Austin Community College (ACC) hosted its inaugural Faculty Town Hall on Friday, November 21, 2025, bringing together full-time and adjunct faculty and instructional staff for a collegewide conversation with Chancellor Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs Dr. Gaye Lynn Scott. This new forum, developed in collaboration with the Faculty Senate and Adjunct Faculty Association, was a first step in strengthening transparent, two-way communication that supports all faculty across Academic Affairs.

The 90-minute virtual event provided faculty with a space to hear institutional updates first-hand, celebrate recent accomplishments, raise concerns, and engage directly with College leadership. The session centered on collaboration, clarity, and the collective work required to ensure that ACC remains future-ready amid ongoing internal and external change. As Dr. Scott emphasized, “What’s most important about what we do is you,” reflecting the College’s commitment to supporting faculty in their work and growth.

Highlights From the Event

Leadership Updates

  • Drs. Lowery-Hart and Scott provided an overview of ongoing organizational reviews, including the functional analysis of Academic Affairs and the Enterprise Project Management Office (EPMO) audit.
  • Emphasis was placed on ensuring clarity in structures and processes, with a distinction made between structural alignment and personnel reorganization.
  • Leadership outlined key priorities for the year, including program review and redesign, strategic scheduling, and initiatives to enhance faculty support and student success. Lowery-Hart noted, “My favorite job was being a faculty member,” underscoring the value of faculty perspectives in shaping College decisions.

Celebrations and Faculty Recognition

  • Faculty and departmental achievements were acknowledged, including innovative instructional practices and contributions to student engagement.
  • Leadership highlighted collaborative efforts in curriculum development and noted specific faculty-led initiatives that have improved student outcomes.

Pressing Issues and Follow-Up Items

  • Faculty raised questions about workload distribution, role definitions, and the timing of the renaming process for the Areas of Study.
  • Leadership is committed to providing additional clarity regarding new positions and the use of existing vacancies to expand support rather than reduce staffing.
  • Concerns regarding department chair workload and operational support were addressed, with follow-up actions scheduled through the Distributed Leadership Implementation Work Group (DLIWG).

Future-Ready Academic Affairs Work

  • Updates were shared on the program review redesign, strategic scheduling efforts for spring 2026, and alignment across the Areas of Study.
  • Leadership described ongoing initiatives to strengthen distributed leadership, clarify role expectations, and ensure sustainable operational support for faculty. Scott emphasized, “The classroom is the best place on the planet if you love teaching and learning,” highlighting the College’s focus on fostering an engaging, supportive environment for both students and instructors.

Key Themes Raised by Faculty

  • Structural Alignment and Clarity: Faculty sought clarity on the evolving structure of Academic Affairs, distinctions between functional alignment and personnel changes, and the impact on day-to-day operations.
  • Department Chair and Assistant Chair Workload: Questions focused on release time, operational support, and long-term recommendations to balance responsibilities.
  • Areas of Study Renaming Process: Faculty requested transparency about timelines, rationale for naming decisions, and opportunities for input.
  • EPMO Functional Review: Faculty sought reassurance regarding the “light-touch” nature of the audit and its intended scope.
  • Positions, Funding, and Resource Allocation: Discussions highlighted how new roles are being created through existing vacancies and aligned with student success goals.
  • Connections to Faculty Workload, Compensation, and Student Success: Faculty emphasized the need for alignment between structural changes, support mechanisms, and outcomes for students.

Responses to Frequently Asked Questions

Academic Affairs Structure:
Leadership clarified that the organizational review is focused on functional alignment and efficiency, not immediate personnel reorganization.

Positions and Funding:
New roles will come from existing vacancies, prioritizing additional support for faculty and operational needs.

Department Chair and Assistant Chair Support:
DLIWG will provide updates on release time, operational support, and upcoming recommendations to strengthen distributed leadership models.

Areas of Study Renaming and Alignment:
Leadership shared an overview of the renaming process, including a timeline for faculty input and next steps for implementation.

Strategic Scheduling and Program Review Redesign:
Spring 2026 launch plans were discussed, with points of engagement for faculty input highlighted to ensure alignment with academic priorities.

EPMO Audit Expectations:
The audit is intended to be “light-touch,” focusing on functional processes and alignment rather than detailed personnel evaluations.

Faculty Input and Participation:
Leadership reaffirmed commitments to continued faculty engagement through surveys, focus groups, and ongoing communication channels, from both Academic Affairs leadership and faculty association groups. 

Next Steps

The recording of the Faculty Town Hall is available on the Town Hall web page. The next Faculty Town Hall is anticipated to occur during the first two weeks of March 2026 (evening session), with official details to be shared via email in the spring semester. The Faculty Senate is collecting feedback from constituents via this form to make the next one even better. We implore you to share your feedback and to join us in the spring. 

Faculty who were unable to attend—or who have follow-up questions—can submit them using the Faculty Town Hall Question and Concern Submission Form. Additional responses will be shared in forthcoming updates on the Academic Affairs website.

Contributed by ACC Teaching & Learning Excellence Division