Dear Student Affairs Team,

As promised in my message last week, I’m following up to share what’s next for Student Affairs as we move into solidifying our student-ready model. Thank you for the care, effort, and leadership you continue to bring to our students and to one another, especially during a period of significant change.

From the very beginning, the Student Affairs Realignment has been grounded in one clear goal: building a stronger, more connected foundation for a seamless, compassionate, and future-focused student experience. This work is about strengthening completion, creating clearer navigation for students and employees, and ensuring you feel supported to do your best work. That kind of progress requires commitment, courage, and collective effort, and I remain deeply hopeful because I see that commitment in this team every day.

Today, we’re excited to share two important milestones that move us forward: the announcement of new leadership within our Strategy & Transformation team, and the launch of a college-wide training and communication plan for Student Affairs. Together, these steps reinforce our focus on clarity, alignment, and ensuring every employee has the information, tools, and support needed to thrive in our evolving student success model.

College-Wide Communications & Training Plan

As we move from designing our new Student Affairs structure to fully operationalizing it, our next priority is ensuring that everyone—across Student Affairs and the broader college community—has the clarity, training, and support needed to work together effectively and navigate this transition with confidence.

Throughout the spring, we will roll out a collegewide communication, engagement, and training approach designed to ensure that students receive the right support, at the right time, from the first person they ask AND that you feel confident, clear, and supported in how the work is operationalized in real time.

As a starting point for collegewide engagement, our Student Affairs Associate Vice Chancellors will present at Spring Development Day 2026.

We’re kicking off college-wide awareness in January. Join Student Affairs Executive Leadership to learn how the Student Affairs Realignment is strengthening student pathways and supporting student success across ACC.

This session will be offered during Spring Development Day as part of the workshop:

Strengthening the ACC Student Experience
Register here
Friday, January 16, 2026
Session 3 | 1:00–2:00 p.m.
Virtual (Zoom)

You can continue to get more details and updates here: Communications & Training Plan.

Strategy & Transformation Leadership

As we continue strengthening the foundation of Student Affairs, we are pleased to introduce the leaders who will guide our Strategy & Transformation team. Their work will ensure we remain aligned, informed, and equipped to meet the needs of our students and teams. These leaders are already engaging with cross-functional partners and helping us align processes, communications, and planning efforts across Student Affairs.

Emily Demerath - Senior Director, Student Affairs Talent Development (aka Learning & Impact)

Emily will lead the design and implementation of a cohesive, college-aligned framework for the ongoing growth and development of Student Affairs staff. Her work centers on strengthening student success by building a highly supported, well-trained, and empowered Student Affairs workforce. Emily oversees the Employee Learning & Empowerment and Job Skills & Readiness teams.

Tim Outlaw - Senior Director, Performance Optimization & Data Systems (PODS)

Tim will be leading our efforts to strengthen systems, processes, and technological infrastructure across Student Affairs. His work will focus on using data to identify what is working well, where improvements are needed, and how to optimize operations to better support students and staff. Tim will oversee the Student Technology Support, Process Analysis & Data Systems, and Technology Adoption & Optimization teams.

Miros Zúñiga - Senior Director, Communication & Change Strategy

Miros leads division-wide communication and change strategy efforts that support Student Affairs through continuous improvement. She ensures that communication is clear, timely, and aligned with college priorities and the rhythms of the academic year. Miros works closely with partners across the college to streamline messaging, strengthen coordination, and help students and employees feel informed and prepared for upcoming changes. She oversees the Student Affairs Communications Team and the Change Strategy Team, bringing both together to support awareness, readiness, and a more connected student and staff experience.

You can now view all finalized functional structures and leadership assignments—student-facing and non-student-facing—on the Internal SA Realignment website.

Staying Informed

Student Affairs Leadership and Human Resources will continue to share updates on open positions and vacancies during this final period of hiring activity.

The Workday Internal Job Site for open job opportunities
The Internal SA Realignment website for updated structures, communication, resources, and other information

As we move forward, we remain grounded in the Chancellor’s decision-making framework—always asking whether each step helps students, improves effectiveness, strengthens alignment, solves real problems, and brings us closer to our North Star of 70% completion by 2030. Every structural shift, placement decision, and leadership role has been shaped with this intentionality, and we are confident the results will continue to show in the student experience.

Thank you for your resilience, adaptability, and unwavering commitment throughout this process. We are grateful for the progress we have made together and even more inspired by what lies ahead in 2026 and beyond.

Wishing you a restorative holiday break, we look forward to seeing you in the new year!

Sincerely,

Shasta Buchanan, Ed.D

Austin Community College District

Vice Chancellor, Student Affairs

Austin Community College | austincc.edu