Weekly Newsletter: Tuesday Is News Day

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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Congratulations! We are SOOOOOO AWESOME! 🎉

Alana King secured a spot in the MLA Institute on Reading and Writing Pedagogy at Access-Oriented Institutions.  Congrats, Alana! We look forward to hearing about your experience.  

Professor Louisa Spaventa gets a shout out from a recent ACC graduate. Congrats, Louisa!

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Join the Liberal Arts Gateway for Fall 2024!

The Liberal Arts Gateway (LAG) is a student success initiative that seeks to link the student’s lived experience to the heart of each Liberal Arts discipline. LAG faculty focus on community building and engagement strategies within themed classes that involve students in meaningful avenues of inquiry. As a LAG member, you will redesign an existing composition or literature class while participating in a Community of Practice that offers collaboration and support. If you would like to be a part of LAG, email Chris Berni: cberni@austincc.edu.

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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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Please Promote: Submission for Student Research Symposium

From Chris Berni 

The Student Research Symposium will be back in April 2025, and we are accepting submissions through February 28, 2025. This event was super fun this year and reminds us all of why we love teaching! Please submit (with student permission) or encourage your students to submit their best research projects via the LAG website. We will consider any work that can be turned into a poster, presented on a laptop, or read aloud.

Please reach out to Chris Berni (cberni@austincc.edu) if you have any questions!

Also, if you would like to read student submissions, let Chris know!

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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

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.  

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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! Thursdays through June 13, 8pm - 9:30pm 

Check out Shakespeare cold-reads with CLS and the new initiative called Broadening the Accessibility and Reading of the Drama of Shakespeare (BARDS). Join Shakespeare nerd enthusiast Amber Luttig-Buonodono and your CLS colleagues in an unrehearsed, low-stakes, encouraging voyage into Act One (5/16) 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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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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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)

Contact Beth Frye if you have any questions.