THE SENATE STANDARD – ISSUE 38
ACC Full-Time Faculty Senate Website
ACC Coronavirus page
Dear Faculty Colleagues,
This week’s Standard will catch you up on some exciting news about student names on our online platforms. You’ll also learn about how partnering with Student Affairs can help us focus on academic integrity. Since safety is on everyone’s mind, there is also a helpful link to keep up-to-date on plans for returning to our campuses.
I hope your summer is going well, and that you are staying safe, healthy, and cool!
Senate Meetings / Minutes / Agendas
6/12/20 Senate Meeting – Minutes for this meeting are now in development. They will be shared when they are approved.
7/10/20 Senate Meeting noon -2pm – This is the first call for agenda items for our July meeting. Please send items for consideration to me at [email protected] or to your campus senator by Friday, July 3. Details for how to join this meeting online can be found on the Senate Calendar. You can also add the event (and online joining details) to your own calendar by clicking the link above.
Newsworthy
Student “Chosen Name” Project – For the past several years, many concerned faculty recognized that ACC’s reliance on “legal names” made it difficult for students and employees to use a name of their choosing on online platforms. The Faculty Senate continued the effort started by others to improve options for everyone to choose a name to identify themselves online. We started with a cabinet meeting in Fall 2019, and then followed up in Spring 2020 at another cabinet meeting. Administration approved of this work, and has now made it a priority.
Work is being done by both IT and Student Affairs to complete this project. IT will ensure that there is a field in colleague (our record-keeping software) that will allow students to select a “chosen name”. Student Affairs is creating an online form within student self service so students can pick their chosen name. Student Affairs will also develop a process to approve names quickly, such that they will be implemented within 24 hours of a student request. Approved chosen names will then be used to identify students on Blackboard, Email, and other online platforms. Legal names will be retained in our records as required by law.
The goal is to have this option available by Fall 2020, though depending on the programming, it may be rolled out sooner. Once the student process is in place, the next goal will be for IT to work with Human Resources, to offer a similar option for faculty and staff.
Academic Integrity While Online – At a recent Senate Leadership Team meeting with administration, we broached the subject of cheating / plagiarism / academic integrity issues while we are online. We will continue discussions with administration on this issue, but I want to share a few things with you.
• Email from Student Affairs Deans – You should have received an email with the subject “[Full-Time Faculty] Summer 2020 Faculty Letter & Guide | Student Rights & Responsibilities”. This addresses some of the concerns we raised in our meeting, and in it, you’ll learn more about how faculty can partner with Student Affairs to prevent academic dishonesty. I urge you all to read over this informative email and file it for future reference.
• How to report – Our syllabi allow us to determine our own policies regarding academic integrity, but if a student violates your policy, you may choose to share that with Student Affairs. There is now an easy, online way to do this. Use the link above!
• Student Affairs let us know that they DO keep records of student cheating, and if they see a pattern, they can work with students to help improve understanding of academic expectations.
• Want to learn more? The email has information about professional development sessions on this issue, and/or take a peek at the Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct page.
Return to Campus Plans – Our college has been hard at work developing plans to safely return to campus. There is a new webpage to keep you up-to-date on this rapidly changing issue. Please take a peek!
New Action Items [please check due dates below!]
TCCTA Conference Leading from the Middle [July 7-8] – This conference will offer insight into recent legislative updates, suggestions on how to meet SACSCOC requirements, a broad overview of current legal issues in regards to public employment, and how to transition into the fall semester. For more information about the Leading from the Middle conference, visit the event page.
Current Action Items (These are reminders for things I’ve already sent out):
2020-2021 Committee Service Preferences Form [July 15th @ 5:00pm] – Submit your preferences to serve on crucial 2020-2021 committees and councils! Your service will ensure faculty members are heard in many policy-making meetings throughout the year. Please visit ACC Shared Governance for details about our role in shaping ACC policies and procedures. For more information about the councils/committees, and to express your interest to serve on one or more of them, please complete THIS FORM by July 15, 2020.
Annual Educational Level Adjustment [due July 31] – Human Resources is now going through the process of updating faculty education levels. If you received a new degree this year, please review the announcement and the form for more details.
Teaching and Learning Academy [APPLICATION DEADLINE EXTENDED! Now due August 3] – You might want to consider participating in the 2020-2021 Teaching and Learning Academy. Anchored in the ACC Faculty Values and developed by twenty-five faculty for faculty, the Teaching and Learning Academy (TLA) contributes to student success by expanding faculty teaching practices. Essential to the Teaching and Learning Academy is the creation of a cohort of faculty who will learn from each other by exploring the scholarship, art, and passion of teaching.
The Teaching and Learning Academy offers faculty 4 courses. Each course is 15 hours that includes 12 hours of asynchronous online coursework. The remaining 3 hours are completed in a Cohort Meeting the last Friday of each course from 8:30 to 11:30 AM. Applications are now being accepted for Fall 2020.
Best,
++missi patterson