IT Support Services received a Level II Performance Excellence award Nov. 2 at the University of Texas Center for Performance Excellence Annual Awards Banquet. Texas Gov. Rick Perry also issued a proclamation recognizing the achievement. Support Services is headed by Director Theresa Harkins.

The National Council for Marketing and Public Relations recently awarded two silver medals to the Marketing and College Relations Department for ACC’s 2004-2005 Student Handbook and the GET SMART program recruitment poster. Community colleges from Arkansas , Colorado , New Mexico , Oklahoma , Texas , and Wyoming competed for the District IV awards. Marketing and College Relations is headed by Interim Marketing and Publications Executive Patty Scogin.

Ben Ferrell, vice president of business services, has co-authored the article “Show Me the Money: A Guide to Profitability in Course Offerings,” published in the November issue of University Business magazine.

The Government Finance Officers Association has awarded the Controller’s Office a Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting for ACC’s audit last year. The Controller’s Office is headed by headed by Controller Leslie Sabin.

ACC President Dr. Robert Aguero has been elected vice-chair of the board overseeing the Texas Campus Compact, a coalition of college and university presidents committed to the civic purposes of higher education.

Numerous staff members contributed their efforts to make the ACC Holiday Party an enjoyable evening for the approximately 700 guests who attended. Dahlia Anzaldua, Marketing and College Relations administrative assistant III, served as volunteer organizer for the fourth consecutive year, coordinating location logistics, event program, ticket sales and publicity, and soliciting door prizes from area businesses. Campus managers provided the following staff to supervise ticket sales on their respective campuses: Suzanne Ortiz, Cypress Creek, Gloria Owens, Eastview, Albert Perez and Nina Perry, Highland Business Center, Joyce Mathis, Northridge, Melissa Brown, Pinnacle, Sonia Stewart, Rio Grande, Meiling Williams, Riverside, and Cecelia Gonzales and David Zuniga, Service Center. Campus police officers John Wynn and Larry Bedford provided support for the event. Serving as emcees were Albert Perez, Continuing Education workforce coordinator, and Terry Stewart Mouchayleh, Professional Development director.

South Puget Sound Community College in Olympia, Wash., has adopted Austin Community College’s model for specialized English as a Second Language classes for deaf students. The ESL credit classes are specially tailored to serve the unique learning needs of deaf students. The ESL Department is headed by Chair Mary Corredor.

Several College Career and Preparation Program (CCPP) staff members presented at the North Texas Tech-Prep Regional Conference Nov. 9 in Wichita Falls . Mark Kincaid, head of CCPP, presented the keynote speech “ You Gotta Believe!” and a workshop session, “Student Portfolios-Sometimes Simple is Better.” CCPP Manager Annette Gregory presented “Recruitment … Getting the Right Students in the Right Place !” Michael Svoboda, CCPP’s National Science Foundation IT project director, presented “A New Interpretation of Business Computer Information Systems I: Integrating BCIS I with Introduction to Information Technology.”

Business Assessment Center Executive Dean Tom Applegate participated in ACT annual meeting Oct. 19-20 in Iowa City, Iowa, as the nonprofit group’s Texas representative. The meeting focused on “Closing the Gaps: Challenges and Opportunities.”