1. Bring the operation of the College fully into compliance with Board policy.

2. Institutionalize an institutional effectiveness and planning process that integrates effectiveness evaluation or assessment, planning, and budgeting.

3. Develop a future facilities-development master plan and update the renovation and maintenance plans, based on the analysis of academic needs of students and community needs.

4. Implement an evaluation system for faculty based upon an assessment of instructional quality, which shall be used in decisions concerning retention and advancement of faculty and to develop a professional development plan for faculty.

5. Develop a program quality review system for all programs and disciplines which shall be used to guide curriculum revision, accreditation agency response, program expansion or elimination, and to prioritize areas for resource allocation including personnel.

6. Develop a strategy including use of technology to serve areas within the ACC service region, both inside and outside the taxing base area, while prioritizing services to those within the taxing base area and expanding services to those areas which voluntarily seek and vote to associate themselves with the taxing base area.

7. Develop a set of options for using full-time and adjunct faculty, giving priority to improving instructional quality and to hiring the number of full-time faculty needed to ensure adequate quality and capacity in each program.

8. Develop an outreach, recruitment, and marketing plan to serve the educational needs of the residents of the ACC district and service area and to increase the diversity of the ACC student body, faculty and staff.

9. Develop and implement a pro-active retention and student success plan for each ACC student (full- or part-time) to reach his or her individual educational goal.

10. Implement a resource development acquisition strategy from both public and private resources to support the college in meeting changing student and community needs.

11. Develop internal capacity and utilize budgetary and cost analysis to identify areas of operating efficiency including course scheduling, equitable expenditure distribution, and program and unit expenditure analysis.

12. Develop an analysis of the usage of distance education technology including the Texas Virtual College and outline the challenges this technology represents for ACC.

13. Develop a system of management Administrative Rule, procedures, and guidelines implementing Board policy, which would be accessible through an electronic system and which clarifies responsibilities including the authority for exceptions to any provisions.

The activities which Austin Community College is to undertake in addressing the needs of its service area are enumerated in policy A-1, College Mission. Within the scope of that mandate, this policy gives more specific direction about desired results, priorities, and cost issues.

[1] The basic result to be produced by operation of the College, in conjunction with other community sectors, is that all service-area adults legally qualified for College services have the post-secondary and higher education they need and can use for productive, successful lives. How close the local community is to this goal is a central accountability indicator for the College. However, declaration of this goal is not a guarantee of particular services, program admissions, or resource allocations; these are decided through the program-review, admissions, and budget processes.

[2] Accredited preparation shall be provided for as many career areas and university-transfer options within the mission of the College as is feasible. Special emphasis shall be placed on providing post-secondary education (including needed preparation) to people who are educationally disadvantaged or are not well-served by other colleges, and on preparation for family-wage careers (either directly or after further higher education).

[3] In addition to mastery of the specific subject-area knowledge and skills needed to meet their education-related goals, students completing College programs shall have the general skills needed for success in employment and higher education: these include dependability, effective communication, gathering and critically assessing information, problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, and a focus on producing results of high quality.

[4] For programs in which local tuition/fees and state-reimbursement revenues fully cover overall costs (including indirect, facility, and capital costs), the extent of program offerings shall be determined primarily by student demand. Programs requiring significant subsidy shall be offered in accordance with a community-priorities plan adopted by the Board, which shall be based on consideration of local workforce and higher-education needs.

[5] The College shall organize its activities so as to produce as high a level of overall value for the community as possible, and shall be efficient in the way it requires others (especially students) to spend money and time.

[6] The College shall create a good place to work, to learn, and to otherwise experience the higher-education process.

By approval of the Board of Trustees: June 1, 1998

C-1. GENERAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTIVES AND LIMITATIONS

[1] The President shall cause to be taken those actions which are needed to carry out the mission of the College within the limits of Board policy and directives, and shall accordingly:

[a] cause an effective instructional program to be offered implementing the college mission;

[b] develop and maintain public plans which are adequate to guide and coordinate the development of the college;

[c] maintain a reporting and analysis system which supplies appropriate information about the scope, effectiveness, and efficiency of college operations;

[d] maintain, with appropriate consultation, administrative rules and procedures sufficient for the proper operation of the college.

[2] The President shall not permit imprudent, wasteful, or unethical practices by college employees or contractors related to their ACC work, such as any practice which:

[a] is contrary to applicable laws, regulations, or Board directives;

[b] results in the mistreatment of people;

[c] wastes the resources of the students, employees, college, community, or taxpayers;

[d] provides inaccurate or misleading information about college operations.

By approval of the Board of Trustees: April 23, 1996, and as amended May 6, 1996

C-3. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, COLLEGE PRESIDENT

Within the framework of policies adopted by the Board, the College President exercises broad authority in carrying out responsibilities of the position. The College President performs the following functions:

[1] Acts as executive officer for the Board of Trustees.

[2] Implements Board Policy.

[3] Recommends policy to the Board.

[4] Provides for the administrative organization of the College.

[5] Provides the Board with a flow of information regarding the College and its needs.

[6] Reports promptly the appointment of College employees.

[7] Prepares and submits an annual budget to the Board and makes recommendations to the Board for budget changes; implements the College budget as approved and amended.

[8] Provides leadership in the development, implementation, and periodic revision of plans for the development of the Austin Community College District.

[9] Makes recommendations to the Board for the adoption of instructional programs and other educational and community services.

[10] Reviews the educational program on a continuing basis and effects changes that will improve the quality and scope of services offered.

[11] Represents the College, in cooperation with the Board and staff, to the community.

[12] Influences the development of local, state, and national educational policies.

[13] Oversees all reports required by local, state, and federal agencies.

[14] Prepares agendas for board meetings and maintains a record of the proceedings.

[15] Develops and implements procedures which are necessary for effective College operations.

[16] Maintains the orderly functioning of the College and takes whatever action as may be necessary to prevent any interference with such orderly operation of the College.

By approval of the Board of Trustees: December 3, 1973, and as amended February 1, 1988; February 16, 1998

The President shall, prior to the end of June each year, develop and submit to the Board and for public review in written form a proposed annual budget which:

[1] Provides adequate support for the educational programs of the College, based on efficient operation of both direct and support services.

[2] Distributes resources primarily on objective criteria based on student enrollment and program needs.

[3] Provides a justification or plan for correction of any substantial disparities in the resources supplied to serve students in similar programs at different campuses.

[4] Budgets revenues and expenses based on actual expected performance. When there is substantial uncertainty about performance in an area, the associated budget projection should be moderately conservative; in such cases, the administration should describe its targets for the area and the budget effects of the range of plausible outcomes.

[5] Budgets expected overall current-funds expenses plus transfers mandated by law or policy of less than expected current-funds revenues, and budgets fund balances within the limits imposed by policy E-6, Fund Balance.

[6] Is consistent with a multi-year master plan developed in compliance with policy E-1 on Master Planning.

[7] Provides a recent history and a three-year plan for tuition/fee levels, enrollment, overall revenues and expenses, debt service, plant-fund expenditures, and fund-balance levels, with a description of planning assumptions and material changes.

When deemed appropriate by the administration, capital items in an annual budget may be purchased during the period after budget approval but prior to the start of the fiscal year.

By approval of the Board of Trustees: June 3, 1996

The President shall develop, in document form, for review and approval by the Board of Trustees, a comprehensive College Master Plan of a multi-range nature (long, medium, short) which encompasses the needs of the entire institution with specific attention given to educational, financial, and physical development planning. The College Master Plan will be based upon current determinations of community needs and responsible utilization of fiscal, physical, and human resources. The Board policies on Ends To Be Produced, especially A-1, Mission of the College, shall be used as the foundation for College planning efforts.

[1] The main focus of ACC's planning will be to ensure that the regular activities of the College match community needs and are effective in enabling students, local employers, and the community sectors to reach their declared educational goals efficiently. Care must be taken in the planning process to ensure that new initiatives and current activities both have adequate, equitably-distributed resources.

[2] The accessibility of ACC to students who have few other educational options must be a pervasive concern in all College planning. Since any ineffective use of resources may directly lead to higher student tuition rates, the College must operate with exemplary efficiency to maximize student access and success and to avoid abuse of ACC's state and local tax subsidies.

[3] The College will provide efficiently-delivered high-quality instruction which closely matches student and community needs and enables rapid student progress to competence in their chosen fields. The College will minimize requirements which are not essential to meet a student's declared educational goals. The College will systematically provide the support needed for sustained high-quality instruction which develops the work habits and problem-solving skills needed for successful employment and educational advancement.

[4] The planning process will ensure compliance of College operations with Board policies and accreditation criteria.

[5] Institutional research must be an integral part of the College's planning and evaluation processes, and there must be a clear linkage between planning, budgeting, evaluation, and assessment.

[6] The Planning process will include recommendations from the instructional task forces, faculty, and staff in areas specific to their disciplines.

[7] The planning process will be open, with public access provided to the information on which plans are based and to the recommendations made at each stage of the planning process.

By approval of the Board of Trustees: December 5, 1977, and as amended January 5, 1998

Austin Community College is committed to the belief that in a free and democratic society, all persons should have a continuing opportunity to develop skills and knowledge as well as to enhance their understanding of the responsibilities in that society. The College takes as its guiding educational principle the proposition that, insofar as available resources permit, instruction should be adapted to student needs. This principle requires both flexibility in instructional strategies and maintenance of high academic standards. The implementation of this philosophy implies the following:

[1] Pre-assessment measures, where appropriate, so that students can be advised to enroll in courses at their present skill level;

[2] Statement of course objectives and standards so that the student is aware of the requirements for successful completion of the course;

[3] Recognition that the responsibility for learning rests with both the student and the instructor; therefore, where appropriate, students may participate with the instructor in planning their progress through a course and in exercising some choice among learning objectives and activities, as determined by the instructor;

[4] Repeated opportunities, where appropriate, for the student to achieve the course objectives;

[5] Use of student evaluations to improve or revise learning objectives and activities;

[6] Substantial consistency of objectives and standards for all sections of the same course, wherever that course may be offered by the College; and

[7] Design of courses appropriate for the diverse backgrounds of community college students.

By approval of the Board of Trustees: March 3, 1980, as amended July 2, 1990; August 4, 1997

[1] Continuing auxiliary academic support which addresses the needs of students of different aptitudes, learning styles, life situations, and educational backgrounds shall be made available for all developmental and entry-level courses. The availability of this support shall be taken into account when providing placement advice to students who wish to proceed rapidly.

[2] Assessment, placement, and developmental courses shall be matched to the educational goals and previous educational experience of each student, with opportunities for reassessment.

[3] Assessment, placement, and developmental courses shall concentrate on mastery of the skills and material needed to pass the TASP test or identified as essential by the faculty teaching entry-level credit courses in the degree or certificate program the student wishes to enter.

[4] Within the limits imposed by the least restrictive reasonable interpretation of applicable laws and regulations, ACC shall maximize student choice and flexibility respecting mandatory remediation and the TASP tests. When required, mandatory remediation shall be provided in a form which matches the pace at which the student can successfully participate.

[5] Students shall not be involuntarily removed from college-credit courses due to their performance in developmental courses as long as they are still willing to participate in a remedial program at the level required by THECB regulations.

By approval of the Board of Trustees: January 22, 1996