The Chronicle of Higher Education is hosting a virtual forum titled “The Growing Role of the Humanities at the Community College” on Wednesday, September 10th, at 2:00 pm EST. More info can be found by clicking on the link below.
Sydney Elliott has taught at Tillamook Bay Community College for over 20 years. Sydney holds an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from Pacific Lutheran University with an emphasis on Pedagogy. She has taught literature and writing as well as specializing in trauma-informed curriculum and practices. Sydney is the editor of the Community College Humanities Review and Fireweed: Poetry of Oregon. She is the recipient of the 2020 Dale P. Parnell Faculty Distinction Recognition award from the American Association of Community Colleges and also currently a writing instructor at Oregon State University. Sydney is a kayaker, surfer, published writer, and a member of her county’s Search & Rescue team. She lives on the Oregon coast with her foster and rescue pets.
Dr. Brian Stipelman is the Associate Vice President/Dean of Liberal Arts at Frederick Community College in Maryland, and was previously an Associate Professor of Political Science at Dowling College in New York. He holds a PhD in Political Science from Rutgers University and is the author of two books. That Broader Definition of Liberty: The Theory and Practice of the New Deal (2013, Lexington Press) examines the institutionalization of a welfare state in a conservative political ecosystem. The far more personal I Am No Guide: Pearl Jam Song by Song (2024, Fonthill Press) is an exploration of the evolutionary themes in their music. He is also the President of the Community College Humanities Association Leadership Committee
Dr. Lupita Murillo Tinnen began her career at Collin College as a Professor of Photography 20 years ago. She was a past department chair and associate dean before serving as Dean of Academic Affairs and Workforce at Collin College Plano Campus. She provides leadership and serves as an advocate for the Fine Arts with departments in Art, Dance, Music, Photography, and Theatre. Additionally, she oversees five workforce programs in Commercial Music, Commercial Photography, Communication Design, and Early Childhood Education, Interpreter Training Program, and the academic areas of Communication Studies, Humanities, Philosophy, Foreign Languages, History, Government, Psychology, and Sociology. As a first-generation college student, Dr. Murillo Tinnen earned a doctorate in Humanities with a major in Aesthetic Studies from the University of Texas at Dallas, a Master of Fine Arts in Photography from the University of North Texas, and a Bachelor of Arts in Photography from East Texas A&M. She serves as a board member of the Art Centre of Plano and Hendrick Scholarship Foundation, and she is a member of the Nuestra Art Collective.
We at CCHA are a nonpartisan organization that seeks to strengthen students’ understanding of the value of the humanities and how studying the humanities at a community college can lead to more successful, reasoned, and enriched lives. We have never seen the humanities as having a partisan identity, and we remain steadfast in this belief.
Uniquely positioned as we are, community colleges are often the first point entry into higher education for members of our local communities. This is often the first step towards being a future small or large business owner. It is the first step in becoming a nurse. It is the first step in becoming an HVAC technician, and it is the first step in becoming a teacher. Furthermore, the first classes most of these students take are humanities classes, where students learn how to write well, how to formulate an argument, and how to use logic to ensure a stance is sound. These are skills that are necessary for all jobs in our 21st century workforce, and they cannot be learned without robust support for the humanities.
It is from this resolute belief in the value of the humanities that we joined our colleagues at the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) and the National Humanities Alliance (NHA) in signing onto their joint statements regarding the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).
Due to the uncertainty around funding at national and, by extension, institutional levels, CCHA is making the following decisions to support our members.
Lastly, we want everyone to know that we do not make these decisions easily or take this situation lightly, which is why we are trying to approach the macro-environment in a way that best supports all our members as well as possible. We thank you for understanding, and please be on the lookout for further communication from CCHA.
Registration Information: To register, you can click HERE, or use the QR code on the image to the right (click to enlarge) or download a copy of the flyer here.
Session Information: Pearl Jam helped define ‘grunge’ and gos rock music, and their music offers an ongoing reflection of how to nurture the solidarity that makes us human in a world that consistently undercuts it. This presentation explores the evolution of lyrical themes and politics around authenticity, intergenerational solidarity. democracy. environmentalism, and gender across a thirty year career that, at its core, centers the human need for connection.
Speaker Information: Dr. Brian Stipelman is the Associate Vice President/Dean of Liberal Arts at Frederick Community College in Maryland, and was previously an Associate Professor of Political Science at Dowling College in New York. He holds a PhD in Political Science from Rutgers University and is the author of two books: That Broader Definition of Liberty: The Theory and Practice of the New Deal (2013. Lexington Press) and the far more personal I Am No Guide: Pearl Jam Song by Song (2024, Fonthill Press), an exploration of the evolutionary themes in their music. He is also the President of the Community College Humanities Association Dean’s Committee.
Registration Information: To register, you can click HERE, or use the QR code on the image to the right (click to enlarge) or download a copy of the flyer here.
Session Information: During the early stages of the French Revolution, many people decided that it was better to leave France than to risk what an uncertain future might bring. For those near the border. Spain was an obvious choice of refuge. For these émigrés, survival during their emigration depended on how well they could activate their extended social networks. In almost all instances, these extended social networks were managed and maintained by women. My presentation looks directly at the role of women in the survival of émigré families in the Franco-Spanish borderlands.
Speaker Information: During the early stages of the French Revolution, many people decided that it was better to leave France than to risk what an uncertain future might bring. For those near the border. Spain was an obvious choice of refuge. For these émigrés, survival during their emigration depended on how well they could activate their extended social networks. In almost all instances, these extended social networks were managed and maintained by women. My presentation looks directly at the role of women in the survival of émigré families in the Franco-Spanish borderlands.
Please see the calendar below and/or click here to get a copy of the PDF.
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88129425671?pwd=cKe7gmHRZM3DZCbu4LXtaEw1mgRr9k.1
Meeting ID: 881 2942 5671
Passcode: 980393
Tahar Ben Jelloun is an acclaimed francophone novelist of Moroccan descent. His 2001 novel This Blinding Absence of Light (Cette aveuglante absence de lumière) provides a fictionalized historical narrative inspired by experiences of soldiers imprisoned for two decades following a botched assassination attempt against the Moroccan King Hasan II and the failed coup targeting his government in 1971. This presentation will weave a critical reading of the novel with a brief history of Hasan II’s reign, the coup attempts he survived, and the closing of the notorious prison at Tazmamart in the Moroccan desert. Additionally, Ben Jelloun’s novel will be considered in the context of a long-standing debate among African intellectuals regarding the use of European languages in African literature. In this context, Ben Jelloun’s use of Frenchwill be juxtaposed with arguments by Kenyan novelist Ngugi wa Thiong’o to promote African fiction written in indigenous languages.
The CCHA invites proposals from all community college humanities faculty engaged in innovative pedagogy, curriculum development and application, research scholarship, and progressive programs in student success and retention. Our progress in community colleges is defined by this simple formula: Faculty Innovation + Sharing (conferences, seminars, webcasts) = Growth for All. What are you doing at your college that we can learn from? We will have a diversity of tracks at this year’s conference, while also focusing on the conference’s theme (below). In this celebration of knowledge and information transfer, we invite submissions from faculty and administrators who teach or are engaged in projects that represent the following disciplines:
+ History + Literature + Philosophy + Writing + Media Literacy + Communications + World Languages + Religious Studies + Behavioral Social Sciences + Fine Arts + Interdisciplinary efforts that include the humanities + The Intersection of workforce development and the Humanities.
————CCHA———–
Conference General Theme: The Evolving Workforce: AI, Community Colleges, and the Humanities
Along with the broad reach of our traditional celebration of the humanities, this conference also will feature the critical role community college humanities faculty and administrators play in preparing students for employment in the evolving AI landscape.
We seek proposals that probe the connection between the sensibilities and values revealed in humanities classrooms, and the skills and values required for the future workforce, a workforce sure to be influenced by the anticipated impacts of AI. What will this integration of AI look like? Will it be ethical? Will we still hold on to what we value today? What we call human? What we call civilization? Can community colleges leverage existing programs to create pathways for students to adapt to changing demands in the labor market? Will history become even more devalued than it is today? Can humanities leaders convince businesses and industry leaders to collaborate so that lessons from the past and present will be included in creating a better future? Will the humanities remain essential as the driving force for developing critical thinking, communication, creativity, and ethical reasoning? Will these highly valued skills continue to be valued in the age of A.I.?
Presentation Formats for All Submissions:
We invite proposals for presentations, workshops, and panel discussions that address:
Presenting on the general theme? Areas of interest include:
————CCHA———–
Lane Community College
Yes! Oregon is beautiful, Lane Community College is one of our nation’s finest, and Eugene is happening with restaurants, museums, music, art, many cultural events, and more outdoor challenges than you can imagine.
Proposal Submission Guidelines and Deadlines:
Basic Presentation Forms:
Proposal Submissions: All submission proposals will be evaluated in an ongoing process by the team at Lane Community College. Notifications of acceptance will also go out on an ongoing basis. Proposal deadline is May 30th, 2025
Conference Submission Process: To submit a conference proposal, access the link (here) on the CCHA website and upload your proposal information into the information portals.
Conference Registration: All presenters, co-presenters, and panelists must register for the conference. Questions can be sent to GeneralCCHA@gmail.com.
Looking to globalize your campus?
The Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence (S-I-R) Program is accepting applications for U.S. institutions to host an international scholar for a semester or the full 2026-27 academic year. S-I-Rs provide students—some of whom may not be able to go abroad—exposure to international perspectives and experiences that expand their global awareness. S-I-Rs share their expertise in classrooms, campus events, and with local community groups.
Fulbright provides J-visa sponsorship, travel, and living stipends. S-I-Rs can provide support for the following internationalization efforts:
Sign up to attend a live webinar to learn more about the program. All webinars will occur at 2:00pm Eastern Time.
For more information, email SIR@iie.org.
Apply at https://apply.iie.org/sirhost. The application will close on June 2, 2025, at 5:00 pm EST.
