Higher Education — June 2008

Higher Education — June 2008

Written by Mark Collins Friday, 20 June 2008

ACC making moves to come to Leander

Austin Community College is considering opening a campus in Leander.

In late May, the ACC board of trustees went into executive session to discuss proposals for land acquisition in Leander. Although trustees decided not to move forward with any of the proposals, progress is being made.

“We are following our master plan, and the master plan calls for us to do some land banking in Leander, Manor and Bastrop,” ACC board of trustees member Alan Kaplan said.

The request for proposals was released in October after the board approved the land banking strategy earlier in the year. Interested parties were allowed to submit sales and/or donations until Jan. 31. The board received several proposals, of which at least one met the board’s primary criteria: size.

The college is seeking a plot of land that totals between 40 and 100 acres, nearly five times the size of the 15-20 acre campuses ACC has built in the past. By purchasing a larger piece of land, ACC is planning for the future and providing space for parking expansion and additional buildings that original campuses are now struggling to find.

“When ACC has started to expand campuses at Northridge and Cypress Creek they run out of space very quickly,” Leander Mayor Pro Tem Vic Villarreal said. “A larger campus is one of the things they’re doing in Round Rock and in future campuses to avoid that expense down the road. ACC learned the lesson from the campuses they built in the late ’80s and early ’90s.”

The acquisition of land would put Leander in a position to be on the next ACC bond election ballot, but according to ACC communication director Dean Jones, the city may have to wait a bit longer.

“The board of trustees looks at areas that are growing where we would need to build a campus or expand,” Jones said. “Cypress Creek is not full yet. They are a busy campus, and eventually as the area keeps growing it will get to a point where they don’t have enough room and an additional campus will be needed in the area.”

In the meantime, ACC is accepting proposals in hopes of finding a suitable location.

“This is a very exciting step in the process of bringing higher education to Leander,” Villarreal said. “I think they have a very good strategy and they have been following it very well. ACC has shown that it is serious about putting a campus in our town.”

Weekend courses offered at ACC next spring

Beginning with the spring 2009 semester, ACC - Cypress Creek will offer courses on Friday evenings and Saturday and Sunday during the day. The institution will become only the fifth campus in ACC’s network to offer weekend classes.

“The overall plan is to offer these services at all of the campuses, and right now we are just alternating,” said ACC campus manager Linda Haywood. “To be fair to the entire district, we’re trying to spread out the weekend campuses and really trying to serve the entire district. It was just Cypress Creek’s turn.”

The weekend course load will include general education, real estate and criminal justice classes.

“There have been conversations with the chamber and the school district on what sorts of programs would benefit citizens on the weekends,” Haywood said. “Everyone is working together to make sure it is a good fit for the students too, not just throwing out classes.”

The addition of weekend courses will help boost enrollment numbers past the already record-setting enrollment of the spring 2008 semester. The ACC - Cypress Creek campus has seen enrollment rise by almost 400 students since opening the new Building 2000 in spring 2007.

The 70,000-sq. ft. addition has provided room for 57 new courses and raises the campus capacity to almost 5,000 students.

In addition to providing space for more students, the opening of Building 2000 allowed ACC to renovate the existing Building 1000. The ventilation system was upgraded, classrooms were enlarged and multipurpose spaces created to make the campus more usable. The book store and testing lab were also brought in from portable buildings.

The structure was closed during the spring and summer 2007 sessions and reopened for the fall 2007 semester.

“It makes it a lot easier for the students to navigate around,” Haywood said. “When you come in the building, the areas where people gather and hang out and study are all right there. They are more engaged now, I think.”

Construction continues on the ACC – Cypress Creek campus this summer as the university works to add additional parking.

Other education and training resources

• Austin Business College
  •  
    • 2101 IH 35 South, Austin
  • Programs: Associate degrees in accounting, legal office management, medical office management/office technology; certifications in office/administrative/legal/medical specialist.
  • Program length: Depends on program, up to two and a half years
  • Earn: Certifications or Associate of Applied Science degree.
  • Financial aid: For those who qualify.
  • Other: Career services to aid in the job hunting process.
  • Contact: www.abctx.edu or 447-9415
• DeVry University
  •  
    • Austin Center and Stratum Executive Center
    • 11044 Research Blvd., Ste. B100, Austin
  • Programs: Undergraduate programs include business administration, game and simulation programming, technical/accounting/financial management. Graduate degree programs include accounting, financial management and business administration. Graduate certificates in accounting and business administration.
  • Program length: Depends on degree or certification.
  • Earn: Bachelor’s, Master’s degree or certification.
  • Financial aid: Scholarships available.
  • Other: DeVry offers night and weekend classes.
  • Contact: www.devry.edu or 231-2500
• Everest Institute, part of the National Institute of Technology
  •  
    • 9100 US 290 Ste. 100, Austin
  • Programs: Day and night programs available in medical administrative assisting, dental/medical assistance, pharmacy technician, residential heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
  • Program length: Seven months plus an externship set up through the school to complete real world training.
  • Earn: Diploma, certifications.
  • Financial aid: For those who qualify.
  • Other: Career counseling is available to find a career to match interests and personalities.
  • Contact: www.everest.edu or 888-741-4270
• ITT Technical Institute
  •  
    • 6330 US 290 East, Ste. 150, Austin
  • Classes: Day, night times and online available.
  • Programs: Information technology, electronics technology, drafting, design and business.
  • Program length: Two years.
  • Earn: Associate Degree of Applied Science.
  • Financial aid: For those who qualify.
  • Other: Student activities, clubs, contests and open houses; online courses to earn an MBA or Bachelor of Science are available.
  • Contact: www2.itt-tech.edu or 467-6800
• Lauterstein-Conway Massage School
  •  
    • 4701-B Burnet Road, Austin
  • Program: Massage therapy courses.
  • Program length: Depends on program.
  • Financial aid: Loans and scholarships available.
  • Other: Offers a variety of schedules and classes.
  • Contact: www.tlcschool.com or 374-9222
• Nuvani Beauty School
  •  
    • 14005 N. US 183 Ste. 1200, Austin
  • Programs: Cosmetology, nail technician and esthetician.
  • Program length: Three to 10 months depending on program.
  • Contact: www.nuvani.com or 707-7939
• Paul Mitchell the School
  •  
    • The Academy at Austin, A Paul Mitchell Partner School, 15635 Vision Drive, Ste. 107, Pflugerville
  • Programs: Cosmetology training, esthetician training.
  • Program length: Day courses take 15 months to complete, night courses take two years.
  • Other: Technical tools, books and core cutting materials are included in the tuition.
  • Financial aid: Payment plans are available.
  • Contact: www.theacademyaustin.com or 251-1644
• Texas Culinary Academy
  •  
    • 11400 Burnet Road, Ste. 2100, Austin
  • Programs: Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts training, baking and pastry arts training.
  • Program length: Students must complete externship for the Culinary Arts program.
  • Earn: Associate Degree of Applied Arts and Sciences for the Culinary Arts program, baking and pastry arts leaves students with skills and abilities for entry level careers as a pastry chef.
  • Financial aid: For those who qualify.
  • Other: The academy offers career placement assistance.
  • Contact: www.austin.chefs.com or 672-0802