The Austin Community College District (ACC) Board of Trustees heard proposals for a possible future bond election during a special Board meeting on Monday, February 21. The college presented three scenarios to expand and enhance campuses and facilities district-wide and build capacity for high-demand programs in areas including health sciences such as nursing, IT, manufacturing, and skilled trades.

Scenario 1
Projects outlined in Scenario 1 include updates to Hays, Eastview, Highland, Rio Grande, Cypress Creek, Northridge, Round Rock, and San Gabriel campuses as well as new developments at the college’s Pinnacle property in Southwest Austin and in Southeast Travis County where the college owns approximately 124 undeveloped acres. This scenario totals $815,000,000. 

Scenario 2
Projects outlined in Scenario 2 include updates to Hays, Eastview, Highland, Cypress Creek, Round Rock, and San Gabriel campuses as well as new developments at the Pinnacle and Southeast Travis County properties. Projects for these campuses would mirror the work outlined in scenario 1 but with fewer dollars allotted for each project. This scenario totals $580,000,000. 

Scenario 3
Projects outlined in Scenario 3 include updates to Hays, Eastview, Highland, Cypress Creek, Round Rock, and San Gabriel campuses as well as new developments at the Pinnacle and Southeast Travis County properties. Projects for these campuses would mirror the work outlined in scenarios 1 and 2 but with fewer dollars allotted for each project. This scenario totals $480,000,000. 

Tax Implications
If any one of the above bond proposals is approved in 2022, there will be no increase in ACC tax rates.

“We’re in a good position right now to think strategically and make decisions that will make the most sense for our community. Right now, our tax rate offers the funds we would need to complete these projects,” says Neil Vickers, ACC Finance & Administration executive vice chancellor.

The current ACC tax rate includes a small tax rate increase that occurred when ACC voters approved two general obligation bonds in 2014. Those bond projects include:

  • ACC Highland Phase 2 — Phase 2 at ACC Highland features flexible, advanced facilities for career-technical education and hands-on learning. It includes a creative digital media center, health sciences simulation center, culinary arts and hospitality management center including a student-run restaurant, continuing education division, and an incubator for advanced manufacturing training and workforce development.
  • Hays Campus Public Safety Training Center — The ACC Public Safety Training Center at Hays Campus is a first-responder center to prepare students for critical front-line roles in law enforcement and emergency medical services. It features a tactical indoor firing range, force-on-force modular training room, advanced-defensive-tactics training room, emergency vehicle driving course, and specially outfitted tiered classrooms for emergency response training.
  • Rio Grande Campus Renovations — The award-winning renovation project provided critically needed updates to the 100-year-old building. Careful work was taken to preserve the history while providing modern classrooms, computer & science labs, and an ACCelerator learning center. The campus is home to the college’s American Sign Language-Interpreter Training, Human Services, Computer Information Systems, and Paralegal programs as well as the first-of-its-kind Army Futures Command Software Factory.
  • Round Rock Campus Expansion — The Round Rock Campus expansion provided a new general studies building featuring specialty science labs, classrooms, and an ACCelerator learning center, expanded capacity in ACC’s Nursing program, and increased parking capacity.
  • Elgin Campus Phase 2 — ACC established a new instructional building and outbuilding to support ACC’s Veterinary Technology and Sustainable Agriculture Entrepreneurship programs. The new buildings include teaching spaces, a surgical clinic, and small animal wards.
  • Southeast Travis County Land Banking — The college purchased 124 acres in southeast Travis County for a future campus to accommodate growth in career and technical education. The land will be home to a new, advanced learning center for programs including automotive technology; building construction technology; heating, air, and refrigeration technology; welding technology; and innovative business/industry training partnerships.
  • Multicampus Renovations — ​​ACC continues work on necessary renovations and upgrades across the college’s existing campuses to improve health, safety, sustainability, and technology.

Learn more on the ACC 2014 Bond website. 

Trustees have asked the college’s administration to consider other needs and return in March with additional information for discussion and consideration.

Watch the recording of the full presentation on the ACC Board of Trustees web page.