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[1] Is this site the best source for information about ACC?
No, although this site may the best place to discuss ACC from different
perspectives. ACC has an extensive official web site, including a "Get Answers" page that covers
many of the most common questions and lets you easily ask new ones. ACC also provides
annual Fact Books with statistical data, and a variety of effectiveness reports. ACC is currently
working on a major expansion of its capability to respond to customized inquiries about
its performance; FOACC will assist people in making use of this facility when it is ready. [Top of page] |
[2] Who controls what is displayed on the FOACC website?
FOACC members, via their feedback ratings, determine the priority with which items are
listed, and supply most of the posted material. The website is coordinated by former ACC
trustee Hunter Ellinger, who maintains it in consultation with the other members of the
Friends of ACC steering committee. FOACC as an organization does not take
sides in ACC-related arguments (except to support elections to expand ACC's tax
base) - all points of view meeting our relevance and politeness rules are welcome. [Top of page] |
[3] Who is invited to participate on this site?
Everyone who wants to discuss how to improve the ability of Austin Community College to
serve our community. Founding members include several current and former ACC trustees,
citizens active in various sectors of the community, and members of the ACC faculty and
staff. Any interested person is welcome to become an FOACC member either via the
on-line registration form or via an email to FOACC. The identity of
each applicant is verified prior to posting anything bearing his or her name. FOACC
does not charge dues (its expenses are minimal), although we do occasionally solicit
donations toward expenses or ACC annexation campaigns. [Top of page] |
[4] How can I post material on this site?
A web form is associated with each type of item, with an "Add a new ..." link displayed
on the page listing such items whenever you are logged on. Alternatively, you may simply
email a submission to the FOACC coordinator, who will enter your message in the indicated
place. All site submissions are reviewed prior to being made visible to other users. [Top of page] |
[5] What kind of content may be posted?
Anything relevant to making ACC more effective. This includes discussions about
annexation prospects, ideas for improvement of ACC services, suggestion for
master-plan priorities, feedback on ACC Board policy, questions about ACC operations,
and data about ACC performance, as well as comments about any of these items submitted
by someone else. Links on the home page and in the heading of each page enable access
to the content. [Top of page] |
[6] Are members free to post criticisms of ACC?
Yes, although specific individual complaints should be handled through the official
ACC complaint process rather than this site. But pointing out ACC areas seen as
needing improvement is completely welcome. Critics should be polite,
however, and consider other points of view that may be expressed in comments about their
posting. For example, some shortcomings at ACC stem from legislative or voter decisions
the college does not control, and others reflect the difficulties of trying to serve such
a wide range of students. [Top of page] |
[7] How else can members influence what is shown on the site?
Many items are displayed with "Rate" links that enable you to express your opinion of
their value. For each such item, your most recent rating will be remembered and used
to give priority to that item in views when you are logged on. It is also combined
with ratings from other users to determine the default listing order. Such
feedback helps others know which items are most likely to be useful. [Top of page] |
[8] Can I find out which other members share my specific interests?
Yes, several area-of-interest groups have been set up (more will be added if people want
them). The site provides facilities for joining, quitting, and sharing information
among such groups. It is also possible to list only those site items that have been
marked as relevant to a chosen interest topic. [Top of page] |
[9] Will ACC officially respond to items posted on the FOACC site?
Usually not, although the site will prominently display any responses ACC chooses to
make. When an official response is desired, people should communicate directly with
ACC's public-information office. But we welcome preliminary posting of such inquiries
on this site, so that you can clarify them in light of any comments and thus minimize the
burden on ACC staff time. [Top of page] |
[10] How are contributions attributed on this site?
Contributions to this site are labelled with the real names of the authors. This site
is only a small part of the discussion about how to make ACC stronger, and many
conversations that start here will extend throughout the college and community. People
who don't want their name posted but have a contribution that they think would be useful
should suggest it to one of the FOACC members they know, or directly to the
FOACC webmaster. [Top of page] |
[11] How is the identity of FOACC members verified?
As a first step, an email with a confirmation link is sent to the provided email address to
ensure that the person at that address really was the person who registered. If the email
address is at a known ACC-friendly institution, use of the confirmation link will complete
the validation process. In other cases, a site administrator will validate the identity by
communicating with the applicant and consulting reference material. You will also get a
confirmation notice whenever anything is posted under your log-on. [Top of page] |
[12] If I have an ACC staff or student email account, may I use it for this site?
Yes. ACC Board of Trustees policies (especially Policy C-5) encourage open
communication about educational issues. Alternatively, ACC students or employees
may register with a non-ACC email address, although this will cause a delay in posting
privileges until the account is validated. [Top of page] |
[13] Is information on this site private?
No. All posts and comments are public and shown with the names of the
respective authors. However, user email addresses are not displayed publicly. [Top of page] |
[14] How do I send a message to another registered user of the FOACC site?
Click their name on the "Members" page. If they are accepting messages via this
site, their page will have an "Email" link next to their name. A copy of your message
will also be sent to the email address you have listed for your account. [Top of page] |
[15] How can I update my account information?
When you are logged on, your name in the "Members" listing will link to an
account-update page (other names link to a message page to that member). Confirmation
emails will be sent for any changes in your account information. [Top of page] |
[16] How can I change or remove items?
When you are logged on , an "Edit" link will be displayed at the bottom right when
any item for which you are listed as the author is displayed, so you can change your
own submissions. If you feel that a submission by someone else needs to be changed or
removed, send a message stating your concerns to the FOACC webmaster, and
its compliance with FOACC relevance and politeness rules will be checked. [Top of page] |