STUDENT SERVICES
This chapter examines Austin Community College's (ACC) student services in the following sections:
- A. Student Services Administration
- B. Enrollment Management
- C. Financial Aid
- D. Counseling and Guidance Services
- E. Student Activities
ACC's Retention and Student Services Division provides the following services: admissions, orientation, assessment and placement testing, registration and student records, academic advising, educational and career counseling, financial assistance and student extracurricular activities. In addition, services are provided for special student populations such as international students, disabled students and students with learning disabilities. The associate vice president of Retention and Student Services is responsible for responding to student grievances. ACC does not provide health services or job placement services.
The associate vice president of Retention and Student Services coordinates student services, which are delivered at six campus locations. Admissions, Student Records and the Financial Aid Office use central office staff to process student applications and other records, but campus coordinators at each of the six locations provide local services. Other services such as academic advising, assessment, counseling, disabled student services and student activities and organizations are provided only at the campus level.
ACC uses a matrix management system in the Retention and Student Services Division in which each campus dean of students assumes responsibility for a specific college wide management function. This responsibility is in addition to other work required of the campus deans of students. For example, the dean of students at the Rio Grande campus is responsible for Disabled Student Services, and the dean of students at the Eastview campus is responsible for orientation activities. This individual coordinates policy and procedures for a particular area of student services at multiple campus locations. The person who is responsible for a particular job is called a "process holder" and is charged with establishing and monitoring the policy and procedures for specific student services such as orientation, assessment and disabled student services. The campus dean of students also provides daily management of local campus services.
BACKGROUND
The mission of the Retention and Student Services Division at Austin Community College is to "provide exemplary programs that support the teaching/learning process and increase opportunities for students to define and reach their educational and career goals." The goals of this division are to:
- Respond to and influence ACC's mission, vision, values and strategic intents.
- Establish and maintain a mutually respectful and close working relationship with faculty, staff, students and external partners.
- Promote access to institutional programs and services.
- Design and implement high quality delivery systems that are responsive to student needs and preferred student outcomes.
- Communicate ACC policies and procedures in a clear, user-friendly manner.
- Collaborate with the college community to create, manage and monitor a comprehensive enrollment management plan.
- Administer and evaluate comprehensive transition services for students entering the job market or transferring to four-year institutions.
- Promote access for Student Services staff to professional development opportunities.
- Promote and maintain a healthy organizational climate.
A full-time staff of 108 delivers student services with an annual operating budget of nearly $8 million.