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Dear Student Affairs Team,
As we continue our Student Affairs Realignment journey, we are excited to share an important milestone in strengthening our structure and service to students.
| | Introducing New Leadership | |
We are proud to welcome the following colleagues into their newly established Regional Director (RD) and District Director (D) roles. These leaders will help guide our teams through a coordinated and student-centered approach across all campuses and service areas. To learn more about our next level of leadership—including the regions they will lead and their contact information—please visit the Regional and District Directors webpage.
Each of these leaders brings a wealth of experience, commitment, and passion for our students and staff. Their onboarding will begin over the coming weeks, and you’ll begin to see them engaging across departments to learn, connect, and support teams through this next phase.
We are also excited to share two key additions to our Student Affairs Council:
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Jonathan Tyner, Executive Dean of the International Programs Office, will lead efforts to support the unique needs of ACC’s international student population—serving as a vital resource from admission through graduation and beyond, including transfer and employment opportunities. Dr. Tyner is a dedicated higher education leader with more than a decade of experience in international education. At ACC, he has served as Dean of Student Affairs for the Cypress Creek and Round Rock campuses, Interim South Region Executive Dean of Student Affairs, and Interim Manager/Principal Designated School Official (PDSO) for the International Student Office. Before joining ACC, he served as PDSO for the International Office at Texas State University, where he led strategic initiatives supporting international students, faculty, scholars, and staff. Known for his student-centered approach, positivity, and compassion, Dr. Tyner is passionate about advancing global learning opportunities and building collaborative relationships that empower students to reach their full potential.
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José Reséndez, Executive Dean of ACCelerated Learning Support, will oversee initiatives that promote academic readiness, accelerate student progress, and improve completion outcomes. Dr. Reséndez is a forward-thinking and innovative leader with over a decade of progressive experience at ACC, specializing in student belonging, leadership development, and organizational excellence. He has been instrumental in shaping the future of academic support—most recently co-chairing the Academic Tutoring & Coaching Design Team to create a unified, districtwide support system. Dr. Reséndez is known for his ability to integrate data, research, and stakeholder insights into strategies that inspire institutional action. His leadership was nationally recognized with a 2021 NISOD Excellence Award. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from UTRGV, a master’s in educational leadership from Concordia University–Portland, and a doctorate in higher education leadership from National University.
Together, these leaders will play a critical role in advancing our shared mission and shaping the future of Student Affairs with clarity, courage, and care.
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We’ve heard from many of you who shared thoughtful questions about what this change truly means—whether it will bring lasting impact, and how we’re ensuring that those selected possess the right competencies, skills, experience, and leadership readiness. These reflections are both understandable and deeply valued. I want to reaffirm that our commitment remains the same: to select the best candidates whose talents, transferable skills, and leadership align with the mission of Student Affairs and, most importantly, the needs of our students.
After reviewing the outcomes of the first hiring wave, and considering all previous feedback, the Student Affairs Council recognized that strong talent and institutional knowledge already exist within our division. To ensure every qualified colleague has the opportunity to engage in this transformational process, unfilled Regional and District Director positions will be reposted for another round for internal-only opportunities. This additional round allows interested team members another chance to express interest, share their experience, and continue growing as part of our shared mission to support students.
We know many of you have already applied and appreciate your continued engagement. Each posting represents another opportunity to align your strengths with the evolving needs of our division. Our goal is to continue cultivating leadership from within Student Affairs while ensuring our structure supports both our students’ success and the college’s strategic priorities. We are working closely with Human Resources to finalize the posting for these roles and they are expected to be posted as early as today or sometime next week. The positions will be open for five business days once they are posted. You can review active postings on our Internal Communications website or the Workday Internal Job site.
| Supporting Those Not Selected | | |
We recognize that transition periods can bring a mix of emotions and uncertainty. We want to continue assuring all staff that no one’s salary will change as a result of this process.
For those not selected for Regional Director or Director roles, Human Resources and the Student Affairs Council are actively identifying other opportunities and placement options across Student Affairs.
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RD/D Onboarding and Training: New leaders will participate in a structured onboarding and development plan focused on leadership alignment, communication, and regional collaboration, the week of October 27, 2025
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Next Hiring Wave: The next phase of hiring will soon launch for additional people leaders and support roles as part of our ongoing realignment process. This phase includes newly created and reclassified positions across middle management, supervisor, and manager levels, as well as new individual contributor roles. HR is currently reviewing these positions in preparation for posting, with job openings expected to go live in Workday the week of November 6, when candidates may begin applying.
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Placement Process: The placement process is guided by each employee’s interests, qualifications, and experience, while balancing organizational needs to ensure every team member continues to contribute meaningfully to our shared mission. To promote transparency and inclusivity, all staff whose current titles may change or be sunset received a placement form to indicate their preferred functional areas and regions. This information helps guide thoughtful placement decisions centered on students’ needs. All staff whose current roles are being sunset, as well as leaders in director or higher-level positions to help inform an appropriate placement within the new structure. Our goal is to finalize and communicate all placements between November and December. Please use this form if you believe you should have received a placement form but did not. Completing this form doesn’t guarantee placement, but it helps us make sure we address any uncertainty and ensuring no one is missed as we review roles and finalize placements.
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Cross-College Collaboration: Starting mid-November, we will begin sharing more information with our college-wide partners about how Student Affairs will function and collaborate within the new structure. These discussions will strengthen alignment, clarify shared processes, and support a unified approach to serving students.
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Ongoing Updates: Student Affairs Leadership and HR will continue to share updates as placements are finalized, hires are completed, and new positions are posted. We encourage you to regularly review the Workday Internal Job Site for additional opportunities across the division and visit our internal realignment page for the latest updates. Additional resources will also be shared to support staff in understanding current and upcoming positions, including functional overviews and competency guides for all levels within the new Student Affairs structure.
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Thank you for your continued partnership, professionalism, and heart during this transformative time. We recognize that this process can feel challenging and, at times, unclear. Please know that your questions, feedback, and patience are deeply valued. Many of the decisions being made are guided first and foremost by what best supports our students, our community, and the parameters within which we must operate as a publicly funded institution.
I ask that everyone continue to support this work with the lens of positive intent as we move through this change together. Your openness, curiosity, and commitment to our shared purpose are what make our community strong. Together, we are shaping the future of Student Affairs with clarity, courage, and care.
Sincerely,
Shasta Buchanan, Ed.D.
Vice Chancellor, Student Affairs
Austin Community College District
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