From helping high school students get an early start to supporting faculty as they explore new approaches to teaching and learning, Austin Community College (ACC) is investing in the people and ideas that shape the student experience. Two new associate deans in Academic Affairs will advance these priorities, bringing fresh perspectives and expertise to work central to ACC’s future.

Dr. Lindsay Lawley-Rerecich has been appointed as the College’s first associate dean of Dual Credit, building on her previous work as associate dean for Dual Credit in the Liberal Arts Area of Study and chair of the Dual Credit Design Team as part of ACC’s Theory of Change. At the Faculty Center for Learning Innovation (FCLI), Alex Watkins will bring a similar focus on preparing ACC for what’s next as the center’s new associate dean. Watkins will carry forward the foundation established by former associate dean Stephanie Long while helping faculty navigate an evolving educational landscape shaped by new technologies and emerging approaches to instruction.

“I am most excited by what these leaders represent,” Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs Dr. Gaye Lynn Scott said. “They understand the work we must do to reach our North Star Goal of 70% completion by 2030. They are smart, creative, intentional leaders that everyone at ACC can be proud of.”

Responding to a Changing Educational Landscape

The two appointments come at a time when faculty and students are navigating new demands and responsibilities both inside and outside the classroom.

“Our students are always changing,” Scott said. “We do not serve the students we had five or 15 years ago; we serve the students we have today. Many are working, including our high school students, many have caregiving responsibilities, and many are likely using AI in their daily lives.”

As those needs continue to evolve, Academic Affairs is focused on giving faculty the support and resources they need to adapt while keeping students at the center of their work.

“These two roles will help us serve our students today and tomorrow,” she said. “They will help us adapt to the changes we see everywhere, and they will support us as we continue to provide curriculum that is future-focused and has our students at the center.”

Meet the New Leaders

Dr. Lindsay Lawley-Rerecich, Associate Dean of Dual Credit

Lawley-Rerecich brings extensive experience in teaching and Dual Credit leadership to her new role. A full-time faculty member in Composition and Literary Studies, she began at ACC as an adjunct in 2019, primarily teaching Dual Credit courses. She later moved into full-time faculty leadership and has also served as an assistant department chair focused on professional development, research, service, and curriculum.

“As an active faculty member, supporting faculty is always at the front of my mind,” Lawley-Rerecich said. “Teaching Dual Credit is vital work that comes with a unique set of challenges, and I want to make sure that we are supporting our faculty through them, whether they are full-time or adjunct, teaching at an ACC campus, a high school, or online.”

“When we support our faculty in navigating Dual Credit, we’re also supporting our students,” she continued. “Students are more likely to succeed in the midst of two worlds when their faculty can succeed there, too.”

Lawley-Rerecich also wants to explore what makes a college experience authentically feel like such for students taking courses while still in high school. When she began teaching Dual Credit at ACC, she described her approach: “I’m not here to get students college ready. I’m here because they are in college already.”

That philosophy extends to the many pathways available to high school students, including programs in the Professional Technical Education and Health Sciences divisions. Lawley-Rerecich sees opportunities to strengthen connections between courses, careers, and transferable skills while helping students understand that a pathway does not have to determine a single destination.

“I’m excited for Dual Credit to have a seat at the table in reimagining higher education,” she said. “When we go to high schools and bring college with us, and when we welcome high school students to our campuses and online courses, we can change the way people perceive community college and higher ed itself.”

Alex Watkins, Associate Dean of the Faculty Center for Learning Innovation (FCLI)

Watkins joined ACC as a Dual Credit and Early College High School adjunct in Composition and Literary Studies in 2020 before becoming a full-time faculty member and program coordinator of Technical Communications in 2023. She brings experience in teaching, faculty leadership, and professional learning to her new role with Faculty Center for Learning Innovation (FCLI).

Her approach to teaching centers on accessible, inclusive, and decentralized classroom design, with students positioned as co-creators of their learning experience. Watkins views innovation as an ongoing process of identifying challenges, exploring possibilities, and learning from what works and what doesn’t. That philosophy will shape how she approaches her work with faculty.

“I’m excited to spend the next three years encouraging ACC faculty to innovate and highlighting those innovations for others to learn from,” Watkins said.

This fall, FCLI offerings will include Innovation Exchanges, book clubs, and office hours at campuses across the district. The second FCLI Spark Tank event on December 4 will bring faculty together to pitch innovative ideas and explore how to move them from concept to implementation.

Those formal offerings are only part of how Watkins envisions supporting faculty. She also values the informal conversations and connections that can spark new ideas. “One of my favorite parts of being a professor is hallway conversations, people popping their heads into my office or meeting around the Keurig,” Watkins said. “I especially love when a faculty member careens in, buzzing off the amazing feeling of a truly awesome class.”

“At the FCLI this semester, I want to continue to offer the quality of our previous sessions while digging deep into my bench of innovative practice, and trying to see who we can call to the table to join us,” Watkins said.

For Watkins, that spirit of collaboration is especially important as higher education continues to evolve. “Our current educational environment is calling for change,” Watkins said. “Students have been calling for change for a long time, but now, the scales have tipped in their favor. We have to think creatively and innovatively to continue the project of higher education.”

Looking Ahead

Together, Lawley-Rerecich and Watkins bring a shared commitment to helping ACC respond to the needs of its students and faculty. Their work will expand pathways to college for high school students while giving faculty more opportunities to explore new ideas and learn from one another.

“The more we share ideas, the stronger our learning in support of teaching excellence will be,” Scott said. “These leaders will help us continue to provide opportunities for students and faculty to learn, adapt, and succeed in an ever-changing educational environment.”