The open house will feature breakout sessions from ACC departments, information booths for community organizations, and a line-up of guest speakers.

“Many military veterans are unclear about their educational benefits,” says Mervin Jones, a counselor at the ACC Riverside Campus who works closely with ACC’s Veterans Affairs office and veteran students. “We are that resource they can rely on for help and to answer questions.”

The Veterans Affairs office provides assistance with benefits, degree planning, and counseling. It’s the starting point for veterans seeking admission to ACC.

“We’re here to help them reach their goals and make sure they have the greatest chances to succeed,” says Mark Harden, ACC’s Veteran Affairs manager.

ACC expects to see a rise in veteran enrollment when changes to the GI Bill take effect August 1. To better serve this growing student base, ACC has streamlined many processes and extended outreach.

“Veterans are a unique subset of our student population that should not be overlooked,” says Jones. “It’s important that we recognize the distinctive challenges they face as students at this stage in their lives.”

From acclimating to civilian life to possibly dealing with post traumatic stress disorder, the challenges for veteran students are great and varied. Some juggle family responsibilities with pressures from school and work, while others simply find it hard to connect in a new environment.

Former ACC student and veteran Rakhsha Ihami with ACC's Veteran Affairs manager Mark Harden

“You almost feel like you don’t belong, or that other students can’t relate to you,” says former ACC student and veteran Rakhsha Ihami of her transition into ACC after serving two tours of duty in Iraq. “Meeting other veterans and the attention and support from counselors really helped me get through.”

The newly formed ACC Veteran Committee is looking at ways to address issues veterans face as well as connect them to other local agencies that offer services.

“What remains most important is the opportunity for veterans to pursue their academic and career aspirations,” Harden says.

Ihami, now a pre-pharmacy student at the University of Texas at Austin, urges her fellow veterans to create a balanced approach to college, and to take advantage of other ACC services such as free tutoring to aid their educational pursuits.

“I was able to build a strong foundation here,” says Ihami. “ACC ended up being the best place for me.”

During the open house students can receive help with VA paperwork, application materials, financial assistance, degree and transfer planning, and more. Food, entertainment, and children’s activities will also be provided.

For more information please contact Mervin Jones at (512) 223.6017 or mjones8@austincc.edu, or visit www.austincc.edu/veterans.

The Big Read grant will allow ACC’s Arts and Humanities Division to implement a program to encourage the community to read and discuss “Sun, Stone and Shadow: 20 Great Mexican Short Stories” – the literature chosen for ACC’s Big Read. Communities around the nation are also participating, using books including “Fahrenheit 451,” “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and “The Great Gatsby.” | Read More

The Big Read grant will allow ACC’s Arts and Humanities Division to implement a program to encourage the community to read and discuss “Sun, Stone and Shadow: 20 Great Mexican Short Stories” – the literature chosen for ACC’s Big Read. Communities around the nation are also participating, using books including “Fahrenheit 451,” “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and “The Great Gatsby.”

“‘Sun, Stone and Shadows’ is in short-story format, which allows readers to easily digest the book,” says Rosa Davila, assistant Spanish professor and project manager of The Big Read at ACC.

“Sun, Stone and Shadows” is a bilingual anthology that features 20 Mexican authors.

“Mexican cultural influence can be felt in Austin every day,” says Davila. “This anthology draws upon that rich heritage and gives readers an even deeper appreciation of Mexican culture.”

NEA presents The Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. It brings together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment. This is the first time Austin has been chosen to take part in The Big Read since its launch in 2006.
 
“Sun, Stone and Shadow” programs and promotions will begin on Sept. 15 and continue through Oct. 31, the annual celebration of el Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. More information will be forthcoming.

###

About the Austin Community College District (austincc.edu):

ACC, Central Texas’ community college, is the primary gateway to higher education and career training for residents in eight counties. The college provides access to affordable, quality education. ACC enrolls more than 35,700 credit students, offering university transfer courses, two-year associate degrees, certificates, Early College Start, access programs that get students “college-ready,” and continuing education. At ACC you can “Start here. Get there.”

ACC Board Vice Chair Veronica Rivera has announced she will step down in September.

AUSTIN, TX (July 10, 2009) – Attorney Veronica Rivera has announced her resignation from the Austin Community College District Board of Trustees in order to take a new position in Washington, D.C. this fall. Rivera will become the education and policy attorney for the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund (MALDEF). She will also serve as interim regional director.

Rivera was elected to the ACC board in 2004 and currently serves as its vice chair. Her resignation takes effect in September. 

“I cannot fully convey how much it has meant to me to serve on the ACC Board of Trustees and how honored I was to have been selected again as an officer,” says Rivera. “I am thankful I’ve had the opportunity to be part of such a great institution.”

“I am so grateful for Veronica’s many contributions to the college,” says Dr. Stephen Kinslow, ACC president/CEO. “Her leadership has been invaluable, especially in the formulation of ACC’s sustainable practices policy. Through her commitment to making ACC a good steward of the environment, Veronica’s influence on the college will be long-lasting.”

Rivera’s last board meeting is scheduled to be September 8. At that time, the board will decide whether to appoint someone to fulfill the remainder of the term or leave it open until the next regular trustee election in May 2010.

###

About the Austin Community College District (austincc.edu):

ACC, Central Texas’ community college, is the primary gateway to higher education and career training for residents in eight counties. The college provides access to affordable, quality education. ACC enrolls more than 35,700 credit students, offering university transfer courses, two-year associate degrees, certificates, Early College Start, access programs that get students “college-ready,” and continuing education. At ACC you can “Start here. Get there.”

People stop by the Mobile Go Center’s first stop on July 6th at HEB’s Congress and Oltorf location. Representatives were on hand to detail ACC’s programs and services and walk potential students through the registration process.

Visit a Mobile Go Center stop near you to learn more about Early College Start, University Transfer, GED, English as a Second Language, and more than 180 accredited career programs.

The Mobile Go Center will stop by the following HEB stores in the coming weeks:

• Wednesday, July 8 - 2110 New Slaughter Lane, Austin: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.
• Friday, July 17 - 5800 W. Slaughter Lane, Austin: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.
• Saturday, July 18 - 15300 South IH 35, Buda: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
• Sunday, July 19 - 6607 South IH 35, Austin: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• Wednesday, July 22 - 600 W. William Cannon, Austin: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.
• Saturday, August 1 - 2508 E. Riverside Dr., Austin: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• Sunday, August 2 - 2701 E. Seventh, Austin: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• Tuesday, August 4 - 11521 North FM 620, Austin: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, August 5 - 500 Canyon Ridge Dr., Austin: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.

View Mobile Go Location Schedule in a larger map

If you are interested in hosting Felix for the 2009-2010 school year, please contact Giancarlo Taylor of the ACC International Programs Office at 223.7689 for more information.

“ACC is in good fiscal shape, and we’re ensuring it stays that way,” says Dr. Stephen B. Kinslow, ACC president/CEO. “That said, community colleges are asked to do more during a recession and it’s important that we expand programs and services in response to the growing needs of residents, and business and industry.”

ACC has experienced 7 percent to 15 percent enrollment growth over the last three semesters – a common recessionary trend that is expected to continue. The fiscal year begins Sept. 1, 2009.

In drafting the 2009-10 budget, the board took a judicious approach to reducing costs without impacting student services. Few new positions were added, and the college plans to hire additional full-time faculty and support staff as appropriate – including those necessary to operate the new ACC Round Rock Campus, set to open in fall 2010.

The $225 million budget includes initiatives to meet the needs of the community, including:

• Maintaining in-district tuition at its current level, to maximize access to the college for taxpayers who support ACC;
• Increasing out-of-district tuition by less than 8 percent, or $10 per credit hour; and
• Honoring commitments to the ACC campus under construction in Round Rock. Revenue from the recent RRISD annexation is dedicated to the new campus.

To ensure key services will continue even if revenue sources fluctuate, the college identified areas where costs can be cut. The board lowered cost-of-living raises to 2 percent, half of the 4 percent raises faculty and staff received in previous years. It reduced technology funding by $750,000. Trustees also trimmed the deferred maintenance budget by $2 million.

The budget also incorporates new methods of generating revenue. The board increased campus parking fees, which still remain the lowest among area colleges and universities. Students who park on campus will pay $15 per year – up from $10. Faculty, staff, and administrators will pay an additional $10 to $40.

A new addition to the budget is a sustainability student fee. Scheduled for spring 2010, the new fee will provide a revenue source to enact ACC’s commitment to sustainability and reducing the college’s carbon footprint. The fee is $1 per semester credit hour.

###

About the Austin Community College District (austincc.edu):

ACC, Central Texas’ community college, is the primary gateway to higher education and career training for residents in eight counties. The college provides access to affordable, quality education. ACC enrolls more than 35,700 credit students, offering university transfer courses, two-year associate degrees, certificates, Early College Start, access programs that get students “college-ready,” and continuing education. At ACC you can “Start here. Get there.”