Weekly Newsletter: Tuesday Is News Day

Tuesday, March 10, 2026

The smell of mountain laurel Is In the air--and you know what that means! It's nearly time for Spring Break. There are a few Items we need you to keep top of mind--and that's MEETINGS! We need you to plan to be at the Town Halls for Bylaws and the Meeting with the Chancellor. So get some rest, finish a novel, and mark your calendar for attendance at the 3/25 evening Bylaws Town Hall; the 3/27 morning meeting with Lowery-Hart and Scott, and the 4/1 evening Bylaws Town Hall, Special Staffing and Scheduling Addition!

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Important Dates! 

Link to CLS Faculty Calendar (Zoom links available for virtual events)

March 16 - March 22 

Spring Break, ACC Closed 

March 25

CLS Bylaws Town Hall Meeting (virtual), 6:30pm-7:30pm

March 27 

CLS meets with Chancellor Russell Lowery-Hart and VC Gaye Lynn Scott (virtual), 9am-10am

April 1

CLS Bylaws Town Hall Meeting (virtual), 6:30pm-7:30pm

April 25 

Undergraduate Research Symposium, 11am-2pm

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CLS Announcements 

CLS Quick Links

CLS Evaluation Materials

2025-2026 Evaluation Deadlines Full Calendar

Academic Year 2025-2026 Collection Form

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 2025, Spring 2026, and Summer 2026. 

Submit Syllabi by the second week of classes (varies by session; Jan 30, 2026 for 16 week)

Submit Faculty Reflection Forms (Jan 30, 2026; Jun 12, 2026; Sept 4, 2026)

Submit self-reported Mandatory training (Due Feb 28)

Supplemental Materials for the CLS Annual Evaluation

Use this form to submit your Supplemental Materials for Annual Faculty Evaluation.  Need to know what to submit?  First, find your cycle year on the CLS Due List.  Then, use the What do I submit? chart. Submit AY26 Supplemental Materials by May 29, 2026. 

Faculty Responsibilities for Annual Evaluation

The above video explains the ACC and CLS Faculty Evaluation Process in a Q&A format.  You can also find the transcript and resources here. 

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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Support in Confusing and Uncertain Times

As we continue to find our way through uncertain times, please be on the lookout to support your colleagues and students who might be struggling with overwhelm and fear. And take care of yourself.

If you or your students need to talk to someone, remember that ACC has resources. 

Resources from Chancellor Russell's March 2 email, 

Students — ACC’s mental health counselors are here to provide confidential support and guidance. In addition to our on-campus counseling services, ACC is expanding access to free, 24/7 virtual mental health support through TimelyCare. You can find more information and support at austincc.edu/counseling.

Employees — Our Employee Assistance Program offers free and confidential counseling support for employees and their family members. If you need time or flexibility, please talk with your supervisor.

Your safety matters deeply to us. Our ACC Police officers will continue to maintain a visible presence at every campus. If you ever need help, there is always a campus police station, or you can call our police directly at 512-223-1231.

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CLS Bylaws Town Hall X 2

Bylaws Town Hall 1

When: March 25, 6:30pm - 7:30pm 

Zoom link: https://austincc.zoom.us/j/81890150568?pwd=DbAMcEvLrmoaxbUuaWLYOYs909imFx.1&jst=2

Agenda:  We will discuss suggested changes and open the floor for discussion on all thing Bylaws--except for Staffing and Scheduling!

Bylaws Town Hall 2 (Staffing Discussion)

When: April 1, 6:30pm - 7:30pm 

Zoom link: https://austincc.zoom.us/j/84170388156?pwd=hJj9gfKYUuQ9ABqikrHZMilZMZTloZ.1&jst=2 

Agenda:  Despite the date, this discussion is no joking matter! It's a full hour to talk about Scheduling and Staffing. Wendy will give the most concise explanation possible of how we staff FT positions. Just a quick reminder about Adjunct Staffing Explanation and Adjunct Pathways to Teaching Traditional Sections.

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CLS Meets with Russell and Gaye Lynn 

When: March 27, 9am - 10am 

Zoom Link: https://austincc.zoom.us/j/89335806383?pwd=izqOn5SsbTba5ZbOYE7LNGwubvO4qp.1

Meeting ID: 893 3580 6383

Passcode: 480978 

Agenda: Open Agenda for a Q&A with Faculty. Russell and Gaye Lynn are open to any topic, and they are our welcome visiting guests.  

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The Passing of Charles Wukasch 

We wanted to share this sad news that our colleague, known and warmly remembered to many of us, passed away recently. Charles Wukasch taught English and English as a Second Language at Austin Community College for many years.  During his time at ACC, he was the night manager at Eastside Campus (now Eastview), and he also served on the ACC-AFT and the Adjunct Faculty Association.  He passed away on March 2, 2026 at home in Austin, TX.  Memorial contributions in his name can be made to either the Texas Wendish Heritage Society at 1011 Co Rd 212, Giddings, TX 78942 or to the CTSPCA at P.O. Box 98, Cedar Park, TX 78630 

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Save the Date: ACC screening of Henry David Thoreau, April 9

The Thoreau Society is hosting a screening of the PBS documentary Henry David Thoreau on Thursday, April 9th at the Highland campus.  Mark your calendars now and look for more event details after Spring Break! 

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Heads Up! BIG Changes Coming to Our Website and Other Web Resources

The web materials that we know and love are undergoing a giant revision, starting right after Spring Break. Chris Stayton will be archiving our existing site, and then over the next several months, the accessible site with new designs will be brought online. This is your first heads up--but not the last that you will hear of it. We will make sure that all faculty have access to the syllabi and other items we need, but the site as we know it is about to undergo a HUGE metamorphosis. Stay tuned!

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Clarity on Accessibility Requirements

On February 27, Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, Gaye Lynn Scott, sent an email clarifying ACC's accessibility expectations and the use of the BB Ally tool. Here's an excerpt: 

This message is intended to provide clear, consistent, and college-wide clarification.

The law requires equitable and timely access to course content for students with disabilities, not perfect automated scores. Tools such as Blackboard Ally do not define legal compliance; rather, they help us identify potential barriers and support continuous improvement.

At ACC, we use a 100% Ally score as a quality benchmark, not as a legal threshold. This benchmark establishes a shared aspirational target, helps prioritize high-impact accessibility improvements, and supports designing accessibility into courses from the outset.

To provide clarity and consistency, the Office of Distance & Alternative Education under Dr. Addae has published guidance on the Distance Education website outlining known scenarios in which Ally may continue to display flags despite reasonable remediation efforts.  When remaining flags fall within these documented scenarios, and instructional impact has been reviewed, courses are considered aligned with college accessibility expectations. We will continue to update the website as we become aware of additional scenarios.

You may access this guidance here:

Blackboard Ally: Known Flag Scenarios That May Prevent a 100% Score

This guidance does not lower accessibility expectations. Rather, it clarifies how automated indicators should be interpreted within the broader context of equitable access and professional judgment.

[see Blackboard Accessibility and Resources item below for resources that will help improve the accessibility of your BB course]

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Survey: CLS Diversity, Censorship, and Academic Freedom, Deadline Mar. 31

The Professional Development and Research Committee would appreciate your taking the time to fill out the CLS Diversity, Censorship, and Academic Freedom survey by Tuesday, March 31st. 

You can find more details about the survey's purpose and method by following the link above.  If you have questions about the survey, please contact Rob Crowl at robert.crowl@austincc.edu or Dylan Walsh at dylan.walsh@austincc.edu.

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Please Promote: 2026 Central Texas Learning Festival

The ACC Honors Program is excited to be a proud partner in the 2026 Central Texas (CTX) Learning Festival!

Where: Highland Campus Welcome Center, Building 1000 (HLC1 2350) 

Wednesday, March 11, 9:00-10:50 am - La diversidad y la influencia del estilo y la moda Hispana/ The diversity and influence of Hispanic style and fashion

Honors Spanish I & II professors Ramiro Juarez and Marcel Pons Ventura will explore personal style and fashion influences across the Spanish-speaking world in this insightful cultural workshop.

Wednesday, March 11, 11:00-11:50 am - Pop Culture Pop-Up - Decoding Movies, Memes, and More

Dr. Brinda Roy’s Honors Composition I students will teach a lively, hands-on class, during which participants will decode familiar cultural artifacts - from music to memes - to discover how pop culture shapes our lives and communities.

The Festival is free and open for learners of all ages and interests. Learn more at ctxlearningfestival.com

Facebook @ctxlearningfestival

Instagram @ctx.learningfestival

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Blackboard Accessibility Resources and Sessions

ACC's Office of Distance Education (DE) is working hard to make sure faculty have the tools and know-how to make all BB courses accessible by April 24, 2026. 

Resources for working on BB Accessibility

• Instructional design support offers DE Accessibility Training

• DE's Accessibility Resource page

• TLED's Accessibility information page. 

• Materials from Trent Griggs' ADA Blackboard Compliance Training at the 2025 CCCs:

Accessibility Quick Guide

Blackboard Accessibility Orientation

Common Errors

Examples of Reasonable Accommodations

How to use Blackboard Ally

Drop-in: Accessibility Sessions in March

March 11 1 p.m. –4 p.m.

• Elgin Campus (Learning Lab, EGN 1254) Zoom link Elgin Campus 

• Rio Grande Campus (ACCelerator) Zoom link Rio Grande Campus 

• Round Rock Campus (Learning Lab RRC2330.07) Zoom link Round Rock Campus 

March 26, 9 a.m. –12 p.m.

• Highland Campus (ACCelerator) Zoom link Highland Campus 

• Hays Campus (Learning Lab, HYS 1205.04) Zoom link Hays Campus 

• Riverside Campus (Learning Lab, RVS 9100)  Zoom link Riverside Campus 

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PD Opportunity: Adobe for Visualization in Argument, Mar. 19

In this session, leaders from Penn State’s Program in Writing and Rhetoric (PWR) showcase an innovative Infographics Unit designed for 5,000 First-Year Writing students.

Discover how they guide students to transform written arguments into compelling data visualizations using Adobe Express. You’ll explore how PWR faculty scaffold, support, and assess multimodal projects, with a strong focus on critical thinking and creativity in the age of Generative AI. These projects demonstrate how technology can be thoughtfully and strategically integrated into writing courses.

Leave with actionable approaches to help students become agile, effective visual communicators, skills essential for today’s digital world.

Register here

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Promote Student Work!

We all know our students are doing amazing things! As you review student work, keep in mind ways that you can encourage students to get their work to a larger audience by submitting the Spring Undergraduate Research Symposium, Cacciatore, or Innovate. 

Undergraduate Research Symposium, Deadline to apply Mar. 23, 2026

 📣CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS! Apply by March 23, 2026! 

The Liberal Education Advancement and Development (LEAD) initiative is sponsoring an Undergraduate Research Symposium and we are calling it 🌸 ACC In Bloom !! 🌸

 🎓📚🔬 What: A Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Research Symposium that will showcase work from students and faculty across all disciplines and levels of research experience.

🗓️⏰When: Saturday April 25, 2026, 11:00am-2:00pm.

🏫Where: Highland Campus.

👉Check out the marvelous Symposium Website and flyer.

Apply:  2026 Undergraduate Research Symposium Submission Form 

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Please Promote: Submissions to The Writer

From Madia Resch, Vice President of UT Austin's Texas Writing Society, 

UT Austin's Texas Writing Society is a creative writing organization focused on making writing, criticism, and publishing more accessible to college students. 

Our literary journal, The Writer, accepts every genre of writing, as well as songs, and provides detailed feedback on each piece, whether accepted into the current issue or not. The Writer's spring edition, "Blossom," is open to submissions until the end of March and we are looking for more passionate writers to submit their work. 

ACC students can find out more and submit their work at https://www.thewriteratx.com/

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Please Promote: Submissions to The Windward Review

Students and faculty are invited to submit their works to the 24th volume of The Windward Review, exploring themes of power, presence, and perspective. The Windward Review is an annual print and creative digital journal showcasing diverse works of poetry, screenplays, fiction, flash fiction, and creative nonfiction unique to the South Texas Coastal Bend.  Our journal is looking for original pieces under 15 pages that investigate different perspectives and challenge our readers to reflect on the diverse lens your submissions have to offer. 

To submit your creative works, please visit the following site via our online portal: 

Windward Review Home | Windward Review | College of Liberal Arts | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi 

Submissions will be open until March 18th, 2026 by 12:00 PM CDT. 

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Contribute: CLS Profile 

For the last two years, the CLS Profile has been a great success; check out volume 2 here.  In preparation for an even more amazing volume 3, we've opened the Faculty Contribution (2026) form.

Unlike voting, you can actually submit to this form early and often.  Add some love notes now, come back in a month with pictures, and submit again after winter break when you've caught up on some leisure reading! 

Here's what we're looking for: 

• 📸Pics of you, your colleagues, your students! (Don't forget to get the photo consent form signed!)

• 💜Love Notes (end-of-semester "thank yous" from students, snippets from evaluations that stick with you)

• 📖Recommended reads (articles and books) 

• 🙋🏽Successful classroom strategies and engaging texts

• 📑Course or assignment re-designs 

• ✍️Professional publications, presentations, or achievements

• 🏆 Student achievements