THE SENATE STANDARD – ISSUE 30
ACC Full-Time Faculty Senate Website
ACC Coronavirus page
Dear Faculty Colleagues,
Can you believe this is the THIRTIETH Senate Standard?? These days, time seems to paradoxically fly by, and stand still at the same time.
This week, we’ve got some new action items that allow you to share your perspectives. In furthering the goal of having a fully engaged faculty, I encourage you to take a moment to share your voice.
In addition, as things are rapidly changing in our world, I’ve provided several updates from administration regarding changes necessitated by moving online. I hope you’ll find these informative.
Lastly, I want you to know that Dr. Rhodes has asked me to help by bringing faculty concerns and perspectives to ACC leadership. As we continue working online at ACC, if you have suggestions for improvement, or questions about processes, please let me know so I can bring them to the attention of our administrators. Together, we can ensure that we are making this transition as smooth as possible for our students.
I hope you have a fulfilling and successful week. I’ll be in touch soon with the results of our Senate election.
Senate Meetings / Minutes / Agendas
4/10/20 Senate Meeting noon-2pm – The minutes for this meeting are complete. They will be posted on the Senate website shortly.
4/17/20 Senate with Dr. Rhodes and the cabinet – The minutes for this meeting are currently in development. They will be posted as soon as they are approved.
5/8/20 Senate Meeting noon-2pm – will be held online. Details for how to join 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. This is the second call for agenda items for our May meeting. Please send items for consideration to me at [email protected] or to your campus senator by Friday, May 1.
New Action Items [please check due dates below!]
Faculty Portal and Online Services [Survey due May 8] – For many faculty, Online Services is one tool you use to get work done at ACC. Your feedback is needed to better understand how you use the Online Services and more importantly how you would improve it. Take a few minutes and help improve Online Services by completing this brief survey.
Moving from Paper to Online Forms – Faculty have pointed out that some forms we use regularly are only available as physical forms. Grade change forms are currently being updated to an electronic format. The new form should be available by the beginning of the summer.
It may also be helpful for you to know that the form to set up a contract with students to help them understand the requirements for an “Incomplete” is available online. The downloadable form can be accessed from the ACC Forms Inventory, under “Instruction” https://sites.google.com/a/austincc.edu/acc-forms-inventory/instruction-2
If you are aware of other forms that need to be converted, please email me at [email protected] so I can send those requests forward.
Newsworthy
Most Recent Update on ACC’s Transition to Online – In meetings with ACC administration, we’ve been learning how quickly things are changing at a national level with regard to almost everything. We were heartened to learn that in these challenging times, ACC leaders are working hard to learn from others to ensure we are offering students, faculty, and staff the very best solutions to issues they are facing.
Some members of the ACC leadership team are daily meetings with government and higher education officials. Others are in weekly meetings with their colleagues across the state and the entire country. Dr. Rhodes shared with me a memo from the American Council on Education that outlines some suggestions for college and university presidents. The focus of this memo is to provide a “Statement of Principles on the Acceptance of Credit During the Current Emergency.” I’m passing it on to you in hopes that you’ll see some of the work that is being done to develop principles that will best serve our students.
WiFi in Parking Lots – Three of our campuses now have wi-fi enabled areas in parking lots. Round Rock, Highland, and Riverside campuses will provide wi-fi to students from 7am to 11pm. Students can log in using the same username and password they normally use on ACC campuses. Images of specific locations will be added to ACC’s Coronavirus page shortly. Be sure to pass this information on to students!
Testing Options – Provost Charles Cook has asked me to remind you all that there are three options for giving students proctored exams online. All three options will be free for our students. The order of preference is as follows:
1. Google meet with ACC proctors (should work with all tech)
2. Respondus (may not work with tablets, but in this spot because it integrates with Bb)
3. Proctor U (may not work with tablets, and not integrated with Bb)
Virtual Commencement – Here is a note from VP of Student Affairs, Dr. Shasta Buchanan regarding plans for graduation. Students who graduate in Spring 2020 will also be invited to an “in person” graduation at our next scheduled commencement.
We have a committee working on the logistics for a virtual commencement ceremony. The vendor’s platform allows for five (5) videos – like speeches – that are included for the formal virtual commencement ceremony. We will ensure there is the faculty voice in one of those videos. Additionally, an hour before the virtual commencement “watch party” we will have the Red Carpet Hour (or rather – The Purple Carpet Hour). This will enable more pre-recorded videos from faculty, AoS’s, Student Affairs, etc. There will be more shared this week and moving forward related to the virtual commencement as we complete our discussions/contract with the vendor.
Current Action Items (These are reminders for things I’ve already sent out):
Campus Access – Last Week of Open Access! [Friday, 4/24/20] – This week is the last week for all employees to access their offices without needing approval from a VP or AVP. After meeting with Senate leaders, Dr. Rhodes approved this extension to give all employees one week to get essentials out of our offices before the new, stricter access policy will begin. You can find details in the email “[ACC Employees] ACC Campus Hours of Operation Update”.
If there is anything you need in your office, this is the week to go get it. Please ensure that you observe social distancing and face covering rules to keep yourself and our entire ACC family safe. If you have issues preventing you from getting necessities from your office this week, please email me and I will see if there are ways I can help facilitate your needs.
ASAC Items out for Comment [due April 27]- At its March 6th, 2020 meeting, two items were approved by Academic and Student Affairs Council (ASAC) for review and comment by College employees. Go to the ASAC page using the link above. Comments may be entered into the related comment form (link to comment form found directly above “Items Under Review” drop-down menu, and beside each individual item).
Items currently under review:
Proposed Modifications to AR 4.01.003 Prior Learning Assessment, and Guidelines
The proposed modifications AR 4.01.003 will clarify the College’s processes for review and assessment of learning gained outside a traditional academic environment. ACC currently recognizes prior learning through a variety of mechanisms (e.g., CLEP, AP, Departmental Exams, etc.). The modifications to the current AR and Guideline would allow programs additional flexibility where appropriate, while implementing institutional standards for such recognition.
Proposed Modification to AR 4.03.004 Full-time Faculty Workload Guidelines
AR 4.03.004 currently states that no more than 20% of a Music faculty member’s regular load may be from teaching applied music courses. This modification would raise that percentage to 60%, while restricting credit applied music courses to Music majors. This aligns more closely with our peer institutions.
SCHOLARSHIPS!!! [due MAY 1, 2020 ß note new deadline] 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. Students can view THIS PAGE to get the application, and assistance with applying.
Best,
++missi patterson