expense Request with the LAHC Dean's office to request money for upcoming conference travel and attendance.  

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CLS Dos de Mayo End of Semester Meeting

When: Friday, May 2, 10am-12pm

Where: RGC,  Room 1103 (Multipurpose Room) OR Virtual

Zoom Link: https://austincc.zoom.us/j/82707906919?pwd=Et9dSz6twmkSqGheH6cakZB22ftwNS.1 

(Meeting ID: 827 0790 6919; Passcode: 007823 )

What: We are meeting in person (RGC, usual room) and on Zoom to close out the end of the Spring Term. If you can make it in person, there will be Dos de Mayo snacks and a birthday cake to surprise Sue! (I have been on the hunt for birthday hats with chickens on them--if anyone knows a supplier, I'd like to speak to them about a large purchase.) If you are Zooming in, I encourage noise makers and party attire! 

Agenda and Minutes: I attached the agenda and January 2025 minutes to the email, but you can also check 'em out as Google Docs.

Important Clarification: In previous newsletters, we advertised an in-person BB Ultra training directly after our CLS meeting.  Unfortunately, we were not able to schedule that.  If you still need BB Ultra training, check out the virtual options at the end of May [Sign up here]  (May 24, 9am-noon and May 30, 1pm-4pm). 

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📣Shout Outs!!📣

Check out this video celebrating Dr. Ursula Parker!  CLS knows she's a rockstar, and it's great to see all of her hard work with INRW and co-reqs getting a personalized shout out from Chancellor Russell Lowery-Hart.  

Also take at look at Michelle Iskra, NISOD winner, sharingthe secret sauce of her teaching expertise--who can get us all shooting to help our students become eager learners about Great Ideas and Enduring Questions...her class is helping our students literally save the world. 

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INRW Institute: Express Your Interest!

Are you an English professor who's interested in expanding your course eligibility to include INRW 0340?  This course pairs with ENGL 1301 in the much-discussed and in-demand Co-Req courses!  This summer, CLS will kick off the second INRW Institute, which allows English faculty to dig into integrated reading and writing pedagogy.  If you are interested, complete the form below to receive additional information. 

INRW Institute Interest Form

Questions? Comments? Email Kendall Dingee, kdudley@austincc.edu

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The New Faculty Evaluation Process

The faculty evaluation process has changed for the entire college, and the CLS Faculty Evaluation Committee has been working hard to make sure that CLS is prepared.  The video Annual Evaluation Materials for the Faculty Evaluation Cycle offers an overview of the new college-wide evaluation process and how to use this document New Faculty Evaluation: Submission by Year.  

In the above video, Beth Frye walks you through the Faculty Evaluation Cycle, which spans three years, and highlights the specific materials required for both adjunct and full-time faculty. She emphasizes the importance of the peer dialogue and values framework for full-time faculty and encourages you to review the Faculty Evaluation Manual for detailed guidance. Additionally, she discusses the purposeful change document for year two and the requirements for submitting assignments and assessments in year three. Please make sure to familiarize yourself with these materials and prepare for your evaluations accordingly. 

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Evaluation Committee Info Sessions 

The CLS Evaluation Committee prepared a series of 1-hour info sessions to help CLS faculty navigate the new college-wide evaluation criteria.  Find the recordings below!

Recorded sessions: 

Syllabus Workshop - April 4

Slides: Syllabus Workshop Slides

Recording: https://austincc.zoom.us/rec/share/4_EfrYTH3MnRuyClFs6eAsurA5IxfSJiUWeMLoXQCd_L2MeQTjq8jaPO7GTUvpY2.u5ojtJlxq-9Rj_Pd

Passcode: kBn=4B*4 

Faculty Reflection Forms - April 18 

Recording: https://austincc.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=45f3d76d-b8a9-4e72-9677-b2c5015d37cc 

Dual Credit Faculty Evaluation Info Session - April 22

Slides: Let's Talk About the CLS Faculty Evaluation

Q&A Session: 

Q.  Does the 3 year rule apply to a specific position or total time at ACC? (Example: adjunct at ACC for 5yrs, now in FT role -- are they old or new?)

A. When a CLS faculty member changes their role from an adjunct to a full-time position, the faculty member will begin at YEAR 1 for full-time faculty in the three year annual evaluation cycle and submit those supplemental materials along with (3) examples of assignments/assessments/projects.  They will follow the schedule for supplemental materials for full-time faculty (including assignments/assessments/projects) during the first three years of their new appointment.  After that time period, they will follow the schedule for supplemental materials for full-time faculty and only submit assignments/assessments/projects during YEAR 3 of the cycle.  

Q.  Are the boxes in this 3-year cycle cumulative (as the old system) or individual?  

A. The process is NOT cumulative. Once you find your year in the cycle, submit only the corresponding documents based on your row 

Q. Regarding the chart on slide 9, does the purple "first three years" submit ONLY the purple docs (assignments and assessments)? 

A. We had the wrong chart. The updated version is linked in the slide show.

Q. When does the new system start?

A. AY 2024-25.  It will include syllabi and FRFs that you submitted for Fall and Spring semesters, and you will need to submit supplemental materials by May 30.  

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Clarification: Mandatory Training in Workday

Many people received emails from Workday about mandatory training; those emails were auto-generated and caused a lot of confusion across the college.  The bottom line: You are compliant with the CLS Department if you have

1) completed all of your mandatory trainings between Nov 1, 2024 and May 30, 2025

AND 

2) RECORDED the completion dates on the Academic Year 2024-25 Collection Form

If you've done that, you can ignore the emails from the college.  If you have not done that, please get your trainings done by May 30. 

Here is the form:  

ACADEMIC YEAR 2024-25 COLLECTION FORM

(ALSO--If you haven't noticed, Beth Frye has been doing the heaviest lifting on all things Evaluation. She deserves a medal and our heartfelt thanks. We would be floundering without her!)

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Please Promote: 🍪Cookie Party for English Majors, April 30, 2pm

If you have any English Majors in your classes, please remind them to stop by the Cookie Party and be celebrated! And stop by to help CLS celebrate English majors!

When: Wednesday, April 30th from 2-4PM

Where: The Paseo at ACC Highland Campus (The Paseo is located at the south end of Bldg 2000)

Presented by: The Austin Community College Composition and Literary Studies Department

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CLS Faculty Well-Being Survey, Please complete!

As part of our department’s ongoing efforts to support faculty well-being, the CLS Professional Development, Research, and Service Committee is conducting the CLS Faculty Well-Being Survey to better understand how workload, institutional support, and overall work-life balance impact your mental health. Your responses will help us identify key areas for improvement and advocate for meaningful changes.

This survey is anonymous, and your honest feedback is greatly appreciated. Most questions are multiple-choice, with optional space to expand on your experiences. It should take no more than 10 minutes to complete.

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Please Promote: Curiositas Launch Party, May 6, 5pm

Come celebrate the latest issue of Curiositas! There will be a short recognition ceremony for published students as well as light refreshments.  And, of course, you can pick up your very own print copy of Curiositas!

When: Tuesday May 6, 5pm-7pm

Where: HLC, ACC Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Center (Bldg 4000, 2252)

RSVP: Curiositas Launch Party

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CLS Spring Book Club, April 29, 7pm 

Join CLS Book Club for our spring selection--Izumi Suzuki's short story collection Terminal Boredom. If you read the book, if you meant to read the book, or if you didn't even read the blurb, we'd love to see you!  Our meet-up also includes a book swap, so bring books that are looking for a new home and, depending on your levels of self-control, be prepared to open your home to many new books.  

When: Tuesday April 29, 7pm - 9pm(ish) 

Where: Easy Tiger at the Linc near the Highland campus 

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Please Promote: Fall '25 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 '25 courses! Below are the course titles, and you can take a look at the course profile page for more in-depth descriptions. 

• English Composition I: Pop Culture (ENGL 1301, 700), HLC, MW 1:30-2:50 pm, Brinda Roy

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

• British Literature 18th c. to the Present: Gothic Literature (ENGL 2323, 700), 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 17 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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Get Involved: College-wide Committee Work!

Are you interested in getting involved in college-wide initiatives and discussions?  

You can find a list of Councils and Committees in the right toolbar of this Shared Governance webpage.  

You can find a list of Senate Committees for the current year (AY25) on the ACC Full-Time Faculty Senate webpage.  

Senate President-Elect, Alberto Quiñonez will be chairing the Senate's Committee on Faculty Participation to appoint FT faculty to all of these councils and committees.

The process for AY26 appointments should begin in the coming weeks and culminate during the summer.  

Keep your eyes open for an email from the Faculty Senate with details--and If you happen to be a CLS 🦖(15 or more years at ACC) or 🐢 (5-15 years at ACC), please consider service. 🐟 (0-5 years at ACC,) you're welcome, too, but I won't nag you about It!

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Incorporating Civic Engagement Pilot 

Check out the materials for our new Incorporating Civic Engagement Pilot! What is it? It is a carefully curated Blackboard Upload with artifacts for you and your students to use.  Artifacts include materials in these categories: Civil Rights; Climate and Environment; Corporate and Government Contracts; Education; Policy; Food; Gun Rights; Human Health; Immigration; LGBTQIA+; Libraries and Freedom of Speech; Media and Technology; Refugees and War; Reproductive and Human Rights; and Voter Rights.

Dr. Wendy Elle introduces Incorporating Civic Engagement Introductory video

Dean Toño Ramirez explains how to use the American Association of Colleges & Universities  (AAC&U) VALUE rubrics to assess Civics Education 

Dean Toño Ramirez explains How to integrate AAC&U Value Rubric into your Blackboard assignments 

Mission Statement and Purpose

To provide all ACC students with access to artifacts relevant to our civic education–including media, video clips,  images, forms, official documents, statements, etc. Students and faculty can critically reflect on these artifacts in their assignments, formal and informal group and class discussions, workshops, simulations, or other academic pursuits.

Use, review, discussion, and classwork engaging with these artifacts closely align with two of our General Education Competencies:

• Personal Responsibility: Identify and apply ethical principles and practices to decision-making by connecting choices, actions, and consequences.

• Social Responsibility (Civic and Cultural Awareness): Analyze differences and commonalities among peoples, ideas, aesthetic traditions, and cultural practices to include intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities.

Right now, we have a Blackboard Demo Shell but it is nearly complete (we are cleaning up the MLA citations!)--If you'd like access as soon as it is available (in the next week or two) or for your classes for summer , please email wendy.elle@austincc.edu, and we can get you started. And if you want to talk more about this amazing resource, let me know! 

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CARES Informational Presentation (in-person and virtual)

Learn more about the CARES Behavioral Intervention process.  In this presentation, participants will gain an understanding of the CARES (Campus Assessment, Response, and Evaluation for Students) team and its role in fostering a safe and supportive college environment. We will start by exploring the primary mission and functions of CARES. The presentation will cover the CARES process from the referral to implementing appropriate support strategies. Professional development credit will be awarded. 

Here are the dates, and interested faculty can sign up HERE. 

Virtual Session Dates:

5/6/25 - 11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.

In-Person Session Dates:

4/29/25 - 9:30-10:30 a.m. RVS 

If you have questions, contact eriko.tyner@austincc.edu

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RSVP: LAHC Convocation, May 1, 5:30pm-7pm (HLC) 

All LAHC faculty are cordially invited to attend a gathering at the Highland campus on Thursday, May 1, from 5:30-7:00 pm.  The evening will feature a short program highlighting innovative faculty-driven work, food, and most importantly to simply share some time and space together.

Please RSVP in order to help us to anticipate food order needs and other logistics!

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Call for Proposals: Corequisite Summit, deadline May 5

The CLS Department-INRW program at ACC is hosting the second Coreq Summit on Friday, November 7, 2025. We are seeking proposals from professors that teach corequisite courses at ACC for 45 minute break out sessions related to the theme “Stay Strong in Literacy.” The deadline for proposals is May 5th. Please see the link for the proposal application.

Proposal Application for 2025 Corequisite Summit

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Call for Industry Professionals & Past English Majors to Attend Graduation Celebration

For our annual celebration of graduating English majors, we are inviting special guests to the party to meet, mingle, and network with our departments’ soon-to-be graduates at Highland on April 30th from 2 to 4 PM!

We’re looking to invite professionals with careers that their English degrees helped prepare them for. Maybe that’s someone you know–maybe that’s you! Recent English major graduates are also more than welcome, so please feel free to reach out to your past students and see if they’d like to join our soiree. 

If you or someone you know would like to be one of the special guests at the English Major Graduation Celebration, please contact Theo Yurevitch. You can also fill out this form indicating your plans to attend April 30th’s Cookie Party/Graduation Celebration. There will be cookies and goodies for everyone who comes!

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Faculty Evaluation, Spring 2025 To-do List 

These five tasks are required components for the Faculty Evaluation process. 

• Submit your Syllabi for Spring 2025 to the Academic Year 2024-25 Collection by two weeks after the beginning of your courses.   

• Check the CLS Due List to see if you need to complete supplemental evaluation materials for Spring 25. Then SUBMIT HERE Supplemental Evaluation Materials due May 30, 2025 .  Remember those materials are now due May 30 2025.  

• Finish your ACC Mandatory Training and self-report on the Academic Year 2024-25 Collection by FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2025

• Complete your Administrative Duties (Syllabi and Office hours on Lighthouse!) no later than two weeks after the beginning of your courses. 

• Submit your Faculty Reflection Form for Spring 2025 classes to the Academic Year 2024-25 Collection form BY June 13, 2025

If you have questions or want amazingly detailed guidance for each of the required tasks, check out or print Faculty Evaluation Guidelines, Spring 2025, created by Beth Frye, our (AMAZING!!!) CLS Evaluation Committee Chair.

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Accessibility in Blackboard Courses

Moving forward, ACC and CLS want faculty to aim for a BB Accessibility score of 80% or higher. 

Resources for checking and fixing BB Accessibility in your courses:

Please check your BB accessibility score at the beginning of the spring 2025 semester and as you add new items to your courses throughout the semester.  Dean Toño Ramirez made this brief, helpful video to demo Accessibility Reports. If you need help fixing the accessibility of your Blackboard courses, you have resources!   

• Instructional design support is currently offering Workshop Sessions on Enhancing Accessibility. You can learn more or register here: DE Accessibility Training.  

• TLED has great resources on its Accessibility information page. 

• Within CLS, we are fortunate to have Amber Clontz helping folks get their Bb documents ADA reader-friendly at her Blackboard Q & A Office Hour on Fridays--see the Information further down the newsletter for how those office hours work!

• Trent Griggs shared the following materials related to the ADA Blackboard Compliance Training during a presentation at the CCCs:

Distance and Alternative Learning Website 

Accessibility Quick Guide

Blackboard Accessibility Orientation

Common Errors

Examples of Reasonable Accommodations

How to use Blackboard Ally

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A not-so-gentle nudge: Blackboard Ultra for Summer 25

Blackboard Ultra Conversion is here for the Summer 25 semester! Remember that the changes to Blackboard are fairly substantial and will probably require you to rethink your Blackboard course set-up.  If you haven't had a chance to get to a training, consider signing up for one of the virtual sessions at the end of May. This may be your best option to receive last-minute, hands-on assistance during the intersession.   

(1) Current training options (each session offers four PD hours):

• Using Blackboard Ultra (Face-to-Face): [Sign up here]

• Using Blackboard Ultra (Virtual): [Sign up here]  (several seats left for session May 24 9am-noon and May 30 1pm-4pm)

• Using Blackboard Ultra (Hyflex): [Sign up here]

(2) Directions to export your current Blackboard Courses.  You can create a Zip file for any/all available Blackboard courses.  By saving Zip files to your computer, you will have all materials if/when you need to build courses in Ultra. 

Step-by-step from Jean Lauer, Chair of the Religion, Philosophy, Humanities Dept. 

1. In your Course Management list, open dropdown under Packages and Utilities.

2. Select "Export/Archive Course."

3. Select "Export Package." (It's a little hidden, I swear it's there)

   • Review settings - part 1. I usually keep defaults under "File Attachments."

   • Review settings - part 2. I usually "Select All" under "Select Course Materials."

4. Hit "Submit."

   • Wait for an email (it's usually quick).

5. Refresh or go back to course menu and select "Export/Archive Course."

6. Download the zip file.

7. Save it!

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Blackboard Q & A, Fridays 3 PM-4 PM

Need help setting up your Blackboard page?  Have a quick question about a Blackboard function?

Email Amber Clontz for the Zoom invite; she's hosting regularly on Fridays 3-4 PM. 

• Can’t make the day/time? Send your availability to request an alternative :) 

Brought to you by the Textbooks & Technology Committee 📚🪱💻

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Call for Faculty! We Need English Ambassadors!

CLS’s footprint at ACC is big–and getting bigger–with increasingly more events where faculty can play a role and make a difference.

As an English Ambassador, you will have the opportunity to participate in and help run these events. This is a fantastic way to connect with students outside the classroom, share what you excel at, network with your colleagues, and serve our community! 

English Ambassadors will get Professional Development hours for all events they attend as well as every ounce of swag that CLS has to offer (fancy shirts, casual shirts, stickers, buttons, pens, and more). The events on the horizon for this semester are as follows:

• English Major Cookie Party - April 30th from 2 PM on at the Highland Campus

• Carnival of Letters (Vision+Voice)- May 3rd, 10:30 AM- 12:30 PM at the Highland Campus

If you would like to serve as an English Ambassador at any of these events and/or participate in future events, please complete the following form.

If you have any questions, please contact Theo Yurevitch!

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Please Promote: Carnival of Letters (Vision and Voice), May 3

Join us on Saturday, May 3rd, from 10:30 AM-12:30 PM for the 11th Annual Carnival of Letters (Vision+Voice) Literary Festival at the Highland Campus! Bring the family for a fun morning celebrating community, creativity, and self-expression, starting with literary carnival games and ending with an awards ceremony honoring the winners of the K-12 Vision+Voice Poetry Competition. You can find more info about Vision+Voice at https://k12.visionandvoice.org/ 

Call for Volunteers! LAHC needs faculty and student volunteers to help set up the space, lead carnival games, and help clean up after the event. If interested in volunteering, please fill out the registration form below: Registration Form

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Please Promote: Online Writing Tutor

From Becky Villarreal

Becky Villarreal, ACC English instructor and LELA tutor, assists students with papers via email. They can email her directly at bvillarr@austincc.edu (with their papers in a DOC file and their instructor's directions) or click here to fill out a form. Email Becky if you have questions, or check out her website.

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CLS Profile 2024-2025--Faculty Contributions

Please send us contributions for our next CLS Profile (2024-25).  We'd love to see a picture of you and/or your students, including selfies with students and photos with colleagues at conferences--especially CLS activities (Don't forget to get signed photo permission forms from students)! Aside from photos, we are looking for contributions in as many categories as apply to you; you can also nominate a colleague's reading(s) or assignment(s)!  Keep details concrete and short. The first CLS Profile was a BIG SUCCESS! And we'd love to hear from loads and loads of our faculty for next years' profile! (Also, we'll ask for contributions through the first part of the Spring Term. This form will stay open--and feel free to share things as they come up.

Share your AWESOMENESS Here: Faculty Contributions for 2025 CLS Profile

Holler at Wendy Elle, Luanne Preston, or Dania Dwyer if you have questions or thoughts!