Weekly Newsletter: Tuesday Is News Day

Tuesday, March 31, 2026

Thank you to everyone who showed up to last weeks Bylaws meeting and the morning meeting with Lowery-Hart and Scott.  This week, we have another Bylaws Town Hall on Wednesday April 1 at 6:30pm. It's all about CLS staffing and scheduling.  Here's the Zoom link.  Please make plans to attend. Your voice and your presence matter.

An important plea: We need your 📷photos from the CCCs! If you snapped selfies or group shots or action shots during presentations, please upload them here.  We need them for the CLS Profile and future promotional material for the CCCs.  Please and thank you--upload them now!

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Important Dates! 

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

April 1

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

April 10

INRW End of Semester Meeting (HLC), 9:30am-11:00am 

April 17 

CLS Assessment Meeting (virtual), 1:00pm-2:00pm 

April 25 

Undergraduate Research Symposium, 11am-2pm

     May 8 

CLS End-of-Semester Meeting (RGC + virtual), 10:00am - 12:00pm

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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. 

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 Website Revamp 

As we are all getting used to the new CLS Website, we will leave the links posted here. 

Composition and Literary Studies 

INRW

CLS Faculty Resources

CLS Faculty Handbook

Chris Stayton has also added a Help page where you can get your FAQs answered and offer feedback. You can offer anonymous feedback here. 

Thanks for your patience and thanks to Chris Stayton for his continued work on our site! 

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CLS Bylaws Town Hall X 2

Bylaws Town Hall 1, Recording 

If you missed the March 25 at 6:30pm or if you just want to review what was said, check out the recording: https://austincc.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=8f9c44b1-0be6-4b21-a1de-b4190011880a

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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Save the Date: CLS Assessment-Focus Meeting, April 17

Please mark your calendars for the annual assessment-focused department meeting! This academic year, our department assessed ENGL 1302 research essays specifically for the following categories: Written Communication, Research for Writing, Critical Thinking, and Personal Responsibility. The assessment committee's findings will be shared and discussed with the department during this meeting. 

When: Friday, April 17, 1pm-2pm 

Where: Zoom https://austincc.zoom.us/j/86494652682?pwd=v7VAxq32oytVd2zrLLHmPiEzYlDlCA.1

Meeting ID: 864 9465 2682 and Meeting Passcode: 202331 

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Promote and Attend: Discussion of Henry David Thoreau, April 9

On Thursday, April 9th , Frank Cronin of ACC and Dr. Lucy Salib, of the University of Texas, will discuss Henry David Thoreau and the new documentary, Henry David Thoreau, which  airs on PBS, local affiliate KLRU, on Monday, March 30th and Tuesday, March 31st and then streams on the PBS app. Thoreau was an American writer of the 1800s who was also a surveyor, pencil maker, botanist, hydrologist, environmentalist, philosopher, and abolitionist. Thoreau’s varied interests and importance will appeal to faculty and students of Government, History, Philosophy, Religion, Sociology, Environmental Science, and Literature.

For more about Thoreau and the documentary go to the library resource page, Henry David Thoreau Resource Guide, created by librarian Maria Rueles at https://researchguides.austincc.edu/c.php?g=1513380

Send any questions or comments to Frank Cronin, fcronin@austincc.edu.

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2026 CCC Recap & Recordings

From Rob Crowl, 

CCC 2026 is a wrap! I'm beyond grateful to everyone who attended this year's curriculum conference. We had a strong turnout, and we were well fed for our efforts. Thanks to the Textbook Committee for the amazing food (Cengage & Macmillan) & a Schwarzenegger-size thank you to the army of volunteers who helped me organize and pull off this life-giving event. It wasn't perfect, but nothing is. We learned a lot, got to connect with each other, and sat under some wonderful teaching. What more can you ask for? 

If you were one of the unlucky few who couldn't attend, fear not! Here's a link to this year's website, presenter materials, & conference recordings. If you did attend and took pictures at our CLS Photo-Frame, please, drop your photos here for the CLS Profile. 

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Apply for LEAD Communities of Practice and Fellowships

The application for AY 2026-27 is now live. To join a LEAD Community of Practice please complete the sign-up here: https://forms.gle/3ZHxbdUcZGW3fncD6.

Interested in implementing a High Impact Practice in your course? Complete the application for a LEAD fellowship here: https://forms.gle/qF3Nztt8S5FRhwBR8.

Questions? Email lead@austincc.edu.

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Please Promote: English Workshop III, RVS Learning Lab, Apr. 7

ENGLISH WORKSHOP III: Elements of Fiction

Location: RSVG 9103

Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 3:00PM – 4:00PM

RSVP at matthew.smith@austincc.edu

Zoom Meeting ID: 253 903 2844  Pass Code: 999294

Flyer: English Workshop 3 Elements of Fiction

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Faculty Spotlight: Rooted to Rise

Check out this amazing video that captures Dania Dwyer's Rooted to Rise initiative: Rooted to Rise!

Dania explains that this event began as a way to share her birthday celebration with her Jamaican family, friends, and community. The initiative was grounded by the power of stories to empower and inspire. She gathered friends to tell their stories of overcoming challenges to succeed in life; kids from her son's Texas elementary school wrote letters of encouragement to Jamaican students who lost so much in the hurricane. They also donated supplies and money for a fund to help kids in need. The Forestry Department donated hundreds of seedlings for fruit trees so the community can replant and replenish their food source. If you want something to raise your spirits--this Is It!

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DCAA Delayed

Due to the accelerated deadlines of the Strategic Schedule and the glacial pace of HR, I wasn't able to offer the DCAA review group the campuses available for DCAA. For Fall 26-Spring 27, we will tackle DCAA in late May/early June. This means Fall courses will already be assigned. That's--unusual and not ideal--but it truly is the best that we are able to do this year. Dual Credit adjuncts, please keep an eye on the newsletter and your email in-box! And, I'm sorry for the hassle.

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Last Call: CLS Diversity, Censorship, and Academic Freedom Survey, 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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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 April

April 2 1 p.m. –4 p.m. EVC Learning Lab (Room 2304) Zoom EVC

April 2 1 p.m. –4 p.m. RRC Learning Lab (Study Room 2330.07) Zoom RRC

April 2 1 p.m. –4 p.m. SAC Learning Lab (Room 1138) Zoom SAC

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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 April 5th 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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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