The Austin Community College District (ACC) Board of Trustees held a work session followed by its regular meeting on Monday, September 9, at Highland Campus. Below are highlights from the meetings.
Bond Program Update
After intentionally pausing bond projects when Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart joined as Chancellor to allow time to connect with students and the community and learn more about what they need and want from ACC, the College is moving ahead in response to community needs. College administration provided trustees with a brief update on projects included in the 2022 general obligation bond and the 2021 maintenance tax notes during their work session. This includes projects currently in progress on the Hays, Round Rock, Highland, and Southeast Travis County campuses as well as IT, Energy & Sustainability, and ADA and Universal Design projects districtwide. Learn more here.
ACC College Affordability Programs Updates
Three initiatives to make college more affordable launched this semester at ACC — the Free Tuition Pilot Program, Affordability Scholarships, and the free tuition for employee dependents benefit. The Board received an update on the progress of these programs during their work session as well as preliminary fall enrollment numbers. Read an overview here.
Trustees Adopt Child Care Resolution
Trustees unanimously approved a resolution calling on the College to continue collaborating with community partners to connect students with child care support. According to the resolution, drafted by Trustee Stephanie Gharakhanian and BOT Vice Chair Sean Hassan, a majority of parenting students at ACC say the cost of and access to child care is a major hurdle. The College estimates up to 2,000 students who are parents have difficulty finding child care. View the resolution here.
Samsung Donation
Trustees accepted a $200,000 gift from Samsung Austin Semiconductor to help expand the College’s semiconductor training program. In appreciation of the gift, the ACC Foundation proposed a recommendation to name the new advanced manufacturing classroom at the Round Rock Campus as the Samsung Austin Semiconductor Advanced Manufacturing Lab. Learn more here.
Property Tax Rate Approved
The Board formally adopted a new tax rate for 2024-25 that will not increase the average property tax bill for ACC taxpayers. As a result, trustees also approved amending the proposition language for the College District’s Special Lockhart Independent School District Annexation Election to include the new tax rate. Learn more here.
Investment Policy and Strategies
Trustees voted to confirm that they have reviewed the College’s investment policy, which remains unchanged. The confirmation is required annually as part of the Public Funds Investment Act (PFIA).
View all agendas and recordings from the meeting here. Recordings are usually available by the Thursday following the meeting.