Questions or suggestions about CCCC-related transition items can be shared with the team at this email address.
The CCCC Transition
Last updated September 15, 2026
The following Q&A addresses questions that the CCCC Transition Team has received from members. Previous updates are available here.
What is the CCCC Transition Team?
The CCCC Transition Team (CTT) was created by an NCTE Executive Committee (NCTE EC) motion—which arose after the vote to de-charter CCCC—to advise on the transitioning activities related to CCCC programming, decisions on long-term homes for CCCC resources, and general concerns about CCCC matters. NCTE President Antero Garcia addressed the changes and vision for the future in an update on August 13, 2026:
As announced on July 24, the NCTE Executive Committee made the difficult but necessary decision to de-charter the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC). Since I joined the Presidential Team in 2023, CCCC has been an ongoing topic of concern. Unfortunately, CCCC’s efforts over three task forces to enact change since 2019, coupled with other circumstances spanning governance challenges, declining participation, and financial sustainability, eventually created an untenable situation. For further context, the history also includes decades of episodic conversations regarding CCCC’s interest in separating from NCTE and to have autonomy to operate outside of our organization.
I also recognize that this is a substantial shift, particularly for those who have been members of CCCC for much of their career. My hope is that former CCCC members will give us time as we transition to new and sustainable ways of supporting writing and composition faculty.
The concept of a CTT emerged in NCTE EC conversations about how to facilitate conversations and dialog on resources and support that can exist beyond the former CCCC structure. The charge and scope of the CTT is outlined in this document, and the group will be active through June 2027. The CTT is committed to transitioning the activities of CCCC in ways that engage the history of CCCC and future of CCCC members. The group will take steps to provide recommendations to the NCTE Presidential Team on matters including the following:
- Catalog activities and materials within CCCC that have been produced, used, and circulated by members. Make recommendations and provide guidance on which materials should be retained within NCTE in the short term and long term.
- Identify activities and materials previously within or sponsored by CCCC that the Transition Team can help align either within NCTE or with external groups.
- Create a member-proposal process for new, long-term organizational homes for resources identified by the Transition Team.
- Determine what programs and activities have been under-represented within CCCC and should be created within NCTE as new and more sustainable structures (for example, an assembly).
- Document outstanding member commitments, determining what can be completed and accounting for what cannot. Items with financial commitments will be referred to the NCTE EC.
- Identify a process to solicit proposals, potentially with funding support, that will operationalize transitional work.
- Generate ideas for future sustainable programming and structures that support member engagement, collaboration, and professional learning. The emphasis will be on teaching, advocacy, and leadership in writing studies.
- Assess member interest in creating a structure for writing studies within NCTE—separate from the NCTE conference structure that previously governed CCCC.
- Explore publications and presentation opportunities that might remain or be developed within NCTE focused on the needs of college writing educators.
The CTT will seek to coordinate with groups external to NCTE in order to support CCCC members as they determine the next steps for their professional affiliations. Questions or suggestions for the CTT may be sent to cccc.transition.team@gmail.com.
How were members of the CTT selected?
The NCTE Presidential Team appointed Holly Hassel to chair the CTT because of her expertise, including her scholarship about shared governance, service as a past CCCC Chair, understanding of governance issues within CCCC and NCTE, and other national service.
CTT members were appointed by the NCTE Presidential Team based on their expertise and experiences with shared governance, national service, and program administration, as well as their commitment to writing studies and their eagerness to move the field forward in a positive direction within or beyond NCTE.
The invitation to serve on the CTT was not predicated upon continued affiliation with NCTE. Some members of the CCCC Executive Committee (CCCC EC)—which was effectively dissolved when CCCC was de-chartered—were invited to participate and declined. The CCCC Chair was involved in the initial planning for the CTT, including nominating fellow officers to participate, but declined to serve on the team. The TYCA Chair was included to serve as a liaison between the CTT and the NCTE EC, the College Section Steering Committee, and the TYCA Executive Committee (TYCA EC).
The CTT is not a policymaking group that requires elected officers and members; rather, it is similar to many working groups previously within CCCC, appointed by the elected officers to complete specific tasks within a defined time period. In this case, there is a finite set of tasks associated with facilitating conversations with CCCC members about internal and external affiliations, committees, and task forces; transitioning CCCC resources to new homes; and providing guidance to former members about how to retain or reimagine their commitments. The group is chartered through June 30, 2027.
Was CCCC an independent organization?
No. CCCC was chartered as a conference by NCTE. This means CCCC existed as a subdivision of NCTE that fell under the legal and fiduciary oversight of the larger organization. NCTE has always had—and retains—oversight of the functions of CCCC, including names, copyrights, financial accounts, records, mailing lists, and historical archives.
Some members have asked why the CCCC Associate Chair was removed from the NCTE EC. This issue predates and is unrelated to the de-chartering. The NCTE EC voted to remove the nonvoting Associate Chair position in July 2025. This followed a 2024 vote by the CCCC EC to no longer meet at NCTE’s Annual Conventions and to discontinue all travel expenses even though CCCC was responsible for travel expenses for the Associate Chair to attend NCTE EC meetings. Further, because no other conferences or groups within NCTE were able to include their associate chairs on the NCTE EC, and CCCC’s membership numbers did not equal the documented requirement for NCTE’s sections to have an associate chair on the NCTE EC, CCCC having two seats without meeting that threshold presented an equity issue when compared to NCTE’s sections. Also, the NCTE EC did advise CCCC officers that the CCCC Chair could serve for two years if CCCC changed the term of service for its Chair from one year to two years.
What led up to the de-chartering?
The de-chartering followed years of reporting and dialog that indicated a need for substantial change, as well as decades of episodic conversations regarding CCCC’s interest in separating from NCTE and having autonomy to operate outside of the organization. Over the course of multiple NCTE Presidential Teams, concerns were raised with frequency regarding CCCC’s governance challenges, declining participation, and financial matters.
CCCC created three task forces between 2019 and 2026 to address the future of CCCC and enact change: the Task Force on the Relationship between CCCC and NCTE, the Future of CCCC Task Force, and the Task Force on CCCC Operations and Sustainability. None resulted in any formal recommendations being approved that would significantly change the financial, structural, and/or programmatic trajectory of CCCC.
The CCCC EC existed to govern specific activities of the conference including priorities, decision-making about governance issues that emerged throughout the year, approving an annual budget, advising on and responding to issues reported from committees and task forces, and similar duties. As such, CCCC received guidance that the CCCC EC’s role was to set priorities and make strategic decisions rather than delegating those responsibilities beyond the governing body. During this time, NCTE elected leaders and staff also provided support and offered engagement that was not accepted by CCCC.
What will happen to CCCC member groups and other groups previously affiliated with CCCC?
CCCC member groups have complex sets of decisions to make. The CTT is charged with assisting those groups, if desired, with identifying next steps to continue operating in new forms or structures or collaborating with external organizations. Alternatively, they could reform within a new assembly affiliated with NCTE or with the College Section. Affected groups include Special Interest Groups, Standing Groups, and Caucuses.
Some affiliated groups’ circumstances, such as those sponsored by or emerging through partnerships or committees (e.g., IWCA and Computers and Writing), can coordinate with the CTT to determine next steps. As an association and not a conference, TYCA continues to be affiliated with NCTE.
What will happen to the CCCC Annual Convention, awards, and grants?
As announced on September 1, 2026, the 2027 CCCC Annual Convention will take place. More information can be found here. Any future conventions beyond 2027 would be reimagined and focus on the needs of college writing educators as identified through the CTT’s work along with the NCTE College Section, TYCA, and other invested NCTE constituencies.
Discussion regarding the future of CCCC awards and grants is ongoing.
Will NCTE continue to support writing studies and rhetoric scholarship?
Yes. The work that NCTE does to support literacy educators K–16 is based on scholarship throughout all sections and conferences. NCTE has a research foundation, publishes research-based articles and books, and offers research grants. NCTE will continue to support college writing teachers through opportunities to participate in conferences and workshops, publications, resources, and national service opportunities.
As college faculty, where can I get support in NCTE?
NCTE is organized in four sections; college is one. NCTE Conferences, the type of group CCCC was, operate as specialized groups and are smaller than the NCTE sections.
The NCTE College Section has been growing in recent years and is offering new programming. NCTE also offers journals for publishing and other engagement opportunities, including Research in the Teaching of English, College English, FORUM, English Education, Teaching English in the Two-Year College, and English Education. The Two-Year College English Association (TYCA) also provides a hub of activity (as noted in the section below), and many college faculty within NCTE partner on research and other beneficial activities with members in other sections.
How does the de-chartering affect TYCA?
It doesn’t. CCCC was a conference centered on a convention. National TYCA is an association within NCTE with six affiliated regional groups. TYCA is similar to a section of NCTE, providing support for members that continues regardless of whether TYCA holds an annual conference, which has historically taken place in connection with the annual CCCC convention. However, as a separate, ticketed event organized by TYCA (not CCCC), the TYCA National Conference or other organized professional learning events will take place during the 2026–2027 academic year. More information is forthcoming regarding other professional support for community college faculty, NCTE members who work at open-admissions four-year institutions, and concurrent enrollment instructors.
While NCTE membership is required to join the National TYCA, TYCA’s affiliated regional groups manage their own membership guidelines because they have independent nonprofit status. Elected regional officers and representatives to the TYCA EC must be members of NCTE, however, and to remain affiliated with TYCA, regional groups must operate within the guidelines of NCTE and TYCA. This is similar to NCTE’s affiliate structure for state and regional organizations.
Six years ago, TYCA leaders began consulting with NCTE on issues for members who work at community colleges and open-admissions four-year institutions, and they continue to work together to increase programming and professional support for community college faculty and concurrent enrollment instructors. During the 2024–2025 academic year, support for community college and open-access instructors was increased at the NCTE Annual Convention, including through a new Convention strand and other events. For several years, the College Section Steering Committee has also worked with TYCA to support community college and concurrent enrollment teachers.
Letter from CTT Chair Holly Hassel, September 8, 2026
Hello colleagues,
I’m writing in my role as chair of the CCCC Transition Team (CTT). You can read more about the responsibilities of this group at CCCC Transition Team updates. I want to provide some information about the group’s work during the time period for which we are charged (through June 30, 2027) as well as the internal and external (to NCTE) activities we will be engaged in. Having recently held our second meeting, we are working on the following activities this month:
College Composition and Communication and Studies in Writing and Rhetoric Series: The CTT is actively engaging in conversation with the NCTE Presidential Team and the current editors of these publications to identify next steps. We are working on a short-, medium-, and long-term timeline to plan for:
- Completing publication agreements for authors of those publications in a set timeline
- Making recommendations to NCTE about a future for the publications (for example, a new publisher for the journal and series)
- Making recommendations about the back catalog of these publications, including back issues and out-of-print titles, with input from editors
As the publisher of the journal and series, NCTE and its Executive Committee will make final decisions about CCC and SWR.
Position Statements, Awards and Grants, and Other Resources: The CTT and NCTE have prioritized the following short-, medium-, and long-term activities:
- Securing a home for archived versions of all the position statements and other documents that have been produced by CCCC committees, task forces, or groups
- Identifying which resources will remain within NCTE as it develops a new and more focused set of programming around the teaching of college writing
- Investigating the possible transfer of some position statements and names of awards to other organizational homes
This work is ongoing.
NCTE Resources and Programming: The CTT is engaging in activities both internal and external to NCTE. This fall, some members of the CTT will work with NCTE to develop new programming related to two priority issues. A cohort will create resources for teaching digital literacy as a foundation for generative AI literacy in college writing courses, with special attention to students from diverse educational and linguistic backgrounds. Another cohort will develop resources for supporting faculty and administrators who coordinate concurrent enrollment/dual credit programs in colleges and high schools. Future programming will build on this initial work to support high school concurrent enrollment instructors and college teachers who work with dual credit students. The College Section and TYCA have organized additional professional development activities for college writing teachers and other members.
To learn more about the activities that the CTT is engaged in, you can read the originating document, which documents the role the group has in preserving materials and resources from CCCC in archival or transferred forms. Additionally, I am pleased to share the agreement cosigned by NCTE President Antero Garcia, CCCC 2027 program chair Donnie Sackey, and me in my role as chair of the CTT. This shared understanding will guide the work as we plan for an event that is collegial, engaging, and inclusive.
The group has created the email address cccc.transition.team@gmail.com to gather and field issues as they emerge. We are addressing these items as we are able over the course of the year to best support CCCC members as they make plans for their professional futures.
On a personal note, I want to say that decisions about professional futures will be made by each individual educator according to their own values, priorities, and needs. Though the de-chartering of CCCC was as much of a surprise to me as it was to anyone, I am serving as chair of the Transition Team to support members of our profession and field as they determine next steps. As a writing educator, my own career has focused on writing classrooms, new teacher preparation, writing programs at access institutions, and pedagogical research. NCTE and whatever new programming and resources are developed remain a good fit for my professional needs. That may not be true for others; those decisions will likely be ongoing as disciplinary organizing work takes place, and as members of the profession weigh their own commitments and needs.
Finally, the goal of CCCC 2027, as the CTT understands it, will be to follow through on the commitments to individual teacher-scholars who have planned their professional funding and career progress this year around the event taking place. In addition, the CTT will plan a stream of events that will:
- Provide information about new work sponsored by NCTE around the teaching of college writing, including through TYCA and the College Section
- Host sessions or tables for organizations and groups external to the organization to inform, welcome, and invite engagement from attendees who are looking for new spaces for their professional work
- Provide space and time for CCCC member groups—SIGS, Caucuses, standing groups, and Committees—to gather and plan for work moving forward either internal or external to NCTE
Sincerely,
Holly Hassel
Chair, NCTE/CCCC Transition Team
Professor, Michigan Tech University
Past Chair of CCCC, past editor of Teaching English in the Two-Year College
