THE SENATE STANDARD – ISSUE 22
ACC Full-Time Faculty Senate Website
Dear Faculty Colleagues,
Take a peek at this week’s standard to learn more about some Senate meetings and other efforts, as well as a reminder about an important survey.
Also, this is a gentle reminder to take good care of yourself. There are apparently a lot of bugs going around, so I hope you’ll do whatever it is that works to keep you healthy. Stay safe out there, my friends! #vitaminCparty!
Senate Meetings / Minutes / Agendas
2/14/20 Senate Meeting – This meeting was held and minutes are now in development. They will be posted once they are approved.
2/21/20 Joint Employee Association Meeting – The draft agenda is now available. This meeting is for the Senate Leadership team to meet with Dr. Rhodes, the cabinet, and all of the other employee association leaders.
3/13/20 Senate Meeting – noon to 2pm HBC 301 – The agenda is now in development. This is the FIRST CALL for agenda items. Please send any suggestions to your senator or to me.
Newsworthy
ACC Climate Survey – This survey will be open until March 6, 2020. You can find more information in an email entitled “[Employee Climate Survey] Be an Influencer! ACC Employee Climate Survey”, or go directly to the survey ACC Employee Climate Survey Spring 2020 .
Blackboard Group – As a result of several faculty sharing some concerns with the Senate about Blackboard, ACC administration has agreed to develop a group tasked with reviewing blackboard defaults and available options. They will also explore things such as how student email addresses are populated in this software. I’ll be in touch with more as this develops, but wanted everyone to know that administration does agree that we need to have a faculty voice in the way our LMS works for us and our students.
Faculty Portal – Work is ongoing to create our new faculty portal. There is a new project manager and user interface specialists helping move this work forward. I’ve been invited to represent the Senate in meetings to ensure that the new site serves faculty well, so if you have suggestions for what you would like to see on an inward-facing site to help you keep up with your work and college policies, please let me know.
New Action Items [please check due dates below!]
Job Opportunity at Tarrant County Community College – [due March 3] – Our HR department has just let me know that Tarrant is searching for a new VP for Academic Affairs. “The VP for Academic Affairs serves as the chief academic officer for the campus, participates in teaching and learning policy and program review, and provides leadership to enhance student learning and success. To ensure full consideration, completed applications are due by March 3, 2020. The search page, which includes the Executive Search Profile and application and nomination links, is located here.”
Current Action Items (These are reminders for things I’ve already sent out):
Celebration of Great Teaching Retreat – This year’s ACC teaching retreat will be April 24-26 in Bandera, TX. I’ll be serving as a facilitator for the retreat, and I want to I encourage you to apply. This unique event is one of the most valuable faculty development opportunities I’ve ever participated in. I’m not overstating it when I say it changed my teaching life. If you are able to attend, I promise, it will be time well spent. The deadline to apply is Monday, February 21st. Go to www.austincc.edu/greatteaching to apply.
SCHOLARSHIPS!!! [due April 1, 2020] – As mentioned in the last Standard, the ACC Foundation has ONE APPLICATION for all 700 scholarships they offer our students. Applications are open now, so please let your students know about them. There is help to complete the applications available at every ACCelerator. Students can view THIS PAGE to get the application, and help to apply.
Rio Grande Attache Building Cleanout – Due to upcoming construction, this entire building needs to be cleaned out. If you have anything in the building, February 28 is the final deadline to get your things out. Anything left after that date will be disposed of.
Best,
++missi patterson