INSTRUCTION AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT
This chapter reviews the instruction and academic support functions of the Alamo Community College District (ACCD) in the following sections:
- A. Organization and Program Management
- B. Institutional Effectiveness and Program Review
- C. Resource Management and Productivity
- D. Academic Support
- E. Special Programs
- F. K-16 Initiatives
As community colleges have grown and increasingly distinguished themselves, certain educational values and principles have emerged: innovative, motivational leadership; committed faculty and staff; inspired curriculum and a universal belief that everyone dedicated to doing so should have an opportunity to enjoy lifetime learning opportunities. However, to deliver on this mission, colleges must be organized to maximize teaching and learning. The curriculum must be meaningful and applicable; faculty must be provided with the resources they need to do their jobs and everyone must work to create an environment conducive to student success.
BACKGROUND
In spring 2003, ACCD enrolled the largest number of students for a spring semester, 48,984, which represents a 9.7 percent increase over the spring 2002 enrollment of 44,654. ACCD is the second largest community college district in the state, behind the Dallas County Community College District, and is the tenth largest community college district in the nation. All ACCD colleges serve large numbers of minority students, many of whom are academically and/or economically disadvantaged.
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) are the primary regulating and accrediting agencies that oversee community college education in the state of Texas. SACS has individually accredited each of the four ACCD colleges: Northwest Vista, Palo Alto, San Antonio and St. Philip's. The THECB also reviews each college every four to five years as separate institutions. Agencies that accredit or approve ACCD colleges to offer certain programs include those listed in Exhibit 2-1.
Exhibit 2-1 Source: ACCD, College Bulletins, 2002-03.
Accrediting Agencies and/or Program Approval Authorities
2002-03
Agency or Approval Authority Northwest Vista Palo Alto San Antonio St. Philip's American Association of Medical Assistants X American Board of Funeral Service Education X American Dental Association X American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists X American Society of Transportation and Logistics X American Veterinary Medical Association X Board of Nurse Examiners for the State of Texas X Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs X X Community College Journalism Association X Federal Aviation Administration X X National League for Nursing X X Texas Association of Music Schools X Texas Educational Theatre Association X As a "multi-college" district, ACCD resembles two of its peer college districts: Dallas County Community College District (Dallas CCCD) and North Harris Montgomery Community College District (North Harris Montgomery CCD). The other two peer college districts selected for comparison, San Jacinto (San Jacinto CCD) and Tarrant County (Tarrant County CCD), are organized as "multi-campus" districts. The distinction between such organizational structures is that certain functions are centralized in multi-campus districts and decentralized to individual colleges in multi-college districts.