The Creative Writing Department and the Balcones Center for Creative Writing co-sponsored numerous events to celebrate Poetry Month in April. A student open mic April 11 featured former ACC student Robin Nowak, who won the 1995 ACC student literary contest. Faculty and staff readings April 12-13 included Creative Writing Department Chair Lyman Grant and adjunct instructors John Herndon, Maxine Beach, Jason Katz, Thom McFarland,Joe O'Connell, and Dale Smith. Fort Worth writer Robert Wynne, editor of the annual Cider Press Review poetry anthology, read to a standing-room-only audience April 13. The spring publication party for the Rio Review student literary and arts journal drew about 60 people April 21, and poet Coleman Barks closed out the month with a reading April 29 at Rio Grande.
The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) recently presented Austin Community College with two regional awards, including top honors for institutional identity program. The Marketing and College Relations Department earned the gold grand award for the “Faces of Austin Community College” campaign that included the 2004-05 catalog cover, fall course schedule, handbook, and billboards. The Media Relations and Public Information Office received the pewter special award in institutional relations for the “College Connection” promotional project.
Information Technology’s Records Management Services Department recently completed a five-year project to convert more than 330,000 paper student records to electronic images, saving the college about $500,000 between FY00 and FY04. The electronic conversion allows authorized users to securely access student record via the intranet.
Human Services Professor Nathie Marbury takes her sign-language comedy act, “The Nathie Show,” on tour in California in early May. Marbury is known for her performances and workshops throughout the United States , and she has been featured in countless educational and entertainment videos.
The Student Life Office recently received thanks from the University of Texas-Pan American for helping to coordinate the BACCHUS and GAMMA Peer Education Network spring conference held Feb. 26 in Edinburg . BACCHUS AND GAMMA is an international association of college- and university-based peer education focusing on alcohol abuse prevention and other related student health and safety issues.
The Lower Colorado River Authority donated $200 to the ACC African American Cultural Center in appreciation of History/Government Professor Roland Hayes, who made a presentation to the LCRAin February as part of Black History Month.
Rana Jackson, Center for Civic Engagement coordinator, and Linda Young, special assistant to the president for governmental and community relations, presented two marketing workshops for the Texas Junior College Student Government Association conference April 14-17 at the Omni Austin Hotel-Downtown.
The Texas Association of Black Professionals in Higher Education held its annual conference April 7-10 in Austin . Dr. Stephen Kinslow, interim ACC president, offered welcoming remarks. ACC faculty and staff serving as chapter officers include:
- President: Frank Taylor, Riverside campus manager
- Vice president: Dr. Jesse Jackson, professor of speech
- Secretary: Loretta Edelen, community outreach director
- Parliamentarian: Nashid Rashid, government adjunct instructor
- Historian: Marilyn E. Lee Taylor, Rio Grande campus manager.
Additional ACC employees who served on the TABPHE Planning Committee include: Dr. Shina Amachigh, government adjunct instructor; Shaunyale Canada, student recruitment specialist; Kenneth Cox, Riverside Campus technical office assistant; Dedria Davis, Riverside duplication clerk; Roz Gipson, Human Resources benefits assistant; Donna Harmon, Continuing Education administrative assistant; Audrey Hill, Continuing Education administrative assistant; Sonia Hogan, Adult Education program-workforce literacy coordinator; Deanna Johnson, developmental writing assistant professor, Joyce Williams-Jackson, Dental Hygiene administrative assistant; Dr. Sharon King , recruitment and student support services director, Dr. A.L. Mackey, biology professor; Sandra McCrary-Marshall, vocational nursing professor; Cleo Moore, Admissions and Records administrative assistant; Gloria Owens, Eastview Campus administrative assistant; Leslie Pearson, Nursing student development specialist; Tanya Riddick, Academic Programs administrative assistant; Donald Seamster, Campus Police sergeant; Vicki Swist, Continuing Education administrative assistant; and Meiling Williams, campus administrative assistant.
Kyle Pierce, Emergency Medical Service Professions Department chair, has been appointed to the education committee of the Governor’s EMS and Trauma Advisory Council (GETAC). The committee reviews pertinent issues and reports to GETAC, which makes recommendations to the Department of State Health Services.
Adjunct Dance Instructor Darla Johnson has a poem published in the Sierra Nevada College Review, an annual literary magazine published in May. In addition, the May-June issue of Dance Spirit Magazine features a profile of Johnson and includes her article, “Tips on Choreographing Outside the Box.”
Anne-Marie Schlender, associate professor of English as a Second Language (ESL), and Frank Cronin, assistant professor of developmental writing, served as team leaders and co-secretaries for the international TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) conference held March 28-April 2 in San Antonio . ESL Associate Professors Shannon Bailey and Gerhardt Gast served as co-chairs and organizers of a colloquium at the conference. Schlender currently serves as president of the local TESOL affiliate, and Frank Cronin served as past president.
Educase has named the ACC’s eStaffing application as a finalist for the nonprofit organization’s Administrative Information Systems Award. Winners will be announced in August.
