The schedule for Austin Community College District’s (ACC) Campus Purpose process has been extended. In response to feedback received during Campus Purpose Conversations, the process has been pushed back to February 2025 to allow faculty more direct involvement in the conversations.

As of Thursday, December 12, members of the Cabinet, led by ACC Provost/Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs, Dr. Monique Umphrey, Dr. Gaye Lynn Scott, and Dr. Shasta Buchanan, have visited seven campuses. Dozens of students and employees attended each conversation to ask questions and provide their input on the draft Campus Purpose framework. 

The proposed framework was informed by:

  • Feedback received from the Chancellor’s First 100 Days, Employee & Student Town Halls, and many previous campus conversations.
  • Data and insights, such as on-campus student demographics, patterns, trends, and target programs and degrees. 
  • A comparative analysis to find similarities and differences among campuses.

The conversations started with the campuses that will be designated as Community Engagement Campuses (CECs) and continue with those designated as Specialized Program Campuses (SPCs). Conversations for those designated as Regional Hub Campuses will be held in the new year. Learn more about the Campus Categories below.

The discussions are being recorded. The recordings and the Campus Purpose Conversation schedule can be found on the Campus Purpose web page.

Attendees are being asked to share their thoughts via the Campus Purpose Survey. 

Campus Categories

Every campus has been sorted into one of three categories, or purposes, based primarily on full-time student equivalent (FTSE) enrollment, defined as the total semester credit hours at a campus divided by 15, considered a full-time course load.

  1. Community Engagement Campuses (CECs)
    • FTE enrollment of up to 500 students: Elgin and San Gabriel campuses. 
    • Designed to be community-oriented and offer services that extend beyond traditional academic services focused on fostering community connections, providing valuable resources, and enhancing the well-being of the local area. 
    • Key Aspects include: Strong local partnerships, neurodiversity support, lifelong learning, cultural and recreational activities, social services, workforce development, and civic engagement.
  2. Specialized Program Campuses (SPCs)
    • FTE enrollment of 501 to 900 students: Cypress Creek, Hays, South Austin, Rio Grande, Eastview, and Northridge campuses.
    • Design to deliver specialized programs, classes, or courses that cater to specific industries and fields of study. SPCs are intended to provide students with a concentrated, immersive educational experience tailored to their chosen career path or academic interests.
    • Key Aspects include: Niche education, targeted resources and support services, industry partnerships, expert faculty, career readiness, and flexible scheduling.
  3. Regional Hubs
    • FTE enrollment of more than 900 students: Highland, Round Rock, and Riverside campuses. 
    • Designed to be comprehensive educational hubs that provide a wide range of academic resources and services for students and faculty. These centers are designed to create an environment that fosters academic success and personal development.
    • Key Aspects include: Extensive library resources, ACCelerators with integrated learning labs, tutoring and academic support, technology integration, “Bat Cave” study spaces, academic advising, extended hours, and Welcome Center. 

If a campus currently has services or resources not included in its designated category, they will be grandfathered in. No existing services or resources will be taken away as a result of the Campus Purpose designation.

Campus Purpose Committee

All the feedback received during the conversations and from the survey will be reviewed by the Campus Purpose Committee. The cabinet committee consists of:

  • Dr. Mary Harris (Chair), Vice Chancellor, Instructional Effectiveness and Grant Development
  • Dr. Monique Umphrey, Provost/Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs
  • Neil Vickers, Executive Vice Chancellor, Finance and Administration
  • Dr. Jenna Cullinane Hege, Vice Chancellor, Instructional Research and Analytics
  • Larry Davis, Vice Chancellor, Belonging and Purpose

Next Steps

The committee will make its recommendations to the Cabinet and Board of Trustees. The recommendations were initially planned to be shared with the ACC community in January.

However, to better accommodate faculty voices, the process will now run through February 2025. Visit the Campus Purpose web page for the schedule.

More information will be shared in the Chancellor’s Virtual Employee Town Hall and the FacStaff InfoHub and Digest.