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September 2025
At our Fall 2025 Convocation, I had the privilege of presenting OER awards to our outstanding grant team, faculty, and staff who have dedicated themselves to the Open Textbooks for Rural Arizona project. Over the past four years, their commitment has expanded access to affordable learning by removing financial barriers for our students while strengthening academic freedom and collaboration.
We also hosted an OER showcase highlighting the innovative work of faculty who are integrating open educational resources into their courses. The energy and excitement from our campus community underscored the true impact of open education. I am very grateful for the strong support from college leadership, the Open Textbooks for Rural Arizona Consortium, and the OERizona Network. The internal and external partnerships have been instrumental in this work.
On a personal note, I was deeply honored to receive my 15 Years of Service Award from NPC. Serving this college for the past decade and a half has been a meaningful journey, and I am proud to be part of such a mission-driven community.
Looking ahead, September brings a variety of exciting initiatives across our division as we continue to support teaching and learning:
Instructional Technology and Curriculum Support (ITCS) is kicking off the fall with training events on topics ranging from AI and classroom management to digital accessibility. Be sure to check the ITCS Department calendar. This will a busy season as the team works hard to provide faculty mentoring, professional development, curriculum support, OER development, and assistance for the upcoming Learning Management System transition.
Library Services is hosting Fantastic Books and Where to Find Them this fall after a successful summer of Discovery Nest activities. The department continues to support the growing demand for academic program databases, the student laptop checkout program, and information literacy. If you are an instructor who needs an information literacy session to prepare your class for an assignment or research paper, or a personalized guide specifically for your course, they are here to help.
Student Accommodation Services (SAS) has already provided in-person presentations to 335 students and will join Library Services in visiting remote locations such as Whiteriver, Kayenta, and Hopi to support the Native American Student Success Workshops. SAS will work with faculty and staff to ensure our teaching and learning environments are accessible and ADA compliant.
Testing Center recently welcomed two new proctors. The team will work closely with faculty, staff, and our internal and external testing partners to further enhance and expand the high-stakes and academic testing services for students and community members. A new departmental website with updated information and resources will be ready to launch this fall.
I look forward to all the great work ahead this semester and am grateful for our continued dedication to our students and our mission.
Wei Ma, PhD
Dean of Instructional Innovation
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