Policy-consolidation key: * 1998/1999 creation/revision

The legal mission of Austin Community College is prescribed by the Texas Legislature:

[1] Technical programs up to two years in length leading to associate degrees or certificates;

[2] Vocational programs leading directly to employment in semiskilled and skilled occupations;

[3] Freshman and sophomore courses in arts and sciences;

[4] Continuing adult education for occupational or cultural upgrading;

[5] Compensatory education programs designed to fulfill the commitment of an admissions policy allowing the enrollment of disadvantaged students;

[6] A continuing program of counseling and guidance designed to assist students in achieving their individual goals; and

[7] Such other purposes as may be prescribed by the Coordinating Board, Texas College and University System, or local governing boards, in the best interest of postsecondary education in Texas.

[a] Student-centered instruction that seeks to aid students in their educational endeavors while demanding quality performance.

[b] Vocational and technical programs of varying lengths leading to certificates or degrees.

[c] Freshman- and sophomore-level academic courses leading to an associate degree or serving as the base of a baccalaureate degree program at a four-year institution.

[d] Continuing adult education for academic, occupational, professional, and cultural enhancement.

[e] Special instructional programs and tutorial service to assist underprepared students and others who wish special assistance to achieve their educational goals.

[f] A continuing program of counseling and advising designed to assist students in achieving their individual educational and occupational goals.

[g] A program of library, media, and testing services to support instruction.

[h] Contracted instructional programs and services for area employers that promote economic development.

The College mission is to provide a wide range of high quality educational services which meet the needs of our willing partners in learning, both those who seek our services and those whom we must seek out. The District shares a mutual accountability with all parts of the community. ACC will adapt to meet a growing range of individual and community needs.

Quality: Emphasis on teaching; High educational standards; A faculty and staff dedicated to the success of all students; An environment conducive to personal excellence and growth for all students; Assurance of transfer of arts/sciences courses to four-year institutions; Relevance to employment needs of vocational/ technical courses; A plan for educational excellence which includes identification of at-risk students

Flexibility: Adapting to our community during times of rapid social and technological change; Developing an open curriculum which accommodates rapid change; Designing instructional methodologies and providing technological equipment relevant to a changing society; Ensuring continued professional competence of faculty and staff at all levels

Accessibility: An open door for all those who wish to attend; Assessment of entering student academic abilities; A determination to actively seek out those who may benefit from a community college education; The belief that every individual should have the opportunity to pursue a higher education; A tuition/fee structure which promotes the open door; Creative ways to provide services to the community

Diversity: Understanding our world as one large, complex community; Fostering a genuine appreciation of a multi-cultural community; Promoting a genuine belief in the dignity, equality and value of every person

Austin Community College pledges to provide equal educational opportunity for all students and prospective students with regard to recruitment, admissions, financial aid, instructional programs, student services, and all other programs and services of the College. Discrimination on any ground listed in Policy F-2 (B) is thus forbidden.

Austin Community College is dedicated to the goal of providing quality postsecondary educational opportunities for the adult citizens of the College community. The College shall make a deliberate effort to identify categories of potential students in the community who are not being served by the College programs, or who may be underrepresented in the College student population, and shall focus recruitment activities to reduce any disparities that may exist.

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.

The College shall provide programs and services to residents of its service area, with priority given to sites within the taxing district. Local tax funds shall not be used to subsidize out-of-district activities. The President shall report to the Board annually the extent and financial results of out-of-district activities, including an appropriate allocation of fixed and indirect program costs.

All legally-eligible communities are invited to voluntarily join the College’s taxing district and gain the advantages of in-district tuition for their students and participation in election of the Board of Trustees. Except when approved by Board vote, no specific commitments of facilities or services shall be made to communities considering annexation. Any such commitments are subject to review and modification by later Boards as part of integrated district-wide planning.

The President shall ensure that a comprehensive system that reviews the effectiveness and efficiency of instructional programs in light of the College's mission is implemented. The purpose of such reviews is to systematically and regularly gather and analyze both qualitative and quantitative data in order to facilitate the continuous improvement of each program, to guide resource allocation, and to assist the administration and Board in making decisions about program status.

[a] relevance of the program to College mission and desired ends as declared by policy,

[b] responsiveness to community needs and satisfaction of community demand,

[c] accessibility to students, with identification of unnecessary barriers,

[d] student outcomes, including participation and successful-completion rates

[e] measures of program quality and educational value added,

[f] adequacy of program resources and efficiency of resource use,

[g] comparison of program performance and cost to students with that of alternate local suppliers, and

[h] direct and indirect program-related revenues and costs to the College.

Based on the above analyses, the President shall provide a summary recommendation on program status to the Board, whose approval is required to initiate or discontinue a program, to substantially change its scope, or to change it between college-credit and non-college-credit status. Such approvals shall be primarily based on the extent to which the recommendation is found to be consistent with principles and goals established by policy, and the Board will update and clarify its policies as needed so that they provide a predictable and consistent basis for such decisions.

Copies of reports on program reviews shall be provided to the Board, faculty, and interested community members.

The College shall aggressively reach out to attract all people in the community who need and can use its services. Each employee of the College shall be informed of his or her specific responsibilities for supporting recruitment. The President shall report annually to the Board on:

[1] the organization and nature of ACC recruitment activities and the resources expended on them.

[2] the extent and composition of entry into and enrollment in ACC programs.

[3] estimates of enrollment at other local college/university and post-secondary vocational-training institutions.

[4] potential instructional programs with substantial enrollment at such other local institutions which are not offered at ACC but are within its legal scope.

[5] comparative costs to students of ACC and alternative local providers.

Enabling students to meet their educational goals should be the central organizing principle of College activity. While most of the work on this task will be done by students and faculty as part of the instructional process, the College shall also provide these other needed supports:

The College shall help students relate their aptitudes and interests to career opportunities and the corresponding educational goals (which may or may not include further college education after ACC). Accordingly:

[1] The College shall provide current information about the career opportunities in its area (including current demand, starting salaries, and career salary prospects), the preparation typically required for success in those careers, and the subsequent success by academic sector of ACC students in job placement and/or university transfer.

[2] Students shall be assessed as to their preparedness for their goals and informed of the educational sequences ACC offers that would advance them toward those goals (or of an alternate supplier or method in cases where that would be in the best interests of a student).

[3] A declaration of educational goal (which may or may not include a degree or certificate) shall be maintained (and updated at least annually) for each college-credit student.

[1] Each college-credit student (except those who at entry declare a clear short-term goal and decline an advisor) shall be assigned a faculty or staff advisor prepared to assist with the specific educational goal of that student. For transfer students, this preparation shall include appropriate knowledge about their field and the articulation of ACC courses with their target college. For workforce students, knowledge of the student's target industry shall be included. In either case, students requiring remediation under state law shall be given assistance and advice on how to satisfy such requirements while advancing toward their specific goals.

[2] Students (especially those who have difficulty reaching their goals) shall be advised as to how to learn effectively at the college level and as to what combinations of preparation, courseload, and non-school activities have been found to be consistent with academic success at ACC.

[3] Advising and counseling shall reflect a consistent philosophy of operational delivery throughout the College, with task assignments implementing a coordinated plan allocating resources based on student needs and addressing both campus-specific services and college-wide responsibilities.

The College shall fully inform students as to their opportunities for financial assistance to attend college, and shall facilitate their use of those opportunities, especially for grants.

The College shall assist students in addressing obstacles to the achievement of their educational goals. Accordingly:

[1] Counseling services shall be focused on enabling educational achievement. Counselors shall accordingly work with students (self-referred or identified by faculty or staff as needing attention) so as to help them:

(a) make good use of the support services available at the College.

(b) understand how other students with similar problems have successfully resolved them.

(c) develop work and classroom participation patterns which contribute to successful performance in school and in their intended career.

[2] Student-development staff shall ensure that student concerns are brought to the notice of the responsible authority. Counselors shall therefore:

(a) inform the appropriate supervisor when a student reports any action by a College employee which seems contrary to College rules or policy.

(b) inform students of the College's appeal systems when appropriate, while respecting the responsibility and authority of instructors.

[1] The college shall provide assistance to its students in placement in jobs or further higher education when they have completed their preparatory work.

[2] The President shall make a comprehensive annual report to the Board on the extent and nature of College efforts and results in this area. It shall list goal-achievement rates by major/program, ethnicity, and gender, describe the participation in and nature of support services in this area, and provide a cause analysis for student failure to achieve goals. The report shall also include institutional plans and goals for improving the College's ability to serve such students.

[1] The Board acts primarily through the adoption of written policies. The College President shall cause all sectors of the College to be informed of the Board policies relevant to their activities and shall ensure the compliance of College activities with Board policies. The College President may set additional administrative rules, as long as they are consistent with and supportive of any Board policies to which they are related.

[2] The Board may use resolutions rather than policies for some short-term decisions or directives. Resolutions are limited in effect to the specific items and time periods they address, and are effective in no case for more than a year after their adoption, except for contracts with effects of more than one year.

[3] There are no unwritten Board policies or decisions. The only authorizations, limitations, or directives in effect at the Board level are those explicitly stated in the current Board policy manual or adopted at a meeting of the full Board within the previous year. Individual or collective statements by Trustees in any other form have no authority in College operations.

[4] To the extent activities in an area are not covered by a current Board policy or resolution, those to whom the College President has delegated authority are to act in the best interest of the community and students in their discretion, subject to such administrative rules as the College President may set.

[5] Board policies are to be used only to directly express the decisions of the Board; they are not to be used to simply repeat or ratify either administrative rules (which do not require Board approval) or external laws and regulations (which the Board has no power to change).

[6] When a Board policy or resolution (except one related to Board procedure) has more than one reasonable interpretation, the College President may specify which interpretation the College shall follow, with notification to the Board of any significant policy ambiguities revealed by this process.

The Board of Trustees has the responsibility for formulating public policy for the operation of the Austin Community College District. It functions as the legislative and policy-making body charged with the governance and control of activities within the College District. The Board should be sensitive to the hopes and ambitions of the district it serves and able to adapt to community needs. The formulation and adoption of written policy is the basic method by which the Board exercises its leadership in the operation of the College District. The Board delegates to the President of the College the function of specifying required actions and designing the detailed arrangements under which the College will be operated. The Board maintains and supervises the College through its committee structure and by evaluating information and recommendations concerning implementation of its policies. The general responsibilities of the Board are:

[1] To adopt and periodically review a statement of philosophy that clarifies basic educational beliefs and educational responsibilities of the College for the community.

[2] To determine the quality of professional leadership needed to carry out the philosophy and objectives of the College.

[3] To select and appoint the President of the College.

[4] To establish the policies necessary for supporting operations of the College District.

[5] To review and take appropriate action on matters relating to site and facilities development.

[6] To provide ways and means of financial support, approve the annual budget, and review and approve expenditures as provided in College policy.

[7] To approve courses and programs of study that support community needs.

[8] To receive timely administrative reports concerning the appointment, promotion, retention, or dismissal of College employees.

[9] To consider inquiries and requests from citizens and organizations on matters of policy, administration, and other items of public concern affecting the College District.

[10] To serve as a final adjudicating agency for students, employees, and citizens of the Austin Community College District on matters of Board policy.

[11] To bear the legal responsibility for all aspects of the operation of the College District.

The Austin Community College Board of Trustees endorses the following standards of conduct for ACC trustees:

[1] To identify and disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest, and to act at all times for the general public good, regardless of personal friendships, relations, or interests.

[2] To keep well-informed on board-related issues, and to attend and participate actively in meetings of the board and its committees.

[3] To treat others in the college and community with courtesy and respect, even when critical of their statements or performance.

[4] To encourage and engage in open and honest discussion in making board decisions, to respect differences of opinion, and to keep an open mind until everyone has been heard from.

[5] To respect the board's collective decision process, and to accurately report and explain board votes and policies.

[6] To carefully avoid the assertion of board authority or preference as an individual trustee or in concert with other trustees, other than at official board meetings or as a result of official board actions.

[7] To respect the authority and responsibilities of other people within the college, empowering them to work without interference within the limits of board policy.

[8] To maintain the confidentiality of privileged information, as outlined in the Texas Open Records and Meetings Act.

[9] To refrain from any attempt to influence individual admissions, employment, or purchasing decisions, except when the decision is an agenda topic at an official board meeting.

[10] To be scrupulous in requesting only authorized, legitimate reimbursement of college-related expenses.

The Board Chair shall decide any questions of Board procedure which are not addressed by, or which require interpretation of, law, Board policy, or specific Board resolutions.

The Board shall elect from among its members a Board Chair, who shall preside over Board meetings and shall coordinate policy-development activities and the Board-President relationship; a Board Vice-Chair, who shall coordinate the community-linkage activities of the Board and shall preside in the absence of the Board Chair; and a Board Secretary, who shall oversee and certify the records of the Board and shall coordinate monitoring of compliance with Board policy. These officers shall be elected at the first Board meeting after a Trustee election is completed, a year later, and when a vacancy in an office exists or is created by Board vote. No trustee may serve in the same office for more than two of any four consecutive years.

3. Board Meetings

3.1 Official meetings of the Board can be called, within the notification limits imposed by law, by the Board Chair or by any three Trustees. The Board will normally take final votes on items only at its first meeting in a month, and only on items which had been discussed at a previous meeting.

3.2 The College President shall develop proposed agendas for Board meetings in accordance with priorities set by the Board as directed by the Board Chair or by Board vote, and shall cause all required legal postings of Board meetings. Subjects for meetings shall also be placed on agendas as requested by any Trustee, provided that the proposed action and its rationale are submitted in written form at least 12 days prior to the meeting. The College President shall cause all Trustees to be sent the agenda and all supporting materials at least 5 days before the meeting. Only subjects on the agenda shall be considered at a meeting.

3.3 Robert's Rules of Order shall be used to conduct meetings of the Board and its committees, subject to these bylaws and applicable law. Final approval of any non-procedural motion requires affirmative votes in a public session from a majority of the full current membership of the Board. For procedural motions, amendments, and committee votes, the majorities required by Robert's Rules of Order shall be of members present and voting.

3.4 The College President shall cause to be kept all legally-required records of Board meetings. Minutes of the full Board shall accurately reflect the actions taken by the Board and the vote of each Trustee on those actions. When approved by the Board and signed by the Secretary, the minutes shall become the official record of a meeting.

4. Board Advisory Committees

Board committees consisting primarily (or entirely) of non-Trustees may be established by the Board to advise it on specific issues. The College President shall meet reasonable committee requests for information and assistance.

[1] Division of responsibility: The governance activities of the College shall maintain a clear distinction between:

[a] strategic, values-based policies, which are the responsibility of the Board of Trustees,

[b] administrative rules for employees to follow in implementing College policies, which are the responsibility of the President, and

[c] specific tactical decisions made in operating the various sectors of the College, which are the responsibility of various operating units, structures, or positions designated by the President.

[2] Policy development and review:

In accordance with the policy-governance model of Board operation, the Board itself will set its agenda for policy development and review, based on its analysis of the strategic needs of the College after internal and external consultation, including consideration of any areas of policy development or revision suggested by the President, employee associations, community, or students.

The Board Chair has primary responsibility for coordination of the policy-development activities of the Board, and shall act, with the assistance of the President, to ensure that the policy topics identified as important by the Board are scheduled for consideration, that employee associations are notified of policy-development activities in a timely manner, and that appropriate supporting information is provided.

[3] Discussion of policy proposals:

Proposed policy changes shall be placed on the agenda for discussion at one or more Board meetings prior to that at which adoption is voted on. College legal counsel shall report on any significant legal implications of policy proposals. The President shall report on any significant educational, operational, fiscal, or administrative implications of policy proposals, including any feedback provided via internal consultative structures. Direct advice to the Board on policy is also appropriate from interested groups or individuals, including employee associations.

The Secretary of the Board shall oversee Board-level activity in monitoring compliance with Board policies and directives. This activity, which will complement but not replace the oversight responsibility of the College President, shall be done without reference to the personal opinion of the Secretary about the policies, and shall not extend to any aspect of College operations which is not covered by a current Board policy or resolution.

The College administration shall provide information and assistance in this task as requested by the Secretary, subject to an appeal by the President to the Board if any such request is felt to be unreasonable.

Other trustees who have questions or concerns about non-compliance should direct them to the Secretary, who will pursue them at his or her discretion and will report to the Board on any aspects of college operations found, in his or her judgment, to be non-compliant. If the Secretary does not pursue an issue to the satisfaction of a trustee, the trustee may bring the question to the Board for a vote on whether or not it should be certified as an important monitoring issue. The Secretary shall give priority to and make reports on any issues which are thus identified by Board vote.

The President (or Board Chair, for Board activities) shall, for each non-compliance report from the Secretary, provide the Board either a compliance plan, a recommendation for policy modification, or an explanation of why the practice in question is seen as already being in compliance.

Non-compliance reports by the Secretary are only advisory; authoritative Board directives to change college practices can come only from a public Board vote.

[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.

[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.

Austin Community College is a single college with multiple campuses and teaching sites, not a multi-college system. All employees, especially those with management responsibility, shall act to support the unity of the College by aligning their activities with the directives of the College's chief officers, by seeking what is best for the whole College rather than exclusively for a particular sector, and by fostering cooperation.

The President shall build a broad, unified, and diverse leadership group. As Chief Executive Officer, the President is responsible for determining and specifying in writing the staffing and powers of individual managerial positions, of institutional units, and of College-wide councils or committees. The President shall keep the chief academic officer and the chief business officer well informed about Board and presidential issues, activities, and plans.

C-3. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, COLLEGE PRESIDENT (last amended 2/16/98)

Within the framework of policies adopted by the Board, the College President exercises broad authority in carrying out the 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.

[1] Regular opportunities for comment to both the administration and Board of Trustees shall be provided to representatives of any employee associations which are recognized by the Board of Trustees as being based on the main categories of the College's personnel classification system, open to all employees in the relevant category without charge, governed by democratic means approved by a majority of their members, and willing to accept the legal and policy restrictions of being an internal College activity.

[2] The administration shall consult in a timely manner with representatives of such employee associations in order to receive their comments prior to taking actions which would have a substantial effect on their members, including instituting or changing administrative rules and making administrative decisions or recommendations to the Board on compensation and working-condition issues.

[3] When matters of concern to an internal employee association require a Board vote, a representative of the group shall be provided an opportunity to freely address the Board meetings at which the topic is considered. In any communication with one or more Trustees prior to such meetings, the group should strive to make any additional substantive information it supplies related to the issue made available to all Trustees and to the administration.

[4] The President shall maintain administrative rules which facilitate participation of employees in recognized internal employee associations, including the budgeting of appropriate operational support and provision of information about their associations to each new employee.

[5] Disputes about the interpretation of the bylaws of an internal employee association shall be resolved by the association without participation by the administration or Board.

The President shall, as part of the budget process, publish a staffing table giving the planned distribution of long-term positions for the year, with identification of any changes from the previous year. This staffing table shall list positions, not the current or planned individuals in the positions.

Board approval for changes in the staffing table is not required unless the changes would increase the total number of administrative positions, increase administrative salaries or stipends, or increase the annual rate of personnel expense by more than $100,000.

Pay scales for each class of employee positions shall be recommended by the President and decided by the Board as part of the budget process. Hiring of employees, placement of individual employees on pay scales, and assignment of individuals to positions and duties shall be done by the College administration and do not require Board approval.

Neither the staffing table nor appointment to a staffing table position is a contract between the College and any particular employee. Employment contracts may be issued only when specifically approved by the Board.

The Board shall engage external auditors to conduct the annual financial audit and to perform such other services as may be deemed appropriate by the Board or the Board Secretary in furtherance of Policy B-6, Monitoring Policy Compliance. Such auditors shall have complete access to any institutional records or information they deem needed for their work. The auditors shall report to the Board any significant inappropriate practices they detect in College activities.

The Board of Trustees shall designate an attorney(s) to serve in the capacity of legal counsel for the Austin Community College District and to represent and advise the Board in all legal matters affecting or potentially affecting the Board or the College District.

The attorneys shall be reasonably compensated and shall serve at the pleasure of the Board. The attorneys shall be available to handle all legal matters for the Board and administration of the College District, and shall be responsible to the Board.

The attorneys shall attend Board meetings when requested by the Board or by the College President and shall be available for consultation with members of the Board, the College President, and individual staff members designated by the College President, and shall undertake to represent the Board and the College in all matters referred by the Board and the College President. When a request for a legal opinion comes from a trustee, the attorneys shall inform all Trustees of the request.

The College President, in coordination with the College legal counsel, shall cause to be maintained and distributed a College Legal Manual which explains the important legal provisions covering College operations.

The College shall maintain an effective, multi-faceted system of resource development in support of its mission. Resource-development agreements require Board approval if they require substantial supporting resources from College funds, are conditional on a specific benefit to the donor, or would limit a section of the College to an exclusive vendor.

The Austin Community College Foundation is recognized as a private organization that exists to further the mission of the College. The best interests of the College are thus served by providing appropriate resources and cooperation to the Foundation, on the condition that the activities of the Foundation are conducted in accord with the terms of its Memorandum of Agreement with the College, with its resources used solely to benefit the College and its students. Changes in the Memorandum of Agreement require the approval of both Boards.

An annual report shall be provided to the Board on the nature and results of College resource-development activities. This report shall include comparisons to the performance of other institutions and shall set targets for following years.

The College President shall establish and enforce rules to keep college resources from being inappropriately used for personal gain. The rules shall forbid, in addition to activities forbidden by law, at least these activities:

[1] the acceptance of personal gifts from College vendors.

[2] participation of authors in decisions about use of their textbooks by the College.

[3] employment of a person under the supervisory jurisdiction of a close relative.

[4] the provision of college business to College managers or Trustees, or to their immediate family members. Provision of College business to firms in which such people have a substantial interest (as defined by Chapter 171 of the Texas Local Government Code) shall also be forbidden except when the President finds a compelling benefit for the College and the manager or Trustee publicly recuses themselves from the decision.

[5] significant use of College facilities, resources, or duty time for activities for which an employee is paid by anyone other than the College, except when such activities have been approved in writing by an authorized supervisor and appropriate compensation is made to the College.

The rules shall also establish procedures by which College officers, and other employees when designated by the President, shall report any outside employment or paid consulting work.

[1] To support the instructional mission of the College by procuring in a timely manner the specific equipment and materials that the staff and faculty need.

[2] To secure work and materials at the best value for the College.

[3] To provide opportunities for individual vendors, contractors, historically underutilized businesses, and small/local businesses to compete for College purchases/contracts in a fair and competitive environment, and to create an open process for procurement through competition.

B. Board Approval: The requirement for specific Board approval of vendor and price for purchasing, consulting, or contracting expenditures or commitments for related groups of items depends on the cost and on the extent of prior Board review.

[1] Expenditures costing less than $25,000 never require such approval.

[2] Expenditures costing over $100,000 always require such approval.

[3] Expenditures costing between $25,000 and $100,000 require such approval unless either:

For items which require Board approval below $500,000 which are not design-build contracts, the administration shall provide a summary and evaluative judgments of vendor responses with a recommendation of a single vendor. Such items should be submitted to the Board early enough that it does not have to make its final decision at its first consideration of the item if it has unresolved questions or decides not to accept the administration's recommendation at the first meeting the item is on the agenda. In cases where the administration's recommendation is not accepted, consideration of alternatives shall occur at a subsequent meeting.

For items in excess of $500,000 and for all design-build contracts, a limited number of well-qualified vendors shall make presentations to the Board. The administration shall provide the Board with appropriate evaluative criteria or questions for use by the Board in the review process. The administration shall provide a summary of the proposals and provide evaluative judgment concerning strengths and weaknesses of these well-qualified vendors.

The Board shall generally assess the administration's recommendation by whether it and the process leading to it are in accord with Board policy and the General Objectives set forth in Section A of this policy, giving due deference to the administration’s expert judgment on whether a recommendation will meet General Objectives [1] and [2].

C. Reports: The administration shall provide quarterly reports and annual summaries on purchasing activities. Such reports shall include:

[1] purchase orders and contracts awarded to HUBs;

[2] purchase orders and contracts awarded to local vendors;

[3] state contract and state catalog purchases made;

[4] all contracts over $10,000; and

[5] an explanation of consulting fees in excess of $5,000 to a single vendor in a fiscal year.

In all purchasing and contracting decisions, employees shall make diligent efforts to include HUB vendors and shall, where practicable, avoid practices that tend to exclude HUB vendors. ACC shall develop, maintain, and enhance the participation of minority-owned and women-owned firms in all phases of its procurement processes, supporting their efforts to compete for College business.

The College shall encourage all vendors, suppliers, contractors, and professionals with whom it does business to support the common goal of equal opportunity and economic participation for all citizens. In expenditure of College funds, neither the College nor its contractors and suppliers shall discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, or sexual orientation, or on the basis of disabilities which do not significantly effect the quality of work.

The President of the College is authorized to approve and sign on behalf of the College, easements, covenants, restrictions, and other agreements regarding real property owned or leased by the College. This authorization does not extend to the purchase or sale of fee simple interest in real property. The President shall report annually to the Board of Trustees the nature of the agreements entered into on behalf of the college.

College decision-makers need the high-quality information and discussion which can come only from fully-informed critical analysis of issues from many levels of the organization and from many points of view. Accordingly:

[1] Decision makers at all levels of the College shall encourage and make use of free exploration and expression of different ideas, viewpoints, and analyses on College issues.

[2] College decision-making and consultation processes shall be open except in unusual cases which clearly meet confidentiality criteria established by the President (which shall include any privacy protections required by law). This openness includes access to data being used in deliberations and to the decision options being considered; such information should be made openly available as early in the discussion/decision process as possible.

[3] Employees with information which they feel would improve the accuracy of decision-related data should make it available to all decision makers and at all stages and levels of decision making. Information which would aid the Board and President in assessing the compliance of the operation of the College with Board policies and directives should also be made available to them.

[4] Everyone participating in College discussions and decision-making processes should strive to express his or her opinions in a constructive, complete, and accurate manner. While dealing honestly with any perceived problems, people should strive to interact in a manner which creates and sustains mutual respect.

[5] College management directives, decisions, guidelines, and standard procedures shall be made generally accessible through an electronic system (with appropriate print-based support) which shall also indicate who issued each item and if anyone is authorized to waive its provisions.

[6] Employees may use College premises to distribute clearly-attributed materials related to education or employment to other employees; this permission does not imply College endorsement or recognition of views or organizations referred to in the materials.

It is important that the College create and maintain strong community linkages at many levels. Such linkages should be part of coordinated plans based on principles and priorities adopted by the Board or President. Accordingly:

[1] Staff-community linkages: The President shall ensure that the College maintains a system to receive external information and advice on how the College can best serve its community, especially from sectors which directly deal with the College’s entrants or graduates. This system shall be structured so as to promote productive College-community interaction. The President shall also ensure that the College has appropriate representation in relevant community organizations and events.

[2] Board-community linkages: In addition to the activities individual Trustees choose to undertake as elected officials, the Board shall have an organized program of interaction with the community. The Vice-Chair of the Board shall coordinate this program, aligning it with a priority list adopted annually by the Board.

The College shall respond to community needs by creating appropriate partnerships or contractor-client relationships with community organizations. Negotiation of such agreements is the responsibility of the President, subject to Board approval if they are multi-year agreements or involve expenditures in excess of the approval limits established in policy C-10, Purchasing. Proposals for partnership agreements should include an economic analysis, and should ensure that each party bears an appropriate share of the costs.

The President shall report annually to the Board on the nature and extent of linkage activities, on the financial terms and operational results of community partnerships, and on any plans or recommendations for changes in this area.

[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.

[1] Institutions of higher education are conducted for the common good. The common good depends upon a free search for truth and its free expression. Hence it is essential that faculty members at Austin Community College be free to pursue scholarly inquiry without unreasonable restriction, and to voice and publish their conclusions without fear of institutional censorship or discipline. They must be free from the possibility that others of differing vision, either inside or outside the college community, may threaten their professional careers.

[2] The concept of academic freedom in Austin Community College is accompanied by an equally demanding concept of responsibility, shared by the Board of Trustees, administration, and faculty members.

[3] The essential responsibilities of the Board of Trustees and administrators are set forth in the Standards for Colleges, adopted by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, as updated and revised.

[4] The fundamental responsibilities of faculty members as teachers and learned persons include the maintenance of professional competence, the validation of course objectives, and the demonstration of teaching effectiveness by causing students to learn in accordance with those stated objectives. In the classroom or in College-produced telecommunications, faculty members should strive to be accurate, to exercise appropriate restraint, and to show respect for the opinions of others. In addition, instructors should be judicious in the use of material and should introduce only material which has a clear relationship to the subject field.

D-3. FACULTY WORKLOADS (adopted/consolidated 4/21/97; amended 6/2/97 & 8/3/98)

In this and all other Board policies, the term "faculty" does not refer to the adjunct faculty or faculty paid hourly unless specifically indicated.

B. Faculty
[1] The total responsibilities of faculty positions shall require at least 40 hours per week on a full-time basis. Such positions are filled by the faculty appointment process described in Policy F-4. They will typically be on a full-time basis, but the President may establish fractional faculty positions when deemed appropriate, in which case both the salary and all the responsibilities described below are reduced proportionally. Faculty contracts are for a 10½-month period which generally includes Fall Semester, Spring Semester, and six weeks of the Summer Semester. Faculty have the option of choosing a nine-month contract at 6/7 of the 10½-month pay if they so desire.
[2] The workload for faculty will typically include a teaching courseload of 30 lecture equivalent hours (LEH) for an academic year (an average of 15 hours per week), and 5 or 6 additional LEH in a summer semester. Faculty members shall schedule at least five office hours per week for consultation with students, and shall make at least five additional office hours per week available by appointment.
[3] The President shall set equivalency rules for faculty workloads to determine how labs, unusual teaching situations, and other modes of direct student contact will be counted toward this courseload. These rules may also provide that only partial credit is given for sections substantially smaller than the target size for that course.
[4] The President shall specify workload and vacation rules for faculty whose primary responsibilities are other than classroom teaching, such as librarians and counselors with faculty status.
[5] Each faculty member shall be expected to share responsibilities related to the total concerns of the College. Such responsibilities include instructional development, faculty meetings, committee and task-force assignments, registration duties, student advisement, other assigned responsibilities, and appropriate self-directed professional activities. The President may correspondingly reduce courseloads and/or provide stipends to faculty members whose non-teaching assignments substantially exceed the typical amount.
[6] Faculty members who, with appropriate approvals, teach more than a full courseload (with appropriate additional office hours) will be paid for the excess at adjunct-faculty rates.
[7] Each faculty member shall be consulted prior to the determination of his or her teaching schedule and work assignments; however, the administration may make work and class assignments as needed.

C. Adjunct Faculty
[1] Adjunct faculty are hired by the College on an as-needed basis for direct instruction. Their course-based compensation, which is proportional to the number of lecture hours taught (or equivalent), covers the time used for direct instruction, course preparation, grading, and at least one office hour per course per week for individual consultation with students. Any additional work asked of people serving as adjunct faculty, such as service on official instructional or governance committees, task forces, or councils (including the Adjunct Faculty Council), is not part of the standard adjunct-faculty job and shall be compensated separately.
[2] The President shall ensure that the College's use of adjunct faculty is not excessive or poorly controlled, and that the College does not usually permit adjunct-faculty workloads in excess of 9 credit hours or 11 LEH per week.

The President shall report to the Board during the annual budget process on the recent and projected pattern of faculty courseloads, including overloads and courseload reductions, on the recent and projected level of use of adjunct faculty, and on any planned changes in workload rules or practices which would result in a change in expenditure of more than $100,000/year.

[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.

Each year, the College President may, upon the recommendation of the Sabbatical Review Committee, grant sabbatical leaves to staffing-table employees, provided that employees granted such leaves:

[1] comprise no more than 2% of their employee category,

[2] have rendered at least 6 years uninterrupted service since any previous sabbatical, and

[3] agree to return to the College for a period at least as long as the leave period, or to repay all money they were paid by the College while on leave.

Faculty and staff members may be granted sabbaticals of up to one year at full pay. The pay rate shall be reduced if needed to keep total compensation from all sources during the sabbatical from exceeding the employee's base ACC salary.

While faculty whom the College employs on a multi-year basis and who have additional mandatory non-instructional duties (referred to in this policy as full-time faculty) have the central role in organizing and delivering its instruction, adjunct faculty also provide essential services in most instructional areas. Among other benefits, use of adjunct faculty permits the College to schedule flexibly, to provide students direct access to working professionals in the fields they wish to enter, to refresh the instructional dialog with new perspectives, and to achieve for each area an appropriate balance of overall faculty effort between direct instruction and other needed faculty work.

However, care is required for the best use of adjunct faculty. The President shall maintain systems which ensure that use of adjunct faculty by the College meets community standards for responsible employment and that it does not result in diminished or uneven instructional effectiveness or violation of accreditation criteria.

[1] priority of instructional effectiveness: The foremost consideration in hiring and scheduling all faculty shall be to ensure that instruction systematically meets high standards for effectiveness both in imparting needed skills and in successful student completion of programs.

[2] evaluation: Adjunct-faculty evaluation, which shall be coordinated by task forces and/or program coordinators in the discipline, should be multi-faceted, based on published criteria, include appropriate observation, and determine whether the course syllabus and the skill levels covered by tests match the standards established for the course. Adjunct faculty shall be promptly and fully informed of the results of their evaluations, which shall be used to develop plans for improvement of performance where needed.

[3] appropriate balance of adjunct and full-time faculty: The President shall develop and implement plans, subject to Board approval, to hire the number of full-time faculty required to ensure quality, provide needed academic support activities throughout each area, and meet accreditation standards, and shall make rules to limit use of adjunct faculty to a level which does not jeopardize these goals.

[4] faculty work assignments: The College shall maintain a clear delineation of duties for adjunct and full-time faculty. Standard adjunct-faculty duties relate to areas of direct instruction, including needed preparation and grading, and the associated section-specific student consultation. The College shall generally place at least as high a value on such direct instruction as on other faculty work. The College shall usually rely on full-time faculty for further required faculty work, such as subject-area advising, instructional planning, curriculum innovation, program and personnel evaluation, supervision of adjunct faculty, and shared-governance responsibilities. For appropriate liaison or specialized tasks, or when there are not enough full-time faculty in an area, adjunct faculty may be selected to work in these areas.

[5] assignment of adjunct sections: Consistent and comprehensive effectiveness in serving student needs will require, in addition to specific individual teaching skills, connection of the College to all parts of its diverse community and predictability of employment for successful adjuncts. Adjunct sections shall be assigned so as to [a] provide a controlled but sustained influx of new people into each area of substantial adjunct-faculty use, [b] make extensive use of multiple-semester appointments for adjunct faculty, and [c] make best use of individual adjuncts in light of the skills revealed by evaluation and supervisory observation; an annual report on the performance of the College in these areas shall be made to the Board. Adjunct faculty shall not be scheduled for workloads which are excessive in combination with their other commitments at the College and elsewhere. Individual adjunct-faculty preferences as to location and time of work shall be accommodated as much as is consistent with College and student needs. Scheduling of adjunct faculty shall be generally understandable.

[6] adjunct-faculty compensation: Adjunct faculty shall be compensated at professional rates for all work expected of them. Appropriate allowances may be made for courses with unusually high or low workloads and for difficult-to-staff courses. Allowance should also be made for relevant experience and education at the College and elsewhere, but recognition of such experience or education should generally be made after a two-year initial probationary period.

It is a goal of the College that adjunct faculty whose total work for ACC equals half-time or more annually have adequate health-insurance benefits. The President shall, in each budget, provide a plan to implement this goal; the FY2000 budget proposal may plan for partial implementation as long as it makes substantial progress toward the goal.

[7] professional development: The College shall encourage professional development for adjunct faculty. Such professional development, which may be mandated and be an element in the adjunct-faculty compensation scales, shall be appropriate to the teaching tasks and prior professional competence of adjunct faculty members.

[8] new faculty: Special systems for effective orientation and supervision of new faculty shall be maintained, including immediate course evaluations whenever a faculty member has not previously taught a particular course at the College. People applying to work as adjunct faculty who may consider ACC as a potential source of full-time faculty employment shall be frankly informed of the small number of full-time faculty openings at the College and of the large number of applicants from inside and outside the College for such positions. ACC adjuncts who do apply for full-time faculty jobs shall be given equitable consideration, with the quality of their performance as adjunct faculty considered in the hiring decision process.

[9] access to instructors: The College shall provide operational support, including voice and electronic mail, sufficient to ensure good student access to adjunct faculty as well as good communication between adjunct faculty and their supervisors. The College shall also decide its schedule early enough that adjunct-faculty names are generally available to students by the beginning of registration.

[10] integration into the College: Each adjunct faculty member shall be provided a contact person in the teaching faculty in his or her discipline to provide needed consultation and assistance. Adjunct faculty shall also be informed in writing of who has primary responsibility for their evaluation, to whom they should refer students who have unresolved complaints about their class, to whom they should direct requests and questions about their scheduling, and how they should handle the provision of a substitute if they are unable to meet a class session due to illness or other causes.

[11] community/industry connection: The College shall use the connections of adjunct faculty with their other employers and/ or community activities to enrich and improve services to students.

[12] diversity: ACC values diversity in its adjunct faculty. The hiring and retention of adjunct faculty shall be subject to all provisions of policy F-1, Equal Employment Opportunity / Affirmative Action. The College must establish programs to actively seek out and recruit minority candidates for adjunct-faculty positions. ACC employees must avoid practices that tend to exclude consideration of minority candidates for adjunct-faculty positions.

[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.

The President, in the context of a multi-year facilities plan updated and submitted for Board approval annually as part of the integrated Master Plan called for in Policy E-1, shall ensure that facilities are provided and allocated so as to support effective instruction, reflect community needs and declared College priorities, and maximize long-term economic value.

[1] Facilities planning and allocation shall be driven by responsiveness to the educational needs of students and of College employees engaged in providing services to students, who shall be consulted extensively during planning for facilities they will use. In addition to full provision for needed classrooms, laboratories, and learning resources, adequate space shall be provided for faculty offices, student activities, and administrative functions.

[2] The facilities plan shall discuss the extent of unsatisfied demand due to facilities limitations, especially when related to programs or functions previously identified as College priorities, and any geographic demand/supply imbalances.

[3] Facilities shall be built and maintained so as to give good long-term economic value, with a preference for owned rather than leased space. Care shall be taken to avoid practices (e.g., short-lived components, undersized classrooms) in which reduced initial construction costs are more than offset by increased operational costs.

[4] The College shall develop analyses, based mainly on data from exemplary comparable institutions, to estimate the amount, type, and distribution of facilities appropriate for current and projected enrollments, program mix, and staffing levels.

[5] As part of the annual facilities plan, the Board shall be provided a report updating these analyses, comparing current College facilities usage with desired patterns, and recommending priorities for facilities development.

[6] The administration shall provide reasonable estimates, suitable for use in economic analyses of programs, of the typical annual costs of the various types of facility space used in College operations, including both operating costs and appropriate amortization of capital costs.

[7] College facilities-development activities shall be conducted so as to respect other community priorities, including environmental protection and respect for the City of Austin's desired development zone.

[8] Fundraising for facilities by the College and/or Foundation shall be for projects which have received Board approval.

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.

The President shall inform the Board whenever the actual performance of the College differs materially from the approved budget, and shall propose corrective budget amendments if projected performance differs from the budget target for current-funds surplus by more than ½% of annual Education&General-fund revenues.

Each annual budget shall make transfers to Plant Funds sufficient to meet all bond debt payments, maintain the debt payment reserve levels required by the bond agreements, and meet the year's installment of the current multi-year master plan for facilities improvements and maintenance. The building fee charged by the college per credit hour shall be budgeted at the level which, together with any other funding sources dedicated to these uses, is sufficient to generate the needed funds.

Each annual budget shall transfer not less than 4% or more than 6% of projected annual revenues to a fund from which Education and General Fund capital expenditures are made. The full amount budgeted each year shall be based on the projected multi-year average budget for capital expenditures.

Austin Community College shall seek to achieve, on August 31 of each year, a Fund Balance, including Retirement of Indebtedness, equal to an amount not less than 15% and not greater than 25% of the unrestricted current fund expenditures plus mandatory transfers. If the Unrestricted Fund Balance is outside this percentage range, the President will present a corrective plan to the Board of Trustees.

The College President, as the Chief Executive Officer, shall use the following principles in planning and budgeting for local property tax rates:

[1] To maintain a fair balance between financial support from taxes and from tuition, the rate shall be that which makes the fraction of revenues derived from taxes approximately match the average for Texas metropolitan-area community colleges, or a lower rate as needed to stay under the level which would require a tax election or keep the annual increase from exceeding one cent per $100 (or two cents per $100 if there has been no increase in the previous two years).

[2] The homestead exemption for the Austin Community College District shall be the greater of $5000 or 1% of the assessed individual-property value.

[3] The additional homestead exemption for elderly or disabled shall be $75,000.

[4] The Austin Community College District shall participate in the system of tax reductions for properties designated as historical landmarks. The exemption shall be at the following rates:

[1] The tuition rates for in-district students shall be set by the Board. Except when the Board explicitly directs otherwise, tuition rates for other students shall be set by the President in accordance with this policy.

[2] The per-credit-hour differential in tuition rates for students whose residence status is within Texas but outside the ACC district shall be approximately matched to the ratio of annual property-tax revenues to annual in-district credit-hours, except that any term-to-term increase in the differential shall be no more than $2 per credit-hour.

For any student eligible to receive college tuition assistance funds under Pell Grant, and if such student applies or has applied for a Pell Grant for the academic term, ACC shall make available a scholarship program, upon a schedule developed by the President, to offset such differential until such time as the Pell Grant is received by the student.

[3] The further per-credit-hour differential in tuition rates for students who do not qualify as Texas residents shall be no less than the ratio of all revenues from state government to total credit hours by in-state students.

[4] Student fees must be approved annually by the Board, with justifications, revenue/cost estimates, and proposed changes listed during budget deliberations.

[5] The President may adopt rules waiving all or part of the tuition and/or other charges for senior citizens or students enrolled under a joint-credit agreement with a school district, with an annual report to the Board on the nature and extent of such waivers.

Synopsis of Policy: Austin Community College (ACC) shall invest its financial assets in accordance with the Texas Government Code, Chapter 2256. The priorities of those investments shall be, in order: (1) safety, (2) appropriate liquidity, and (3) revenue generation. The investment of College funds shall be managed by the Administrative Vice President and the Associate Vice President for Business Services who shall provide the Board with quarterly reports to the Board on investment activities. Investment officers and College Trustees shall take the investment-related training specified by law.

Intent: The intent of this investment policy is to set forth the investment and operational policies for the management of public funds of Austin Community College. This policy is designed to ensure the prudent management of public funds, the availability of operating and capital funds when needed, and an investment return competitive with those of comparable funds and financial market fund indexes.

A copy of this statement will be provided to all investment dealers and investment managers doing business with ACC, and will also be provided to other interested parties on request. Confirmation of receipt and review of this policy by a registered principal of a business organization providing investment services to ACC and who deal directly with ACC accounts shall be received by ACC prior to the initiation of such services.

Scope: This investment policy applies to all financial assets of ACC. These funds are accounted for in the College's Audited Financial Statements including, but not limited to the following: Unrestricted Fund, Restricted Fund, Auxiliary Fund, Endowment & Similar Funds, Agency Fund, and Plant Fund.

Standard of Care: Investments shall be made with judgment and care, under prevailing circumstances, that a person of prudence, discretion, and intelligence would exercise in the management of the person's own affairs, not for speculation, but for investment, considering the probable safety of their capital and the probable income to be derived.

The standard of prudence to be used by investment officials shall be the "prudent person" standard and shall be applied in the context of managing an overall portfolio. Investment officers acting in accordance with written procedures and the investment policy and exercising due diligence shall be relieved of personal responsibility for an individual security's credit risk or market price changes, provided deviations from expectations are reported in a timely fashion and appropriate action is taken to control adverse developments.

Training: Trustees of the Board and investment officers shall attend at least one training session relating to the person's responsibilities conducted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board within six months after taking office or assuming duties. Training will include education in investment controls, security risks, strategy risks, market risks, and compliance with the Public Funds Investment act.

Objectives:

A. Safety. This is the most important objective of the investment policy of ACC. Investments of the College shall be undertaken in a manner that seeks to ensure the preservation of capital in the overall portfolio. In order to minimize any potential losses on individual securities, diversification is required. The college shall demonstrate its support of this objective by investing in 100% collateralized instruments or investments backed by the U.S. government or one of its Agencies.

B. Liquidity. The ACC investment portfolio will remain sufficiently liquid to enable the College to meet all operating requirements which can be reasonably anticipated. To a large extent liquidity shall be determined by the flow of revenues and expenditures predicted via cash flow projections. These cash flow projections shall be up to one year in length.

C. Yield. The College's investment portfolio shall be designed with the objective of attaining a rate of return throughout budgetary and economic cycles, consistent with the College's investment risk constraints and the cash flow needs projected.

Delegation of Authority: The Administrative Vice President and Associate Vice President of Business Services are designated as primary investment officers and are responsible for investment decisions and activities. All investment activity shall be strictly limited to other provisions within this policy.

Reporting: Not less than quarterly, the Administrative Vice President shall prepare and submit to the Board of Trustees and Chief Executive Officer a written report of investment transactions for all funds. The report must conform to the content requirements of the Public Funds Investment Act.

Authorized Investments: The investment officer may purchase, sell, and invest funds in investments described below, in compliance with adopted investment policies and according to the standard of care set out in this policy.

A. Only the following securities are authorized investments under this policy (section reference is to Texas Government Code 2256):

1. Obligations of the United States or its agencies and instrumentalities (.009(1)).
2. Direct obligations of the State of Texas or its agencies and instrumentalities (.009(2)).
3. Other obligations, the principal and interest of which are unconditionally guaranteed or insured by, or backed by the full faith and credit of, the State of Texas or the United States or their respective agencies and instrumentalities. (.009(4)).
4. Obligations of states, agencies, counties, cities, and other political subdivisions of any state rated as to investment quality by a nationally recognized investment rating firm not less than A or its equivalent.(.009(5)).
5. Collateralized Repurchase Agreements. Agreements must have a defined termination date and be secured by obligations described by .009(a)(1). The term "repurchase agreement" includes a direct security repurchase agreement and a reverse security repurchase agreement. (.011).
6. Commercial Paper. Paper must have a stated maturity of 270 days or less and be rated not less than A-1 or P-1 (.013(1), (2)(a) and (b)).
7. No-Load Mutual Fund. Fund must be registered with the SEC, have an average weighted maturity of less than two years, be continuously rated as to investment quality by at least one nationally recognized investment rating firm of not less than AAA or its equivalent, and conform to the requirements set forth in (.016(b) and (c)) relating to eligibility of investment pools to receive and invest funds of investing entities. Investment amounts are subject to limitations in the Code. Bond proceeds, reserves and funds held for debt service may not be invested in a no-load mutual fund (.014(b)).
8. Investment Pools. The following investment pool(s) are hereby specifically authorized as college investments: Texpool Municipal Investment Fund.

Investment Strategy: As an integral part of the investment policy, ACC shall adopt a separate written INVESTMENT STRATEGY for each of the funds under its control. Each investment strategy must describe the investment objectives for the particular fund, with the goal of determining the suitability of the investment to the financial requirements of ACC, preserving and safekeeping principal, maintaining liquidity, marketability of the investment if the need arises to liquidate the investment before maturity, diversification of the portfolio, and the yield. Texas Government Code 2256.005(d). The Board of Trustees of ACC shall review its investment policy and strategies not less than annually. Texas Government Code 2256.005(a). The investment strategies listed hereinafter apply to all funds under the control of the Board of Trustees of the Austin Community College and listed in the Scope section of this policy.

Operating Funds (Current Funds, Scholarship Funds and Auxiliary Enterprise Funds): The general investment strategy for ACC shall be accomplished by purchasing high quality, short-to-medium-term securities which will complement each other in a laddered or barbell maturity structure. The dollar-weighted average maturity for operating funds shall be 365 days or less. Calculation of dollar-weighted maturity shall be based on the stated final maturity dates of each security. Callable securities may be purchased in this fund group when there is a yield advantage over non-callable treasury securities of comparable duration based on both the call data and the stated final maturity date. For securities which are callable prior to the stated maturity, the collar-weighted average maturity shall be calculated using a projected outcome at the time of the calculation. Investment in public funds investment pools which function as a money market mutual fund is assumed to have a duration of one day for calculation purposes. For the portion of current fund investments representing the fund balance, the stated final maturity for an individual security can be up to 5 years from the date of purchase, which for the remaining portion, the stated final maturity for an individual security may not exceed 2 years from the date of purchase.

Plant Fund: (Debt Service Funds): Investment strategies for debt service funds shall assure investment liquidity adequate to cover the debt service obligation on the required payment date. Securities purchased shall not have a stated final maturity date which exceeds the debt service payment date.

Plant Fund: (Debt Service Reserve Fund): Investment strategies for debt service reserve funds shall generate a dependable revenue stream to the appropriate debt service fund from securities with a low degree of volatility. Except as may be required by the bond ordinance specific to an individual issues, securities should be of high quality, with short-to-intermediate-term maturities. Stated final maturity of any individual security in the debt service reserve fund will not exceed the final installment payment date of the debt issue. Volatility shall be further controlled through the purchase of securities carrying the highest coupon available within the desired maturity and quality range, without paying a premium, if at all possible. Such securities will tend to hold their value during economic cycles.

Plant Fund: (Construction Funds and Unexpended Plant Funds): Investment strategies for special projects or special purpose fund portfolios such as the construction funds and unexpended plant funds shall assure that anticipated cash flows are matched with adequate investment liquidity. These portfolios should include at least 10% in highly liquid securities or investment in public funds investment pools which function as a money market mutual fund to allow for flexibility to meet unanticipated project outlays. The stated final maturity dates of securities held should not exceed the estimated project completion date.

Endowment Funds and Funds Acting as Endowments: Investment strategies for the endowment funds and other similar funds functioning as endowments are governed by the Texas Education Code. Texas Education Code 130.007. The investment performance goal on endowment and similar funds is: (1) to achieve a total rate of return at least equal to two times the rate of inflation (applying a five-year moving average), net of commissions fees and out-of-pocket costs; (2) to match or exceed the growth rate of Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index; and (3) the income stream from investments to increase in order to preserve the purchasing power of the endowment income. Preferred and common stocks, bonds, debentures obligations of corporations or other institutions are appropriate investments for endowment and similar funds. Stocks must be listed on an exchange registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission or on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotes (NASDAQ). Stocks ordinarily must be of corporations incorporated within the United States which have paid dividends for five consecutive years or longer prior to date of purchase. Exceptions are permitted on specific recommendation of the Associate Vice President Business Services with the concurrence of the Administrative Vice President. No more than 5% of the total endowment and similar fund (cost basis) may be invested in the securities of any one corporation. No more than 1% of the outstanding stocks of a single corporation may be included in the Austin Community College portfolio. No more than 20% of the total endowment and similar fund (cost basis) may be invested in any one industry.

ACC intends to compensate employees so as to (1) attract and retain a workforce with sustained high effectiveness in meeting student learning needs, (2) act as an ethical and responsible employer, and (3) make efficient use of student and public higher-education expenditures. The President shall accordingly, consistent with fiscal constraints and meeting the College's other needs, develop plans and proposals to meet the following goals:

[1] Provide employment primarily on stable professional terms with an adequate level of regular staff to achieve excellence goals. However, the College shall use hourly, part-time, and temporary staffing when appropriate to match variations in work load.

[2] Have all employees receive fair pay for their contributions to the College mission, with no employee paid less than the community-accepted level of a "living wage".

[3] Provide a compensation package (including salary, benefits, time off, stipends, and awards) that is market-competitive. Priority for increasing compensation shall be for those positions that are at 95% or less of the market average or any other compensation target included elsewhere in this policy or set by the Board.

[4] For each type of position, the incumbents' compensation will, on the average, be market-competitive with those at the primary institutions for which the College competes for employees. Job content is the most important comparison point, but the size of the institution (i.e., its workforce) will also be considered. For adjunct faculty, the average ACC compensation shall be the average of the middle half of the distribution. The primary relevant comparison markets shall be: for non-faculty staff and administrators, similar local, regional, or national positions, as appropriate for the position; for full-time faculty, full time faculty with equivalent experience and education in Texas metropolitan community colleges; for adjunct faculty, lower-division classroom sections taught in the Austin metropolitan area by part-time faculty for other institutions of higher education. The administration may make reasonable estimates where needed to supplement published data.

[5] Arrange workloads of employees so that there is an equitable and reasonable assignment of responsibilities generally based on objective factors, and provide appropriate extra compensation or release time to employees who are asked to work significantly more than normal or during vacation/holiday times. Incorporate sufficient flexibility in leave rules to allow tradeoffs between salary and time off, whenever appropriate given the work needed by the College.

[6] Adjust pay scales annually to reflect cost-of-living changes (including inflation), with cost-of-living adjustments applied on the same basis to all pay scales. However, cost-of-living increases will be adjusted appropriately to reflect the greater impact of inflation in the necessities on lower-income persons.

[7] Provide salary ranges that reflect appropriate adjustments for changes in effectiveness due to applicable education/ experience and completion of any mandatory professional development.

[8] The Board will, in response to Presidential recommendations based on this policy, adopt specific compensation goals as part of its biennial update of the College's strategic plan. During that review, the Board shall be provided information comparing College compensation rates to those typical of both the primary comparison groups and various other groups of employers that might be considered relevant. Information shall also be provided comparing the workloads and compensation of full-time and adjunct faculty at the College.

[9] Compensation rates and proposed changes in them are to be publicly announced and shall normally be implemented as part of the budget process. Compensation changes at other times shall be made only in cases of documented urgent need approved by the President, after informing the employee associations and considering their comments. Changes require specific Board approval if the action increases a person's compensation rate by 10% or more or if the cumulative unapproved changes to the budget during the year would exceed $10,000/month.

[10] As part of the budget process, the President shall recommend pay scales and stipends that, in his or her judgment, reflect the above principles to the extent feasible given other Board directives. Projections shall be provided with the planning/budget proposals of the funds needed for cost-of-living adjustment, market adjustments, changes in staffing levels, and the net cost of any experience increments. Board approval of pay scales and rules shall be based primarily on the extent to which the President's recommendation is consistent with the provisions of Board policy and planning directives.

[11] When a budget falls short of meeting the goals of this policy, the budget shall allocate between 4% and 6% of projected annual revenues for professional development, market-level adjustments, cost-of-living increases, experience adjustments, stipends, and awards.

[12] An appropriate relationship shall be maintained between the compensation packages of executives and senior administrators and the compensation for other classes of employees. Any compensation increase in excess of the average percentage increase for other employees for an employee serving as a College administrative officer requires specific Board approval.

[1] The President shall ensure that the economic analyses needed for planning and evaluation are conducted according to reasonable, clearly-stated principles that are applied in a consistent manner in all sectors.

[2] These principles shall make appropriate provision for matching costs with revenues, for recognition and allocation of indirect and capital costs, and for using appropriate methodologies for valuation and projection of cost and revenue elements in long term business analyses.

[3] The level of detail and sophistication of analyses may be adapted to the size and economic sensitivity of the topics.

[4] Analyses or projections provided to the Board shall report the sources of the information and the assumptions on which the analysis is based.

[5] Economic analyses are required for items submitted for Board approval involving total expenditures of $500,000 or more, or where otherwise specified in policy.

As an affirmative action employer, the College will appoint employees in full compliance with existing laws. Qualification guidelines for all staffing table positions will be published by the Office of Personnel Services, and shall be applied consistently and fairly to all applicants. "Qualified" is defined as having the requisite education, training, and/or skills required of the position as defined in the approved job description.

The College shall actively seek to increase the number of minority personnel through affirmative actions. Procedures for advertising vacancies, recruitment, hiring, promotion, compensation, fringe benefits, resolution of grievance, and separations from the College shall be monitored by the College's Equal Employment Opportunity / Affirmative Action Officer.

The Board of Trustees will receive an annual report on the District's employment profile.

A. HARASSMENT

Harassment by any person, especially sexual and racial harassment, will not be tolerated in any College facilities or activities. Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature may constitute harassment when submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment or academic credit, submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for employment or academic decisions affecting that person, or such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with a person's performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive workplace or learning environment.

B. FORBIDDEN GROUNDS FOR DISCRIMINATION

Employment at the College and access to its programs or activities shall not be limited on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or physical disability.

C. PROHIBITED ACTIONS

It is the policy of the College that any practice or behavior which constitutes such harassment or discrimination is strictly forbidden. Special attention shall be placed on the prevention of sexual and racial harassment, and on the prevention of abuse of positions of authority. Employees may not supervise or participate in the hiring of anyone with whom they have a sexual relationship.

D. NOTIFICATION OF RIGHTS AND REMEDIES

Employees, students, and applicants shall be given copies of this policy and a written description of how to make inquiries or file complaints on this topic, including how to communicate with the administrator designated by the College President to coordinate compliance with this policy and anti-discrimination laws such as Title IX of the Education Act of 1972, as amended. Copies of this policy and instructions for contacting the compliance Officer shall be prominently posted throughout the College

E. COMPLAINTS OF HARASSMENT OR DISCRIMINATION

A person who feels that he or she has been harassed or discriminated against in College-related activities on a basis forbidden by law or policy should promptly report the situation to the Title IX Coordinator, or alternatively to a counselor or supervisor, who shall report the complaint in writing to the Title IX Coordinator.

Each complaint filed shall be taken seriously and investigated promptly, impartially, and with due respect for confidentiality. Employees are expected to fully cooperate with any internal investigation. The President shall specify an internal appeals process, and a written description of it shall be provided to all parties to a complaint.

Regardless of the outcome of the investigation, retaliation is prohibited for filing a complaint, for bringing possibly-inappropriate conduct to the College's attention, or for assisting in a complaint investigation.

F. CONSEQUENCES OF VIOLATIONS

Any employee or student, regardless of gender or race, found to have engaged in conduct prohibited by this policy (or by rules adopted by the President in furtherance of the goals of this policy) shall be subject to disciplinary action or dismissal. Also, anyone found in violation of these rules may be forbidden from entering College property or conducting business with the College.

The President shall provide an annual report to the Board on the nature and results of the College's recruitment efforts. This report shall identify and explain any areas in which recruitment efforts failed to supply the desired number or range of applicants, and summarize plans to address such failures. The report shall include appropriate comparisons of the characteristics of the people hired (including gender, ethnicity, and prior experience) to those of the existing staff, the qualified-applicant pool, the pool of potential applicants meeting the job qualifications, and the staff of comparable institutions. Reasonable estimates may be used in the comparisons when exact data is not accessible, provided that the basis for each estimate is stated.

F-4. FACULTY APPOINTMENTS (adopted/consolidated 4/21/97; amended 6/2/97)

(1) Initial appointments: Faculty members shall initially receive a one-year appointment. Subsequent reappointments granted upon favorable evaluation shall be for one year until the faculty member has at least three years of service and two consecutive favorable evaluations, in which case a three-year appointment shall be granted.
(2) Multi-year appointments: Any faculty member who has already received a three-year appointment shall, in each year a favorable annual evaluation is received, be given a new appointment for the following three-year period.
(3) Employment termination: During the term of an appointment, the employment of a faculty member may not be terminated by the College except for immediate cause as defined in Policy F-8.
(4) Evaluation: The President shall maintain administrative rules which specify how and by whom evaluations of faculty are to be conducted, what level of performance is required for an evaluation to be considered favorable in the context of this policy, and how evaluations may be appealed. The appeal process shall be constructed so as to meet any legal requirements for notice and hearings.
(5) Probation: A faculty member is on probation if he or she has a one-year appointment (initial probation) or if his or her most recent annual evaluation was less than favorable (performance probation). If a faculty member receives a less than favorable annual evaluation while on probation, the College may terminate the employment of the faculty member at the end of his or her current appointment without further evaluation.
(6) Rehiring: If a person is rehired as a faculty member at the College within 5 years of leaving such a position, he or she resumes the appointment status held prior to leaving faculty status.

A. Faculty
Faculty shall be placed in an experience step and educational level appropriate to their background. Thus the President shall establish rules so that faculty will receive:
[1] One experience step of placement credit for each year of relevant full-time experience, with a limit of 10 steps at initial placement. The President may set equivalence rules for part-time experience.
[2] The level appropriate to their relevant educational background as specified on the salary scale. The President may set equivalence rules by which a portion of relevant non-teaching work experience may be counted as educational-level equivalent rather than as experience.
[3] Any discrepancy between actual placement and that which would result from the application of rules adopted under this policy must be eliminated in less than three years.

B. Adjunct Faculty
Adjunct faculty shall be placed on the adjunct-faculty salary scale in an experience step based on their experience at the College. Adjunct faculty at the third or higher experience step shall also be placed in a salary-scale level based on their educational or vocational experience.

C. Board Approval
Any change in administrative placement rules with a financial impact of more than $100,000 in a fiscal year must have Board approval, preferably during the budget process.

Non-faculty permanent employees shall be placed, as shown in the staffing table, in a salary grade appropriate to their job responsibilities and in a salary step appropriate to their experience. Accordingly, for such employees:

[1] Placement credit for each full-time-equivalent year of relevant previous experience above the minimum requirements for their current job shall be no less than one-half step and no more than one step, with a limit of 10 steps;

[2] Any discrepancy between actual placement and that which would result from the application of rules adopted under this policy must be eliminated in less than three years.

[3] Employees advance one step for each year of satisfactory performance, up to the top step of their grade.

Any change in administrative placement rules which would have a financial impact of more than $100,000 in a fiscal year must have specific Board approval, preferably during the budget process.

F-7. PERSONNEL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION (adopted 1/17/77;last amended 3/1/99)

The College's evaluation systems shall reflect commitment to effective, efficient institutional performance and to fair, respectful treatment of employees. The President thus shall ensure that:

[1] College evaluation processes are not arbitrary or perfunctory, and evaluations are based on the expectation of a high level of performance in each area of responsibility. The primary criteria for evaluation shall be effectiveness in: [a] discharging assigned duties, [b] enabling the effectiveness of others in support of College goals, and [c] complying with College policy and rules.

[2] All individual employees are given information at least once per year about how their performance is perceived by their supervisors, by those they serve, and (on a confidential basis) by any people they supervise. Their final performance evaluation is based on their quality of work as judged by their supervisor(s).

[3] Evaluations include assessment of the contributions to College effectiveness made through self-directed professional activities and through eliciting and supporting such activities by others.

F-8. DUE PROCESS REQUIREMENTS FOR EMPLOYMENT TERMINATIONS (adopted 6/2/97)

The College's systems for employment decisions shall normally provide opportunities for experienced employees to correct perceived performance deficiencies or to find new employment in an orderly manner, but shall enable the College to act immediately when necessary. Accordingly:

[1] Immediate Termination: The employment of any person may be terminated by the President without further compensation, regardless of employment status, for good cause for immediate termination as interpreted under Texas law.
[2] Faculty: Other than to address a substantial reduction in need for faculty in an instructional area (and then with at least 180 days notice before the end of a fiscal year), or for good cause for immediate termination as defined above, the employment of faculty members shall not be terminated during the term of an appointment made under the provisions of Policy F-4 on Faculty Appointments.
[3] Non-Faculty Staffing Table Employees: Non-faculty employees serving in positions which are in the current Staffing Table published by the President in accordance with Policy C-5 may have their employment terminated without further compensation either for good cause for immediate termination as defined above or under one or more of the following conditions:

[a] at will during the first 180 days at the College as a staffing-table employee.

[b] after having been placed on probation and having failed to attain, within 90 days, a level of performance satisfactory to the College in the areas named in the probation notice.

[c] as part of a reduction in force in an area or a change in the type of work skills needed. In such a case, at least 90 days notice shall be provided except when the change is in response to a serious financial emergency.

[d] after 120 days notice from the President, for employees in positions specified as managerial or administrative in the staffing table; no probationary process is required in such cases.

[4] Other employees: The employment of other College employees may be terminated at will.

[5] Notice: A person whose College employment is being considered for termination shall be given advance notice.

[6] Scope of Policy: These due-process provisions apply only to overall employment and to reductions in base compensation; the President may assign any College employee to new duties at any time.

Austin Community College supports good employee relations and harmonious working conditions. To attain such goals, the College shall maintain fair and expeditious procedures to resolve grievances.

[1] The provisions of this policy apply to staffing-table positions. Paid leave may be provided for other classes of employees when deemed appropriate by the President, provided that the rates at which leave is earned do not exceed that for staffing-table positions.

[2] Use of all leave is subject to administrative rules set by the President; in particular, use of annual leave may be restricted at times where it would interfere with meeting teaching assignments or needed seasonal work. Changes in Administrative Rules on leave must be approved by the Board if their financial impact would be more than $100,000 per year.

[1] Staffing-table employees are eligible to accrue annual leave after the first ninety (90) days of employment.

[2] The standard amount of annual leave for eligible employees shall be 15 days per year during their first 5 years in an ACC staffing-table position and 20 days per year after that.

[3] No more than 30 days of annual leave may be accumulated; employees are paid for any unused annual leave upon separation.

[4] Faculty members with less than year-round employment do not earn annual leave.

[5] Up to 19 paid holidays may be provided each year, as specified by the College President.

[1] Sick leave is earned at the rate of 1 day per month, with a maximum of 150 days, and taken as needed. Half of any accumulated excess over 120 days is paid on separation.

[2] Paid leave may also be taken for jury duty, the birth or adoption of a child (10 days), the death of a close relative (3 days), and military reserve training (up to 10 days).

[3] Unpaid leave, with or without benefits, may be granted at the discretion of the administration.

[4] The President shall establish a sick-leave pool in accordance with state law.

Reimbursement of College employees for job related expenses and local travel shall be made in an equitable manner, with the same rules applying to all levels of employees.

Any excess of reimbursements, advances, or allowances over actual documented expenses or travel mileage, plus the value of any significant personal use of College vehicles or other College property, shall be deducted from pay so that total compensation for each position matches that stated in the staffing table.

Since providing education benefits to its employees is in its best interests, the College will generally pay tuition and fees at the College for up to 12 credit hours or 180 non-credit hours per year, for all full-time employees and for part-time faculty and staffing-table employees employed for at least the last three years.