Everything faculty need to prepare for the semester ahead.

This summer, Academic Affairs and faculty-facing partners across Austin Community College (ACC) are offering professional development opportunities, tools, training, and resources designed to help faculty prepare for the semester ahead.

Whether you are refining your courses, exploring new technology, building accessible learning experiences, or connecting with colleagues across the College, there are multiple ways to engage this summer. Use the sections below to explore opportunities aligned with your needs and goals for summer 2026.

You can also explore additional opportunities throughout the semester on the faculty events calendar.

Start Here

Prepare Your Courses and Teaching Resources

Semester Prep

The semester prep web page lists the most relevant and helpful support information to help ACC faculty prepare for the upcoming semester. Resources include:

Bats to Cats Faculty Toolkit

This toolkit equips faculty with clear, ready-to-share resources to help students stay on track for successful transfer to Texas State and degree completion.

Blackboard Ultra and Accessibility Support

Faculty can continue exploring Blackboard Ultra tools and receive ongoing support for course accessibility standards in both online and face-to-face learning environments.

Distance Learning Training

Digital Learning (formerly the Office of Distance & Alternative Education) is offering a variety of summer professional development opportunities for faculty teaching online and hybrid courses. Offerings include faculty consultations, instructional design workshops, accessibility-focused trainings, and institutes on 8-week course design and teaching strategies. Explore all upcoming summer sessions and registration information here.

Faculty Growth Series (FGS)

FGS continues this summer with opportunities focused on Belonging, Purpose and Connection, Universal Design for Learning, and AI Literacy and Fluency. The framework offers transparency, simplicity, ease of use, tracking, and recognition, grounded in current Texas legislation (SB 17 and 37), community college realities, and institutional strategy. Participate in trainings, earn badges, and grow!

Library Information Literacy Support

ACC faculty librarians offer customized instruction sessions, research support, online tutorials, and information literacy resources to help students develop research, citation, and critical evaluation skills.

Support For You

ACC offers resources and support to help employees throughout the semester, from well-being workshops and programs to professional development courses:

Explore Tools & Technology

Discover New Teaching and Productivity Tools

Open Educational Resources (OER) Support

Applications are now open for the AY27 Faculty Incentive Program to Support Open Educational Resources, which provides stipend support to faculty adopting or developing OER materials.

Remote Recess

Remote Recess sessions offer an opportunity for faculty to gather online and learn something new in a low-stakes, casual, and FUN way. Each session will focus on a topic (like Panopto) and a short demo, then the facilitator will open the session to Q&A. Participants are encouraged to share tips and tricks. These sessions are designed to help you decide how and when to use certain technologies and activities. Register to attend sessions on tools like Blackboard Ally, Google Gemini, NotebookLM and more here.

Summer Technology Week

Summer Technology Week, formerly Summer Software Day, returns June 8–12, 2026, as a virtual weeklong event exploring people-centered technology tools that support teaching, learning, and operations at ACC. This year’s theme, Intentional Technology: Designing for People First, features vendor-led sessions alongside practical presentations from ACC faculty and staff. Register to attend vendor and colleague-led sessions here.

Learn at Your Own Pace

Flexible Professional Development Opportunities

AI Foundations for ACC

AI Foundations for ACC is a fully online, self-paced learning experience designed to build practical AI literacy through foundational concepts, ethics and responsible use, while aligning with the Generative AI Literacy Assessment Test to help faculty and staff build confidence using AI thoughtfully in education.

Dual Credit Faculty Training

The online Dual Credit Faculty Training is available year-round for faculty interested in teaching dual credit courses. The self-paced training must be renewed every two years and includes interactive modules and a required assessment for placement on the ACC Dual Credit Faculty List.

NeuroSpark

NeuroSpark is a fully online learning experience designed by ACC faculty, students, and staff to help educators create more inclusive learning environments through practical strategies, universal design, and a deeper understanding of neurodiversity in education.

Remote Recess Rewind

Catch up on previous Remote Recess sessions through Remote Recess Rewind and revisit practical technology demonstrations and faculty conversations on demand.

Service-Learning Faculty Training

ACC’s Service-Learning Faculty Training is a self-paced, asynchronous Blackboard course that introduces faculty to service-learning theory, course design, implementation, and evaluation. Teaching faculty who complete the course earn six hours of professional development credit and a $150 stipend.

Connect and Engage

Collaborate With Colleagues and the Community

ACC Excellence Awards Nominations

Summer is a great time to recognize the outstanding work of your colleagues. Faculty and staff are invited to submit nominations for ACC Excellence Awards, including Teaching Excellence Awards, Leadership Awards, eFaculty and the DAISY Award, now through Monday, October 5, 2026. Additional details for submitting Piper Professor nominations will be announced soon.

Austin Pride Parade Volunteer Opportunity

Faculty and staff are encouraged to join ACC’s participation in the 2026 Austin Pride Parade on Saturday, August 22, 2026. Employee volunteers will march alongside ACC’s parade float and assist with community engagement activities coordinated by the Intersectionality Center.

Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL)

Faculty interested in developing global learning experiences can explore COIL, which connects ACC courses with international partner institutions through collaborative, technology-enabled coursework and cross-cultural engagement opportunities.

Character Education Communities of Inquiry

ACC recently selected 16 faculty members for its new Character Education Communities of Inquiry initiative, supported by a national grant from Wake Forest University’s Program for Leadership and Character. The initiative focuses on integrating intellectual, civic, and moral virtues into teaching and learning across the general education curriculum.

Faculty-Led Study Abroad Opportunities

ACC International Programs invites full-time and adjunct faculty to submit proposals for faculty-led study abroad programs. International Programs is especially interested in expanding opportunities in workforce education and STEM fields and provides resources to support program development and planning.

FCLI Summer Innovation Exchanges

The Faculty Center for Learning Innovation (FCLI) will continue hosting Innovation Exchanges throughout the summer semester that provide collaborative, faculty-driven conversations and practical teaching strategies. Register for innovation exchanges on topics like Socratic AI for students, writing with AI, AI as an assistant for researching, and more here.

FCLI Summer 2026 Book Club

The FCLI will host two summer book club cohorts for John Warner’s book More Than Words. Within these book clubs, FCLI aims to facilitate inter-curricular learning among faculty through dialogue and activities to scaffold the teaching practices explored throughout the book.

Globalizing Curriculum Faculty Learning Community (FLC)

ACC International Programs and the University of Texas at Austin Hemispheres Consortium will host a year-long FLC focused on integrating global topics and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals into curriculum and teaching practices. Faculty participants will receive a stipend upon completion. Applications will open in August 2026, so keep an eye out for additional information.

“It’s Not a Book Club” Club

“It’s Not a Book Club” Club is a low-pressure summer professional development opportunity where faculty explore thought-provoking scholarly articles on teaching, pedagogy, evaluation, and student learning through conversation and reflection with colleagues. For more information, contact the Office of Faculty Development at [email protected].

Morning at the Mall

The Community Engagement Office will host “Morning at the Mall” on Friday, June 26, 2026, at Highland Campus, inviting community members to explore ACC programs, share memories of the former Highland Mall, and connect with faculty, staff, and students through interactive activities and displays.

Monthly Employee Town Halls with Russell

All ACC employees are invited to attend the Chancellor’s Virtual Employee Town Halls this summer to hear institutional updates, connect with colleagues across the District, and participate in collegewide conversations. Save the dates and tune in at 9 a.m. on Friday, June 5, 2026, and Friday, July 10, 2026.

Important Deadlines

Mark Your Calendar

ACC AI & Community Learning Panel Series: Call for Faculty Panelists

ACC Library Services, in partnership with Austin Public Library, is seeking faculty panelists for a new community-focused discussion series exploring artificial intelligence, technology, sustainability, and society. Faculty from all disciplines are encouraged to express interest in participating in conversational, accessible panel discussions designed for students, families, and the broader Austin community. Submit your interest by Tuesday, June 30, 2026, here.

Summer 2026 Course and Faculty Evaluations

Faculty can explore several professional development resources related to improving course evaluation rates, inspiring feedback culture amongst students year-round, and navigating the new faculty evaluation process, including:

Theory of Change Network (ToCN)

The Theory of Change Network (ToCN) connects faculty and staff interested in leadership development, institutional collaboration, and ACC’s ongoing Theory of Change efforts. Summer enrollment is open through Monday, June 15, 2026, with hybrid monthly meetings beginning June 29.

Updated ADA Digital Accessibility Compliance Timeline

The compliance deadline for updated ADA digital accessibility requirements has been extended to April 26, 2027, for larger public institutions. Faculty and staff are encouraged to continue improving the accessibility of digital course materials, web content, and instructional resources to support ongoing compliance efforts.

What’s New This Semester

Recent Updates for ACC

AIM Software Update

ACC’s accommodation management system, Accessible Information Management (AIM), transitioned to Version 5 on Saturday, May 23, 2026. While the core structure of the student profile remains familiar, this updated version introduced several enhancements designed to improve the user experience for students, faculty, and staff.

Transition to a “School of” Structure

ACC is transitioning from its current “Areas of Study” model to a new “School of” structure that aligns academic programs with existing Dean areas. The change is intended to create a clearer, more consistent experience for students, faculty, and staff while maintaining current departments, programs, reporting structures, and curriculum. Implementation will occur in phases throughout the 2026–27 academic year.

Get Connected

Stay Up-To-Date and Subscribe!

Faculty Events Calendar

Bookmark the faculty events calendar to stay informed about professional development opportunities, AI workshops and more available to ACC faculty throughout the semester. The calendar is updated regularly and allows Google Calendar integration, so you never miss an opportunity.

Faculty-Focused Social Media

The Office of Academic Affairs Communications regularly shares faculty-focused opportunities, events, resources and updates across ACC. Follow along on social media to stay informed about daily offerings available to you across the College. 

Private Faculty Facebook Group

Created as a dedicated space for faculty, the Teaching and Learning at ACC Facebook Group is a collaborative online space where ACC faculty can connect with colleagues, share ideas, promote events, and highlight teaching and learning opportunities happening across the College.

Teaching & Learning Weekly Newsletter

Subscribe to Teaching & Learning Weekly for Monday morning updates featuring faculty opportunities, upcoming events, professional development offerings, highlights, and more from across ACC.