Society for Anthropology in Community Colleges

Lloyd Miller, Contributing Editor

From Anthropology News (newsletter of the American Anthropological Association), April 2011

SACC’s Website, a Guided Tour

         You can reach saccweb.net/ from aaanet.org/ or by pasting it in your web browser. The home page has a soft, green, easy-on-the-eyes background, and offers a brief description of SACC, followed by a “News” section that includes information on SACC annual conferences, awards and other announcements of interest.

         Across the top are menu categories titled “About Us,” “Teaching Anth,” “Annual Meeting,” “Awards,” “Join,” and “SACC Notes.” Each category offers a drop-down list of information. For example, clicking on the “About Us” menu yields information on who we are, what we do: Hold annual conferences, sponsor sessions at annual AAA meetings including the “Current Issues in Anthropology: Five-Fields Symposium, produce a biannual publication Teaching Anthropology: SACC Notes, contribute this section column, maintain a listserv and host a web blog. With the generous help and management of SACC Past-President Barry Kass, a professional photographer (Imagesofanthropology.com), SACC maintains a page that displays members’ anthropological photos. Co-founder and SACC Past-President Chuck Ellenbaum’s article “How SACC Was Formed” also appears here. Additionally, this menu leads to information about SACC officers, members’ personal profiles and publications, and SACC Bylaws.

         The category “Teaching Anth” consists of many classroom teaching activities (affectionately labeled “SACCtivities”) listed by the sub-disciplinary groupings “Introduction to Anthropology,” “Archaeology,” “Biological Anthropology” and “Cultural Anthropology.” These are primarily contributions by SACC members, who have field-tested them in their own classrooms.

         There are also syllabi for various anthropology courses. In addition to introductory courses in the four-fields, syllabi are available for Drugs and Culture, Environment and Culture, Cultures of the Caribbean, North American Indians, First Nations of British Columbia, Archaeology and Popular Culture, Archaeology Field School, History of Horticulture and the Anthropology of Religion, Magic and Witchcraft.

The “Annual Meeting” menu provides the latest information on the current SACC conference with facilities to download the Call for Papers and registration form, as well as descriptions of previous meetings. Annual SACC conferences not only feature academic presentations and distinguished guest speakers, but also include field trips to sites, locations and institutions of anthropological interest with expert guides and interpreters. In fact, the opportunity for such field trips is a major criterion in SACC’s choice of meeting locations. Past meetings have been held in many of the great cities in the US as well as Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver in Canada and Mérida and Oaxaca in Mexico. As of this writing, SACC plans to hold its 2012 conference in Puerto Rico.

         The “Awards” menu describes the three awards that SACC currently presents: the SACC Teacher of the Year Award, the SACC Student Award for Academic Excellence, and the SACC Student Award for Creativity, Leadership, or Community Service. In addition, the SACC president, at his or her discretion, may present the Presidential Recognition Award to one or several members. Generally, the award is made for noteworthy service to SACC over a period of time.

         The “How to Join” menu provides information on SACC and AAA membership and instructions for becoming a member. It also includes SACC Membership Vice-President Laura González’s essay, “Top 4 Reasons to Join SACC.” Laura’s persuasive arguments for joining SACC come directly from the heart. After years as an adjunct instructor in the competitive California community college system, her SACC membership was instrumental in helping her become employed full-time.

         The “SACC Notes” menu contains tables of contents for recent printed issues of Teaching Anthropology: SACC Notes and complete issues of the publication since it became digital in the spring of 2010. Now, as with everything on the website, the journal is available to the public without charge for viewing and downloading. Finally, a simple mouse click will transport the viewer to the website of our parent organization, the AAA.

         SACCweb.net/ is the evolving product of at least five continuous years of work. Much of its success is due to the tireless efforts of Web Task Force Chair Ann Kaupp, with the help of anthropologist and web contractor Colleen Popson. Significant contributors to SACC’s web development include Laura González, Deborah Shepherd, Autumn Cahoon, Barry Kass, Ann Popplestone and Jo Rainie Rodgers, among others.

         A visit to saccweb.net/ will be well worth your time.

 Send communications and contributions to Lloyd Miller at lloyd.miller@mchsi.com.