FacStaff Digest
Spring 2021 planning amid COVID-19
Posted on Tue, 11/24/2020 - 1:47pmAustin Community College District (ACC) administration is using knowledge learned about the virus over the past few months to inform spring planning and what another semester in the time of COVID-19 looks like. “Our first priority was, and remains...
Celebrating 10 years of Riverbat pride
Posted on Tue, 11/24/2020 - 12:04pmAustin Community College District (ACC) and Central Texas went purple November 16-20 to celebrate Riverbat Week 2020. Throughout the week, the cities of Austin, Kyle, Leander, and Round Rock issued proclamations declaring it Riverbats Day in their...
ACC's online programs ranked among top in the state and nation
Posted on Tue, 11/24/2020 - 11:10amAustin Community College District (ACC) ranks top in the state and nation in online learning according to two recent reports. The recognition comes at a time where the college has grown its online and distance education programs in response to the...
October 2020 Bravo Award Recipients
Posted on Thu, 11/12/2020 - 12:56pmThe Riverbats Employee Bravo Awards program recognizes employees whose actions reflect exemplary customer service as demonstrated by excellent communication, collaboration, or responsiveness in support of the mission, vision, and values of ACC. ACC...
26th Annual Giving Tree Campaign supports ACC students with children
Posted on Thu, 11/12/2020 - 12:50pmAustin Community College District (ACC) is expanding its annual Giving Tree Campaign. Now in its 26th year, the campaign supports students and their families over the holiday season. Last year, more than 400 children and 200 student families were...
Meet the 2020-21 Adjunct Faculty Association President
Posted on Thu, 11/12/2020 - 12:37pmWith a new academic year comes newly elected employee association presidents at Austin Community College District (ACC). We talk to the incoming 2020-21 presidents to learn more about them professionally and personally. 2020-21 Adjunct Faculty...
Academic Master Planning in Final Phase
Posted on Thu, 11/12/2020 - 11:34amThe Austin Community College District 2020-25 Academic Master Plan (AMP) is in the final stretch. The AMP serves as a guide to the college's collective academic vision, administrative supports, and strategic plans for the future. The AMP is designed...
Veterans Day 2020 Profiles: Hillary Ray Smith
Posted on Wed, 11/11/2020 - 1:38pmOn Veterans Day, we pause to honor and commemorate our nation's military — those who have bravely served our nation to protect our freedoms. Austin Community College District (ACC) would like to thank our veterans for their selfless service. The...
ACC Veterans Day Profiles: James Daniels
Posted on Tue, 11/10/2020 - 4:34pmOn Veterans Day, we pause to honor and commemorate our nation's military — those who have bravely served our nation to protect our freedoms. Austin Community College District (ACC) would like to thank our veterans for their selfless service. The...
ACC Veterans Day Profiles: Dr. Erasmus Addae
Posted on Tue, 11/10/2020 - 12:10pmOn Veterans Day, we pause to honor and commemorate our nation's military — those who have bravely served our nation to protect our freedoms. Austin Community College District (ACC) would like to thank our veterans for their selfless service. The...
ACC Veterans Day Profiles: Kai Ferguson
Posted on Mon, 11/09/2020 - 2:44pmOn Veterans Day, we pause to honor and commemorate our nation's military — those who have bravely served our nation to protect our freedoms. Austin Community College District (ACC) would like to thank our veterans for their selfless service. The...
ACC Veterans Day Profiles: Mark Harden
Posted on Mon, 11/09/2020 - 2:19pmOn Veterans Day, we pause to honor and commemorate our nation's military — those who have bravely served our nation to protect our freedoms. Austin Community College District (ACC) would like to thank our veterans for their selfless service. The...
Construction updates at Highland and Rio Grande: October 2020
Posted on Thu, 10/22/2020 - 11:00amRio Grande Campus RenovationsBy Paul Mason, Rio Grande Renovations Project Manager The project is entering the home stretch! We are about three months out from substantial completion. The interiors are really starting to come together. Final...
Earning As: October 2020
Posted on Thu, 10/22/2020 - 10:51amThis regular feature recognizes achievements, activities, and accolades of Austin Community College District (ACC) faculty and staff. To submit news or suggestions, see the contact information below. The Austin Community College District's Board of...
Fourth ACC course receives national QM certification
Posted on Thu, 10/22/2020 - 10:42amAustin Community College District (ACC) is recognized with a new Quality Matters (QM) certification. The college's Medical Terminology course (HPRS 1206) was awarded the national distinction earlier this month. "It's an honor to receive QM...
Meet the 2020-21 Classified Employee Association President
Posted on Thu, 10/22/2020 - 9:49amWith a new academic year comes newly elected employee association presidents at Austin Community College District (ACC). We talk to the 2020-21 presidents to learn more about them professionally and personally. Miguel DeLeon started working at ACC...
Month-in-review: October 2020
Posted on Thu, 10/22/2020 - 9:27amGeneral AssemblyMore than 2,500 Austin Community College District employees tuned in to their computers on Friday, September 25, to hear key college updates at General Assembly 2020. TLED hosted ACC's first completely virtual General Assembly with...
ACC Board of Trustees October 5 Recap
Posted on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 2:20pmThe Austin Community College District (ACC) Board of Trustees held its October regular meeting on Monday, October 5, via teleconference due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Below are highlights from the meeting. ACC Equity CouncilACC is...
Congratulations August/September 2020 Bravo Award Recipients
Posted on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 12:44pmThe Riverbats Employee Bravo Awards program recognizes employees whose actions reflect exemplary customer service as demonstrated by excellent communication, collaboration, or responsiveness in support of the mission, vision, and values of ACC. ACC...
Meet the 2020-21 Association of Professional-Technical Employees President
Posted on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 11:39amWith a new academic year comes newly elected employee association presidents at Austin Community College District (ACC). We talk to the incoming 2020-21 presidents to learn more about them professionally and personally. Meet the 2020-21 ACC...
Austin Community College selected for new, national credentialing initiative
Posted on Wed, 09/30/2020 - 12:40pmAustin Community College District (ACC) partners with Education Design Lab to up- and re-skill displaced workers as Certified Production Technicians (CPT) and Certified Medical Assistants (CMA) to support Central Texas' fast-growing healthcare...
Earning As: Summer 2020
Posted on Thu, 09/24/2020 - 12:09pmThis regular feature recognizes achievements, activities, and accolades of Austin Community College District (ACC) faculty and staff. To submit news or suggestions, see the contact information below. Excelencia in Education selected ACC's Transfer...
ACC names new Latino/Latin American Studies Center director
Posted on Thu, 09/24/2020 - 11:50amThe Austin Community College District (ACC) names Dr. Gary Moreno as the new director of El Centro, the college's Latino/Latin American Studies Center. Moreno will continue El Centro's mission to build connections between the college and the broader...
Construction updates at Highland and Rio Grande: September 2020
Posted on Thu, 09/24/2020 - 11:41amHighland Campus 2014 Bond Phase 2By Pamela Collier, ACC Highland Phase 2 Project ManagerThe Black Box Theatre wood floor is being installed. The wood stage flooring in the Music Performance Hall will be installed soon. The fixed seating in the...
Month-in-Review: September 2020
Posted on Thu, 09/24/2020 - 11:30amHispanic Heritage Month kick-off eventsACC kicked off Hispanic Heritage Month with two events on September 15. International Festival 2020 was a daylong, virtual event that featured a film screening, musical performances, instructional dance videos...
ACC talks Hispanic Heritage Month with Alejandra Polcik
Posted on Thu, 09/24/2020 - 10:53amThroughout Hispanic Heritage Month, Austin Community College District (ACC) sits down with influential and accomplished faculty and staff to discuss what Hispanic Heritage Month means to them. Meet Alejandra Polcik, the manager of Hispanic Outreach...
Spring 2020 Riverbats Employee Excellence Award Recipients
Posted on Thu, 08/27/2020 - 12:59pmThe Riverbats Employee Bravo Awards program recognizes employees whose actions reflect exemplary customer service as demonstrated by excellent communication, collaboration, or responsiveness in support of the mission, vision, and values of ACC. ...
Month-in-Review: August 2020
Posted on Thu, 08/27/2020 - 12:50pm2020 ACC Foster Care Luggage Drive raises record amountThe 11th annual ACC Foster Care Luggage Drive raised $3,000 in donations, tripling last year's amount. In the previous 10 years, 403 pieces of luggage and $5,844 have been donated. This year,...
ACC kicks off fall 2020 semester
Posted on Thu, 08/27/2020 - 12:29pmAustin Community College District (ACC) welcomed students for the fall 2020 semester on Monday, August 24 with enhanced support and educational options to keep students on track. Online + Hybrid Learning: ACC's No. 1 priority as the college returns...
Construction updates at Highland and Rio Grande: July/August 2020
Posted on Thu, 08/27/2020 - 9:24amRIO GRANDE CAMPUS RENOVATIONSBy Paul Mason, Rio Grande Renovations Project Manager Tremendous progress has been made over the past month. The two elevators are being installed. Decorative hand railing systems are being installed in the interior...
ACC launches new 14-week short semester option
Posted on Tue, 08/25/2020 - 10:22amAustin Community College District (ACC) launches a new 14-week, short semester option for students this fall. Submitted applications for fall are up more than 15 percent. The 14-week option gives students who are still working through the...
New ACC committee focuses on equity in Strategic Enrollment Management
Posted on Thu, 07/30/2020 - 12:45pmAustin Committee College District (ACC) is undergoing a collegewide process to create a strategic student enrollment plan with a focus on equity. A Strategic Enrollment Management committee has been formed at the direction of the President's Cabinet...
Construction updates at Highland and Rio Grande: May/June 2020
Posted on Thu, 07/30/2020 - 11:49amThe Highland Campus South Parking Garage hit another milestone this summer. Construction crews added the college's name to the external-facing wall, which is visible from Interstate 35, Highway 290, and areas to the east and southeast of the campus...
Month-in-Review: July 2020
Posted on Thu, 07/30/2020 - 11:20amSnack Box DistributionStudent Life continues to provide a consistent place for students to meet their immediate food needs while on campus with the Food Pantry program. This service was put on hold as we were faced with the need to transition to...
MyACC faculty and staff portals launch this fall
Posted on Thu, 07/30/2020 - 10:36amAustin Community College District (ACC) employees will soon be able to access all college information in one place with the MyACC Faculty and Staff Portals, which launch this fall. "We are excited to finally release portals for faculty and staff....
ACC Board of Trustees July 6 Recap
Posted on Fri, 07/17/2020 - 4:06pmThe Austin Community College District (ACC) Board of Trustees held its July regular meeting on Monday, July 6, via teleconference due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Trustees approved the FY2021 budget, heard presentations on the CARES Act...
Collaboration, communication key to disbursing CARES student aid quickly
Posted on Fri, 07/17/2020 - 3:44pmAustin Community College (ACC) has distributed more than half of the $6.9 million in federal aid it received specifically for student emergency support from the Department of Education as part of the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund...
George Wilkerson: Honoring the legacy of ACC’s first dean of instruction
Posted on Fri, 07/17/2020 - 2:25pmDr. George Wilkerson may be best known in Austin as a comedy sketch writer and cast member for Esther's Follies, but as the founding dean of instruction at Austin Community College, creator of the first online Composition course in Texas, and an...
FY2021 budget approved without cuts, defers compensation decisions
Posted on Fri, 07/17/2020 - 2:10pmThe Austin Community College District (ACC) Board of Trustees voted to approve the budget for FY2021. The $416 million budget maintains existing operations and currently approved initiatives without making any cuts. "Our approach at this point is...
First week back: ACC cautiously implements return-to-campus plan
Posted on Fri, 07/17/2020 - 10:00amSince Austin Community College District (ACC) closed its campuses and centers in mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a small number of classes — primarily in workforce-related programs in health sciences and applied technologies such as welding...
Applications increase for Texas A&M-Chevron Engineering Academy at ACC
Posted on Fri, 06/26/2020 - 1:58pmNow in its fourth year, interest in the Texas A&M-Chevron Engineering Academy at Austin Community College (ACC) continues to grow. Nearly 300 students have requested to apply for the fall 2020 cohort, which plans to accept 150 students. The...
Construction updates at Highland and Rio Grande: March/April 2020
Posted on Thu, 06/25/2020 - 10:29amDespite a brief shutdown and some challenges with delayed deliveries due to the COVID-19 pandemic, construction marches forward on the Rio Grande and Highland campus projects, which both reached significant milestones in the past month. Rio Grande...
Regional Advisory Committees hear academic and campus master plans updates
Posted on Thu, 06/25/2020 - 10:21amAustin Community College District's (ACC) three Regional Advisory Committees representing the district's north, south, and central service areas met virtually in June to hear updates on the college's academic and campus master plans. Academic Master...
How IT is working to keep the college online
Posted on Thu, 06/11/2020 - 12:42pmAustin Community College's Information Technology (IT) department continues its work to support the college's response plan for the evolving situation regarding the COVID-19 virus. Even before the college's decision to suspend all nonessential, in-...
ACC Board of Trustees June 1 recap
Posted on Thu, 06/11/2020 - 12:05pmThe Austin Community College District (ACC) Board of Trustees met for its regular meeting on Monday, June 1, to discuss the budget, learn about the results of a student satisfaction survey, and vote on contracts. Below are highlights from the...
Taking hands-on learning online: Biology lab
Posted on Thu, 06/11/2020 - 11:23amThe Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic forced Austin Community College (ACC) faculty to adapt their classrooms, labs, and simulations to a virtual environment. We are sharing the innovative ways our faculty are taking hands-on learning online. In this...
Student Affairs conducts call-a-thon to check on students
Posted on Thu, 06/11/2020 - 11:17amAlthough students were not physically on campus during the last half of the spring semester, they remained top of mind for Austin Community College faculty and staff. To check in on how students were doing with the transition to an online learning...
COVID-19's impact on spring student academic success
Posted on Thu, 06/11/2020 - 11:12amWhile the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the way the college operates, it fortunately had only a moderate impact on student academic performance this spring. "I was very impressed by the dedication of our faculty and staff and the...
ACC names new Chief Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Officer
Posted on Wed, 06/10/2020 - 4:54pmThe Austin Community College District (ACC) names Larry M. Davis as the college's new Chief Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Officer (CEDIO). The CEDIO will continue the college's work to address equity gaps at ACC. "ACC spent the past seven years...
What your colleagues are doing: Music Professor Virginia Volpe
Posted on Fri, 05/29/2020 - 2:27pmACC Music Professor Virginia Volpe created a virtual performance of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" with the ACC Choir. Students were responsible for mixing individual recordings to make one master track. Listen to it here.