
General Assembly
General Assembly 2023: Forging the Future
Post Event Summary
Each fall semester, Austin Community College (ACC) employees from across the district gather at General Assembly (GA) to hear key College updates. This event helps connect the dots between an employee’s daily work and the strategic plan of the College. The 2023 theme was “Forging the Future” and took place on Friday, September 29th, 2023.
This year’s General Assembly was especially meaningful as it was Chancellor Dr. Richard’s Rhodes final General Assembly and Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart’s first as incoming ACC Chancellor.
Overview
General Assembly 2023 had both online and in-person options. Over 500 employees engaged online with the morning program and over 500 employees joined in person. Additionally, nearly 300 employees attended virtual afternoon breakout sessions. The in-person program took place at the AT&T Hotel & Conference Center.
An app specially designed for the event allowed all attendees to view the program, location, speaker info, and also check-in, and stream the event. The show kicked off at 8:00 am with an engaging pre-show video that featured informational slides from different departments/areas across ACC and an ACC quiz. 73 employees participated in the quiz and were entered to win raffle prizes.
Opening Video
The dynamic and engaging videos shared each year at General Assembly are always looked forward to by many. This year was no different. The opening video highlighted moments from ACC’s 50-year history.
Feature Video
The General Assembly feature video delved deeper into ACC’s history as a force for excellence in the community and forging the future.
Morning Program
ACC Chancellor Dr. Richard Rhodes presented a compelling State of the College Address beginning at 9:00 am. Board of Trustees Chair, Dr. Barbara Mink then shared remarks. Recognition of employees and faculty graduates from various programs followed. Chancellor Rhodes congratulated the Riverbat Employee of the Year, Paul Talamantez from Student Affairs.
After employee recognitions, the Chancellor invited students Jeremiah, Ana, Danielle, Rafael, Monica, and Quan to the stage to discuss their own ACC journeys. Provost Dr. Monique Umphrey presented a pre-recorded Instructional and Student Affairs update. Keynote speaker Nick Shackleton-Jones, author of How People Learn and CEO of Shackleton Consulting, presented a captivating address about the future of learning.
Dr. Susan Warner-Sanchez, Associate Vice Chancellor for the Teaching & Learning Excellence Division, closed out the program with concluding remarks.
Watch the Morning Program
This video includes the morning program starting at 9 am and includes the Chancellor’s address
the keynote, the student panel, and all the videos shared on this page.
Closing Credits Video
Watch the closing credits from General Assembly 2023. A heartfelt thank you to all those that made General Assembly a wonderful experience.
Afternoon Sessions
Several in-person afternoon sessions were conducted. Topics included: human-centered learning design, ACC’s new strategic plan, cultural mosaics and culturally responsive teaching, building student-centric strategies, labor market influence on education, microcredentials and badging, the Guided Pathways Movement, mental health in the workplace, and House Bill 8 and what it means to ACC.
Virtual afternoon sessions were also conducted. Topics included: the implications of Senate Bill 17, HyFlex implementation updates, Student Affairs’ wraparound services, and the intersection of High Impact Practices (HIPs) and Academic Technology.
Note: Only recordings for the virtual sessions are available.
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- Navigating Change: Understanding the Implications of Texas’ SB17 – Recording Link
- Student Success Through Flexibility: HyFlex Implementation Updates – Recording Link
- Wraparound Services: Holistic Support for ACC Students – Recording Link
- High Impact Practices through the Lens of Academic Technology – Recording Link
What Attendees are Saying about what they enjoyed most about their General Assembly 2023 Experience…
“So much! Both the afternoon sessions were terrific and I really enjoyed hearing from key leaders. The keynote speaker was really engaging. The student panel was amazing!”
“The opportunity to experience the energy of the college on the whole, not just my department.”
“The student panel. MY GOSH they were inspiring. They brought tears to my eyes. THIS is what I want to hear… young people whose lives are changed by their experience with the PEOPLE of ACC and clearly, there is no other resource like ACC to help get students’ lives and educations and credentials on track in these ways.”
“Celebrating those individuals that have made such an impact at ACC for our students, it is truly inspiring. It’s also good to find out some of the services provided at the vendor fair. Oh, and the flu shot and COVID vaccine station was such a huge perk!!!”
“I enjoyed the video with the history, and every speaker had a nice message. It was inspiring to see where we’ve come from with hopes of where we are headed. It was also nice to hear from the new chancellor.”
“It was beautiful to see the change in leadership handled with honor on both sides.”
“The speakers, the students, my colleagues being recognized. Even though I wasn’t able to go in person I still thoroughly enjoyed watching the event virtually.”
“The emphasis on care and collaboration at the highest levels of the college.”
“Seeing colleagues who are from other campuses. The food and beverages are excellent. ACC is showing how valuable staff are for the success of the college. Thank you, everyone!”
“The opportunity to connect with people and departments that I don’t see in my day-to-day work.”
“Hearing directly from the students about their experience. This always gives me goosebumps and motivates me to do more for our campus community.”
“It was an amazing program all around! Excellent job in planning and developing an event that made me proud to be a Riverbat.”
“This one was the best one ever. Each year TLED makes it better than the last one. Not sure how you do it but hooray! We get to have an awesome experience both in-person and online.”
Special Thanks
We want to thank the many extraordinary staff, faculty, and students who made the event possible and a resounding success – inspiring so many across the College. It truly takes a village or community to host such an event, and after months of planning and hundreds of interactions and meetings, we exemplified the true meaning of the 3 Cs.
We are grateful to work with such an amazing team whose collaboration, connection, and caring truly made General Assembly 2023 forge the future.
With heartfelt thanks to:
Nick Shackleton-Jones
Dr. Richard Rhodes, Chancellor
Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, Incoming Chancellor
Dr. Monique Umphrey, Provost
Dr. Barbara Mink, Chair, ACC Board of Trustees
Pam Sutton, Special Assistant to the Chancellor
Grant Hennig, Executive Assistant to the Provost
Esther Yun, Coordinator, Board Affairs
ACC Police Department
Corey Kline, Video Producer
Melissa Griffith, Video Producer
Rich Brown, Motion Graphics Designer
Anthony Ortiz, Motion Graphics Specialist
Michelle Atkinson, UI/UX Designer I
Dan Goldberg, Technology Specialist
Daine Vineyard, Technology Specialist
Hugh Handcox, Technology Specialist
Emily Priest, Technology Specialist
Mariusz (Marcus) Kajdas, Manager, Instructional AV Installations
Cathy O’Quinn, Multimedia Installations Technician
Victor Ibarra, Multimedia Installations Technician
Osmundy Malangalila, Multimedia Installations Technician
Amanda Trimble, UI/UX Designer/Graphic Designer
Eric McCoy, Instructional Communications Specialist
A’leya Campbell, Social Media Intern
Joey Machado, Educational Technologist
Regina Schneider, Administrative Assistant III
Terry Barksdale, Professor, Librarian
Richard Palmer, Instructional Designer
Isela Thomas, Assistant II
Mario Menendez, Educational Technologist
Laura Tabor, Educational Technologist
Eric Knox, Educational Technologist
Cori Coburn, Manager, Educational Technology Support
Osmundy Malangalila, Multimedia Installations Technician
Cathy O’Quinn, Multimedia Installations Technician
Michael Stewart, Educational Technologist
Kyle Etzel, Educational Technologist
Catalin Abagiu, Marketing Photographer
Corey Gray, Videographer/Motion Graphics Designer Communications & Marketing
Austen Shankle, Videographer/Producer, ACCTV
Morty Ortega, Video Producer, Student Affairs
Robert Stewart III, Institutional Archive Specialist, Records & Information Management
Brette Lea, Vice Chancellor, Communications & Marketing
Jessica Vess, Associate Vice Chancellor, College Relations & Communications
Dahlia Anzaldua-Torres, Marketing Event Coordinator
Allen Linares, Mascot Events Assistant
Carrye Glazar, Executive Producer, ACCTV
Stephanie Ortiz, Production Supervisor, ACCTV
John Breed, Studio Coordinator, ACCTV
Ana Rummer, Associate Vice Chancellor, Student Affairs Operations
Dorado Kinney, Enrollment Management
Daniel O’Hanlon, Analyst, Institutional Research
Michelle Rodriguez, Account Manager, Education Success
Dr. Ron Johns, Associate Dean, Assessment & Evaluation
Dr. Misty Rasmussen, Associate Dean, Planning and Accreditation
Dr. Kahyree Williams, Director, Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation Center
Dr. Roland Hayes, Director, African American Cultural Center
Dr. Gary Moreno, Director, El Centro / Hispanic American Cultural Center
Lam “Lynn” Lau, Director, Asian American Pacific Islander Cultural Center
Dr. Eric Nathan, Dean, Faculty Development & Evaluation
Chelsea Biggerstaff, Interim Manager, Faculty Development
Larry Davis, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer
Kisha Barrett, Associate Professor, Biology
Nicole Bell, Interim Manager, HR Staff Development & Evaluation
Stephanie Long, Associate Director, Faculty Center for Learning Innovation
Manal Mahmoud, Coordinator, Micro-Credentials & Badging
Mauri Winters, Benefits Coordinator
Kathy James, Executive Dean, Academic Advising & Affinity Programs
Dr. Jenna Cullinane Hege, Vice Chancellor, Institutional Research and Analytics
Dr. Gaye Lynn Scott, Vice Chancellor, Instruction
Steve Christopher, Associate Vice Chancellor, Student Access/Social Support Resources
Rosalind Blackstar, Executive Dean, Access & Disability Support
Angelica Cancino de Sandoval, Director, Student Advocacy Center & Student Care Center
Julie Cuellar Reck, Interim Executive Dean & CARES team member, Mental Health Counseling
Amber Kelley, Executive Dean, Student Experience & Outcomes
A. Pamela Saez, Director, Student Impact & Outcomes
Stephanie Bogdanich, Instructional Designer, Academic Technology Projects
Kyle Etzel, Educational Technologist, Educational Technology Services
Dr. Susan Warner-Sanchez, Associate Vice Chancellor, Instructional Services
Miguel DeLeon, Executive Assistant to the AVC, Instructional Services
Matthew Evins, Director, Academic Technology AND GA Project Manager
Dr. Rachel Barrera, Interim Director, Faculty Communications
Victor Sibaja-Molina, Manager, Instructional Media Productions
Sara Schulz, Manager, Academic Technology Projects
Balan Villanueva, Manager, Event Multimedia Services
General Assembly Archive
Read summaries from past General Assembly events, including recordings and event materials (if available).
Info Hub
The Info Hub is the best source for the latest ACC news, updates on the Chancellor’s priorities, and details on how to get engaged across the College.