ACC’s inaugural Equity Council selected

Austin Community College District's (ACC) inaugural Equity Council has been selected and will have its first meeting in January 2021. The Equity Council is charged with helping the college reach its equity goals and serves as an advisory group to the chancellor and the chancellor's cabinet.

The council is made up of 24 districtwide representatives (three seats will be filled in spring 2021) and five subcommittees and will collaborate with the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; the Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation Campus Center (TRHT); and ACC employee associations.

The council is co-chaired by ACC's Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, Larry Davis, and TRHT Director, Dr. Khayree Williams.

"The energy, passion, interest levels, and equity experiences were the principle factors impacting this group's selection," says Davis. "Each member is expected to help the Equity Council become a trusted resource and additional clearinghouse of support for districtwide equity initiatives for all ACC students, faculty, staff, employees, and leadership."

Faculty and staff interested in serving on the council were invited to submit an application in the fall semester. An ad hoc committee reviewed the applications and vetted each applicant's information and work background related to equity. The committee's recommendations were forwarded to the chancellor for review and approval.

The council will meet monthly starting in January 2021. The term of service for the inaugural members runs until December 31, 2022.

Below is the list of main body and subcommittee members and the constituencies they represent:

Equity Council
Larry Davis, Co-chair, Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Khayree Williams, Co-chair, Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation Campus Center
Mervin Jones, Student Affairs
David Zuniga, Recruitment
Katherine Dowdy, Adult Education
Samuel Echevarria-Cruz, Full-Time Faculty
Luis Garza, Full-Time Faculty
Lillian Huerta, Adjunct Faculty
JoAnn Larkins-Foster, Classified Employees
Latisha Addison, Professional Technical Employees
Victoria Garza Gonzalez, Communications & Marketing Office
Mirosalva Zuniga, Student Affairs Office
Susan Thomason, Teaching & Learning Excellence Division
Jaqual Diggs, Student Support Services Office
Haydeana Gaviria, Human Resources Office
Lira Ramirez, Student Government
Jason Brown, Black Representation of Achievement Through Student Support (BRASS)
Alejandra Polcik, Ascender
Laila Taraghi, Peace & Conflict Studies Office
Stefanie Vermillion, ACC LGBT eQuity
Lauren Thomas, E3 Alliance

Executive Subcommittee
Samuel Echevarria-Cruz, Chair, Full-Time Faculty
Jenna Cullinane Hege, Institutional Research and Analytics Office
Crystall Foreman, High School Equivalency Program
Suzon Tropez Holmes, Grant Development and Compliance
Rachel Barrera, Teaching & Learning Excellence Division
Mirosalva Zuniga, Student Affairs Office
JoAnn Larkins-Foster, Classified
Latisha Addison, Professional Technical

Equity Planning Assessment Subcommittee
Lauren Thomas, Chair, E3 Alliance
Antonio Ramirez, Full-time Faculty
Ronald Johns, Institutional Planning, Development & Evaluation
April Whalen, Student Affairs
Shih-Ting Lee, Teaching & Learning Excellence Division
Mervin Jones, Student Affairs
Jennifer Gray, Teaching & Learning Excellence Division

Community Engagement Subcommittee
David Zuniga, Chair, Recruitment
Terry Barksdale, Student Development
Luis Garza, Full-Time Faculty
Lillian Huerta, Adjunct Faculty
Katherine Dowdy, Adult Education
Victoria Garza Gonzalez, Communications & Marketing Office
Daniel Chupe-O'Hanlon, Institutional Research & Analytics
Gena Lopez, Student Affairs
Natalia Almanza, College & High School Relations
Melissa Biegert, High School Programs Academic Success
Rene Renteria, Teaching & Learning Excellence Division

Cultural Proficiency Subcommittee
Stefanie Vermillion, Chair, ACC LGBT eQuity
Tobin Quereau, Student Development
Shelley Mitchell, Full-time Faculty
Sima Sohrabi, Full-time Faculty
Irena Klaic, Library Services
Corey Greathouse, Full-time Faculty
Alejandra Polick, Ascender
Laila Taraghi, Peace & Conflict Studies Office
Jaqual Diggs, Student Support Services Office

Culturally Responsive Subcommittee
Susan Thomason, Chair, Teaching & Learning Excellence Division
Rania Salman, Full-time Faculty
Amy Velchoff, Instruction
Carleen Sanchez, Full-time Faculty
Lynda Infante, Library Services
Chelsea Biggerstaff, Faculty Development
LaTina Branch, Learning Labs
Helen Dailey, Learning Labs
Michael Paul Hernandez, Teaching & Learning Excellence Division
Lira Ramirez, Student Government