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Chapter 3
STUDENT SERVICES

This chapter reviews the Student Services functions of Alamo Community College District (ACCD) in the following sections:

A. Student Services Administration
B. Recruitment/Enrollment/Registration Processes
C. Counseling and Advising
D. Student Financial Services
E. Health Services
F. Bookstores

To enhance instruction and fulfill their broad mission, community colleges provide a variety of services that help both traditional and non-traditional students either transfer to a four-year higher education institution or acquire specialized skills or training. These services usually include student recruitment, registration, academic advising, counseling, job placement, orientation and financial aid. Personal growth and development opportunities are offered through an assortment of student organizations and extracurricular activities. Leadership and problem-solving skills, teamwork and cultural appreciation are some of the expected benefits of fully participating in the community college experience.

BACKGROUND

ACCD is made up of four colleges: Palo Alto, located on the south side of San Antonio; Northwest Vista, located northwest of downtown; San Antonio in north central San Antonio; and St. Philip's on the east side. Classes are also offered at St. Philip's College-Southwest Campus, located at East Kelly Air Force Base, at the Northeast Campus at 7990 Pat Booker Road and at off-campus locations, including local businesses and other military bases.

ACCD's Spring 2003 enrollment of 48,984 is a record 9.7 percent increase over the Spring 2002 enrollment of 44,654 and the highest enrollment ever for a spring semester. It is also higher than the 2003-projected enrollment of 41,068 that the Texas Higher Education Coordinating (THECB) estimated in 2001. This is the fifth straight year that the district's spring enrollment has increased. ACCD is now the second largest community college district in the state, trailing Dallas Community College, and is the tenth largest community college district in the nation.

Exhibit 3-1 provides demographic information on student enrollment at the four ACCD colleges. Total enrollment for 2001-02 was 64,050. San Antonio College has the largest annual enrollment at 32,373 or 51 percent of total enrollment. The percentage of enrollment for the other colleges is: Northwest Vista, 8,493 students or 13 percent; Palo Alto, 9,792 students or 15 percent; and St Philip's, 13,392 students or 21 percent.

The total minority enrollment of ACCD is 58.9 percent. All colleges have more than 50 percent minority enrollment. St. Philip's has the largest African American enrollment (19.9 percent) and Palo Alto has the largest Hispanic enrollment (65.3 percent). Minority enrollment is approximately the same as the overall Bexar County's 18-years-and-over minority population of 51 percent Hispanic and 7 percent African American.

Exhibit 3-1
Alamo Community College District
Total Credit Enrollment & Minority Enrollment
2001-02 Academic Year
Institution Total Enrollment per College African American Hispanic Native American
and Other		 Total Minority
Enrollment
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
Northwest Vista 8,493 461 5% 3,749 44% 42 .5% 4,252 50%
Palo Alto 9,792 266 3% 6,372 65% 65 .7% 6,703 69%
San Antonio 32,373 1,530 5% 15,631 48% 585 1.8% 17,746 55%
St. Philip's 13,392 2,553 19% 6,397 48% 71 1% 9,021 67%
District
Total 		64,050 4,810 8% 32,149 50% 763 1% 37,722 59%
Source: ACCD, Budget office, CBM001 enrollment report.
Note: The totals exclude students enrolled in academic courses who were also enrolled in non-credit courses.

ACCD colleges also serve a large population of academically disadvantaged and economically disadvantaged students. Academically disadvantaged students are students who: (1) based on the results of the Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) test or local placement tests, do not have college entry level skills in reading, writing, or math; (2) are enrolled in remedial courses; and (3) did not receive a high school diploma nor a GED certificate. Academically disadvantaged does not include students with learning disabilities.

Colleges use one or more of the following standards to determine whether an individual is economically disadvantaged: 1) annual income at or below the federal poverty line; 2) eligible for Aid to Families with Dependent Children or other public assistance programs (includes WIC program participants); 3) receipt of a Pell Grant or comparable state program of need-based financial assistance; 4) participation or eligible for JTPA programs included under Title II; and 5) eligible for benefits under the Food Stamp Act of 1977 or the Health and Humans Services Poverty Guidelines, 403.114, page 36721 of final Rules and Regulations.

As Exhibit 3-2 shows, Palo Alto has the largest academically disadvantaged population (50 percent) and San Antonio and St. Philip's have the lowest (45 percent). Palo Alto also has the highest percent of economically disadvantaged students (68 percent) and San Antonio the lowest (52 percent).

Exhibit 3-2
Alamo Community College District
Credit Enrollment: Academically and Economically Disadvantaged
2001-02 Academic Year
Institution Number and
Percent of
Academically
Disadvantaged Students		 Number and
Percent of
Economically
Disadvantaged Students
Number Percent Number Percent
Northwest Vista 3,874 46% 5,396 64%
Palo Alto 4,890 50% 6,655 68%
San Antonio 14,506 45% 16,847 52%
St. Philip's 6,010 45% 8,230 62%
ACCD District Total 29,280 46% 37,128 58.0%
Source: ACCD, Office of Special Projects.

Exhibit 3-3 shows the percent of the total budget that is expended on student services for ACCD and its peers. ACCD devotes a larger percentage of its total budget (10 percent) than the peer average (8 percent) of North Harris Montgomery (8 percent), Dallas County (9 percent) and San Jacinto (7 percent).

Exhibit 3-3
Percent of Total Budget Expended on Student Services
Alamo Community College and Peers
2001-02
Expenditure North Harris
Montgomery CCD		 Dallas
County CCD		 San
Jacinto CCD		 Peer
Average		 ACCD
Student Services 8% 9% 7% 8% 10%
Source: ACCD and peer districts, Audited Financial Statements, 2001-02.

Each college in ACCD sets its own mission and goals, which are printed in the individual college bulletins and course schedules. Also, each college has its own strategic plan that addresses the unique needs of its service area (such as a high population of economically disadvantaged students) and the special programs that reside at the college (such as health or agricultural programs). Each college operates a Student Services department and distributes a written handbook that includes registration and enrollment information, financial aid procedures, behavior codes and grievance procedures, all of which are standardized across the district. A written operations manual maintained at each college ensures districtwide programs such as student aid, registration and enrollment and tuition are provided in a consistent manner.