The division’s annual spring highlight is Carnival ah!, an outdoor festival celebrating arts and humanities at Rio Grande Campus in downtown Austin. This year’s theme asks the question, “How did you get here?” Carnival ah! 2012 events will focus on exploring the rich cultural heritage of ACC and the Austin community through art, dance, drama, writing, philosophy, language, food, and film.

“Our students and faculty come from all over the world. Often the journey to Austin has been difficult and the transition to citizenship arduous,” says Lyman Grant, dean of Arts and Humanities. “Our division is teaming with the Center for Public Policy and Political Studies and its student organization to highlight the immigrant experience at Carnival ah!, and this year’s events will reflect the courage and determination it takes to become a citizen of the United States.”

The Arts and Humanities Division invites students, faculty, and staff to be a part of Carnival ah! 2012. Event proposals are due Feb. 17. For more details about submitting your event idea, visit austincc.edu/carnival.

Take a look at the full spring 2012 schedule and mark your calendar:

ACC Art Majors Exhibition
Opening reception January 20, 6–8 p.m.
Exhibit runs January 16–March 7
Rio Grande Campus Gallery
ACC Art Majors are in the spotlight.
Contact Brent Baggett, (512) 223.3263, bbaggett@austincc.edu

Evolution/Devolution
February 22, 7–9 p.m.
Eastview Campus, Room 8500
Science and philosophy began as the same field of study. Over time, however, the two areas of study have diverged. This lecture will look at the philosophy of science and the intertwined history of the two academic fields.
Free
For more information: (512) 223.3352

Dance Movie Night
February 24, 6 p.m.
Rio Grande Campus, Dance Studio, Room 130
Works for screening and discussion selected by the dance faculty.
Free
For more information: (512) 223.3384

“Tango” by Slawomir Mrozek
March 2–4 & 9–11, Fridays & Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m.
Rio Grande Campus Gallery Theater
Written in 1968 during the Soviet takeover of Poland, Tango combines elements of farce, absurdist theatre, slapstick comedy, and political discourse, as it examines the backlash as youthful idealism turns into a grab for power. Directed by Drama faculty member Marla Dean.
$5 Students and Seniors, $10 General
For more info: dramabox@austincc.edu, (512) 223.3245

Balcones Prize Winners: Linh Dinh & Chase Twichell
March 21, 7 p.m.
Rio Grande Campus Gallery Theater
Linh Dinh won the Balcones Fiction Prize for his novel “Love Like Hate.” Chase Twichell is the Balcones Prize-winning author of “Horses Where the Answers Should Have Been: New and Selected Poems.”
Free
For more information contact Charlotte Gullick, (512) 223.3226, cgullick@austincc.edu

Gary Webernick/Sabbatical Work
Opening reception March 23, 6–8 p.m.
Exhibit runs March 23–May 4
Rio Grande Campus Gallery
Art Department Chair, Gary Webernick will be showing his multimedia artwork created over sabbatical.
Contact Brent Baggett, (512) 223.3263, bbaggett@austincc.edu

Religion, Health, and Medicine
March 27, 7–8:30 p.m.
Eastview Campus, Room 8500
Panel discussion hosted by the Philosophy, Religion & Humanities Department.
Free
For more information, contact Melinda Rothouse at mrothous@austincc.edu

“Agora”
April 4, 7–9 p.m.
Eastview Campus, Room 8500
Film screening and discussion. Directed by Alejandro Amenábar and written by Amenábar and Mateo Gil, Agora is a 2009 Spanish drama that uses historical fiction to highlight the relationship between religion and science amidst the decline of Greco-Roman polytheism and the Christianization of the Roman Empire.
Free
For more information: (512) 223.3352

36th Annual Student Exhibition
Opening reception April 5, 6–8 p.m.
Exhibit runs April 5–26
Dougherty Art Center, 1110 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, 78704
The most exciting art event hosted by ACC. More than 200 people came to the reception last year to see over 140 works of student art.
Contact Brent Baggett, (512) 223.3263, bbaggett@austincc.edu

Reader Nick Flynn
April 18, 7 p.m.
Rio Grande Campus Gallery Theater
Memoirist Nick Flynn will give a reading and craft discussion of the art of memoir.
Free
For more information contact Charlotte Gullick, (512) 223.3226, cgullick@austincc.edu

Carnival ah!
April 11–12
Rio Grande Campus
A public festival of academic/artistic offerings of live music, dance, drama and performance art, as well as a student art sale, literary readings, philosophy and humanities discussions, open mic sessions, and film festival. ACC’s Arts and Humanities Festival sponsored by the Arts and Humanities Division.

Carnival ah! Spring Art Sale
April 11–12
Rio Grande Campus Grounds
You never know what type of art and art making you will see here. Faculty and students demonstrate their creativity in this interactive annual event.
Contact Julie Isaacson, (512) 223.3250, jisaacso@austincc.edu

Reader Nick Flynn
April 18, 7 p.m.
Rio Grande Campus Gallery Theater
Author Nick Flynn will give a reading and craft discussion of the art of memoir.
Free
For more information contact Charlotte Gullick, (512) 223.3226, cgullick@austincc.edu

“In 2 the West”
April 27–28, 8 p.m.
Rio Grande Campus Gallery Theater
Short monologues written and performed by ACC students. Co-produced by the Creative Writing Department and the Drama Department.
Free
For more information contact Charlotte Gullick, (512) 223.3226, cgullick@austincc.edu

“Rio Review” Release Party
May 2, 7 p.m.
Rio Grande Campus Gallery Theater
ACC’s literary journal features poems, prose, screenplays, and artwork by students.
Free
For more information contact Charlotte Gullick, (512) 223.3226, cgullick@austincc.edu

Spring Choreographers’ Showcase
May 4–5, 8 p.m.
Rio Grande Campus Mainstage Theater
Featuring work by faculty and level II choreography students.
$5 Students and Seniors, $10 General
For more information: (512) 223.3384

Spring Dance Informance
May 10, 7 p.m.
Rio Grande Campus Dance Studio Room 130
Choreography from the level I and II students.
Free
For more information: (512) 223.3384

Recent Acquisitions Show
May 11–Aug 9
The Recent Acquisitions exhibition showcases recent purchases from the annual student art exhibition. These works are the most recent additions to the ACC’s Permanent Art Collection. The collection can be seen at www.flickr.com/photos/accart
For more information contact Brent Baggett, (512) 223.3263, bbaggett@austinccc.edu

Literary Coffeehouse
Feb 6, Mar 5, Apr 9, and May 7, 7 p.m.
Austin Java, 1206 Parkway
The ACC Creative Writing Department sponsors monthly Student Literary Gatherings open to all students and the public.
Free
For more information visit austincc.edu/crw

This means that regardless of insurance coverage status, you may still receive the meningitis shot at county health departments for a lower cost through Feb. 15, while supplies last.

The Texas Department of Health Services is shipping additional vaccine doses across the entire state hoping to bring more students into compliance with the new meningitis immunization requirements affecting college students under 30.

Dosage availability varies at each county health department, so be sure and call your local office first to determine if the shot is still available, and what the cost will be. Find a listing of Central Texas county health departments on the ACC Immunizations webpage. You may be able to get the shot at a county health department within a county you do not reside. However, this policy varies county to county.

If you have still not complied with the meningitis immunization requirement, be sure and log in to Magnus Health and create your account as soon as possible to begin the process. If you have not yet received the shot, you may still get a head-start on the full process by doing so.

For more information about the meningitis immunization requirement, and the process of coming into compliance, refer to our Answers to Student’s Meningitis Requirement Questions and visit the ACC Immunizations webpage.

The J.C. Penney building will be used for instruction, with space dedicated to innovative math learning and accommodating renovations of existing campuses. It is expected to open for the fall 2014 semester.

BGKA and the other finalists made presentations to the board at its January 23 meeting; trustees selected BGKA February 6.

The college expects to complete programming the use of space in the former J.C. Penney store by the end of February. This process identifies all of the individual spaces needed for the facility and will be used by BGKA to develop the architectural plan. The college is finalizing the selection of the site’s advisory committee, which will include community members.

“Community input is extremely important on all our projects, and ACC looks forward to continuing to work with the Highland neighborhood groups throughout this process,” says Ben Ferrell, executive vice president of finance and administration.

ACC also owns the former Macy’s and Dillard’s women’s stores at Highland Mall and is assessing future uses for those properties as part of the college’s Master Plan. In addition, ACC owns the land under the core of the mall. Buildings on that land are subject to a ground lease through 2070 with the company operating the mall; existing mall businesses will continue operations according to the terms of their subleases with the ground tenant.

The college is working with RedLeaf Properties in collaboration with the City of Austin’s Airport Boulevard initiative to further explore the opportunities presented by the entire Highland site as the remaining portions of the property become available for redevelopment over the long term.

Professor McLin was one of the initial faculty hired at the Ridgeview Campus on August 15, 1973. He was a professor in the Criminal Justice Department until his recent retirement. He taught thousands of students over the years.

Visitation will be from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Tuesday, February 7, at King-Tears Mortuary. Memorial Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday, February 8, at St. Peter’s United Methodist Church, 4509 Springdale Rd. Professor McLin’s obituary and memorial guestbook can be viewed here.

El sitio localizado en austincc.edu/espanol, incluye noticias e información acerca de los procesos de admisión, ayuda financiera, inscripción, programas de estudio y clases de Inglés. El sitio también tiene un glosario de términos académicos y videos de estudiantes contando sus historias.  

“ACC en Español es una buena manera para que las familias aprendan más acerca de oportunidades de entrenamiento y de educación disponibles en ACC,” dijo Brette Lea, directora ejecutiva del departamento de Información Pública y Mercadotecnia. “Los estudiantes Latinos son un segmento de población que está creciendo, y este sitio asegurará que todos tengan acceso a información útil para que puedan tomar decisions importantes sobre su futuro.”

Entre 2005 y el 2011 el número de estudiantes con crédito inscritos en la institución se incrementó un 59 por ciento a un total de 11, 888. ACC ha cumplido sus requisitos para calificar como  Institución de Servicio a los Hispanos, una designación federal que indica que el colegio mantiene un 25 por ciento de estudiantes latinos de tiempo completo (este otoño la institución tuvo un 27 por ciento en el 2011).

Se proyecta que para el 2015 el número de residentes Hispanos en los ocho distritos de servicio de ACC se incrementará a un 34 por ciento para el 2015.