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AACC will host an ATE Virtual Conference Orientation Webinar designed for all conference attendees. The webinar will provide an orientation to the 2020 Virtual ATE Conference, and an overview of the agenda, the virtual platform, and ways to network and maximize engagement in a virtual setting. The webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, October 7, 2020, from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. EDT.

Participants are encouraged to attend the live event, if possible, in order to have the opportunity to ask questions. The webinar will also be recorded and available on this site following the live event. To register for this event, use this form.

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The deadline to submit your project’s or center’s required ATE Connects Session materials is October 7, 2020. All ATE projects and centers are required to do so.

The ATE Connects session is a key component of this year’s virtual conference and offers ATE projects and centers the opportunity to network and connect with conference participants, explore the ATE community, and engage in the sharing of information, resources, and materials related to their programs.

All ATE projects and centers should prepare a one-page PDF handout as well as a 90-second video or audio PowerPoint presentation that highlights some of their key innovations. First-time grantees are not required to create a 90-second video or audio file, but may choose to do so. As part of the ATE Connects submission process, each grant will also be asked to provide contact information, a session abstract, and a relevant URL and/or social media handles (if available). ATE Connects submissions will be grouped by STEM discipline categories, and searchable by STEM technician education focus areas, which can be selected upon completing the submission form. For more detailed submission guidelines, visit the ATE PI...

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The American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Industry 4.0 Workforce Summit is moving online. This industry-wide web series is designed to prepare engineering and technology students for The Fourth Industrial Revolution. The goal is to reach a consensus on improvements to curricula, work-based experiences, policies, and practices.

The webinar series begins on October 9, 2020 with a session on scaling-up industry-education collaboration. To find the full schedule and register to participate in the online event, visit the ASEE Industry 4.0 Worforce Summit page.

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Join presenters Kendra Bouda and Rachael Bower on Tuesday, September 15, 2020 from 1- 2:00 pm ET for a free webinar on archiving with ATE Central. Presenters will discuss NSF ATE’s archiving requirement and recommended Creative Commons licenses, what the ATE Central Archiving Service is, and how to select and submit materials for archiving. Learn what to expect during the archiving process and what happens to your materials behind the scenes. This webinar is designed for those new to archiving with ATE Central, though all are welcome to participate.

Register to attend here.

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During this webinar, a program officer for the National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program will explain ATE funding opportunities available to two-year colleges, especially those new to ATE. Mentor-Connect project leaders will follow with specifics about support available to help you prepare a competitive NSF ATE grant proposals (service provided by NSF ATE grants #1501183 & #1840856). The live webinar provides opportunities for audience questions to be answered throughout the broadcast.

This webinar will take place on September 10, 2020 at 1:00 pm ET. Register to participate here.

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The National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NSIOD) will hold their 2020 annual convenings online. This series of virtual events offers community and technical college faculty, students, and administrators “opportunities to network and engage in professional learning.”

The program stretches from September 8-November 5, 2020, with events interspersed throughout the months. Those interested in attending should note that registration rates vary by membership status; some events also have early registration discounts. To find the NISOD 2020 full schedule, visit the Online Convenings page.

Interested in presenting? The conference organizers are still taking presentation proposals for the following events: Improving Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (October 26, 10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. CST); Overcoming Food and Housing Insecurities (October 28, 10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. CST); Successful Faculty Professional Development Models (November 3, 10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. CST); and Effective Online Teaching Practices (November 5, 10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. CST).

The deadline to submit a proposal is September 11, 2020.

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Beginning on August 14, 2020 new Title IX regulations are in effect. These guidelines have proved controversial. In particular, many higher education organizations and stakeholders objected to the change of the burden of proof requirement from a “preponderance of the evidence” for guilt to a more open-ended option of selecting either that standard or using the standard of “clear and convincing” evidence. This second standard places a higher burden of proof on complaining parties.

Some of the other most notable changes to the regulations include:

• Higher education institutions must now permit cross-examination of both the complaining and responding parties and all witnesses in a live hearing format.
• Removal of a specific timeframe in which colleges and universities must respond, offering the standard of “reasonably prompt” implementation of each Title IX stage.
• Title IX regulations will now include provisions for domestic or dating violence, as well as stalking.
• Sexual harassment has been legally defined as ““any unwelcome conduct that a reasonable person would find so severe, pervasive and objectively offensive that it denies a person equal educational access.” This...

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The 27th National Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Conference is going virtual! The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), with the support of the National Science Foundation (NSF), will host the 2020 Virtual ATE Conference on October 19-23. This year’s conference theme is Resilience & New Frontiers, focusing on preparing students with STEM technical and employability skills, as well as the vital role community colleges and the ATE program play in preparing a highly-skilled U.S. workforce in a current- and post-pandemic economy.

ATE Projects and Centers are invited to submit proposals to conduct Spotlight, Demonstration, and Synergy Sessions as part of the agenda for the 2020 Virtual ATE Conference. Session proposals should follow the criteria and guidelines outlined on the call for sessions page—with preference given to submissions that address how ATE projects and centers are creating innovative curriculum, technologies, and authentic learning experiences in virtual environments, while demonstrating flexibility and leadership in pivoting or advancing programs in response to Covid-19.

Sessions submitted in response to this Call for Sessions should not be...

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In April 2020, AACC released the Community College Undergraduate Research Experience (URE) Summit Proceedings Report and the report’s Executive Summary.

In response to the suggestions from URE Summit participants, we also developed summit Stakeholder Engagement One-pagers targeted to faculty, administrators, students, and partners. The outreach documents are based on the recommendations that came out of the URE Summit. They are designed to assist stakeholders in their discussion, consideration, and implementation of UREs.

The Stakeholder Engagement One-Pagers are now available on AACC’s website, along with additional summit resources. The stakeholder engagement one-pagers and the URE Summit report are intended to help expand support for building and strengthening UREs at community colleges. 

These one-pagers and the full report can be shared with your networks as appropriate. To view the report, one-pagers, and resources, please visit the AACC website’s URE page.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact Ellen Hause at [email protected], or Courtney Larson at [email protected].

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The 27th National Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Conference is going virtual! The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), with the support of the National Science Foundation (NSF), will host the 2020 ATE Conference on October 19-23. 

AACC and NSF leadership have monitored the COVID-19 pandemic with respect to the upcoming ATE Conference, including local guidance in the Washington, D.C. metro area, the current state of domestic travel and travel restrictions among educational institutions, and recommendations for convening large groups. In order to ensure the safety and well-being of the ATE community, the organizers have made the difficult decision to transition the conference, which was to be held in Washington, D.C., from an in-person event to an online experience. 

The 2020 Virtual ATE Conference will consist of pre-conference workshops, keynotes, featured presentations, poster presentations, and a range of live streaming and asynchronous sessions and opportunities. This year’s event theme ATE 2020: Resilience and New Frontiers, will focus on the critical value of preparing students with STEM technical and employability skills—and the vital role...