Entries filed under the ‘Banner Stories’ Category
ACC celebrated its commitment to sustainability at the dedication of its first green-rated building.
The Green Ribbon Cutting at the Rio Grande Garage
The Rio Grande Campus parking garage, which opened this semester and provides more than 500 new spaces, earned a 3-star Green Building Rating from Austin Energy, which awards the rating for the design, construction, and operation of sustainable buildings.
Austin Energy presented ACC its 3-star recognition on Thursday at the college’s Great Big Green Get-Together, an event honoring the garage team’s achievement and the college’s pledge to reducing its impact on the environment.
ACC’s commitment to green actually started with blue.
Blue recycling containers began popping up in more places across ACC’s campuses last year, fueled by students encouraging the college to expand its recycling program and become more environmentally friendly.
That movement got a big boost in February, when the ACC Board of Trustees passed a policy directing the college to incorporate sustainability in all operations and projects. ACC hired a director of environmental stewardship, Andy Kim, to guide the initiatives.
Sustainable construction is one of Kim’s passions.
“I’m an architect, and architecture is living art that needs to coexist with the earth,” said Kim. “Sustainability will be an integral component of future ACC growth.”
It was definitely an integral component of the Rio Grande garage construction. The team managed to divert 80 percent of construction waste from landfills for reuse or recycling. Almost all of the construction materials came from within Texas, reducing transportation expenses, fuel consumption, and pollution. The construction materials included 40 percent recycled content.
ACC President Dr. Stephen Kinslow accepts the 3-star green building recognition from Dr. Liana Kallivoka of Austin Energy.
“A 3-star rating is very impressive,” said Dr. Liana Kallivoka, with Austin Energy’s Green Building program. “It shows a true dedication to sustainability. Austin Energy is excited to continue working with ACC as the college continues its sustainable construction efforts.”
ACC showcased other sustainability initiatives at the Green Get-Together as well. Students and faculty had a chance to find out more about Green Pass, a pilot program starting in January that gives Capital Metro bus passes to students, faculty, and staff at no cost to them. Capital Metro was on hand to help ACC students and employees determine the best ways to get from campus to campus.
“We need everyone’s help to create a sustainable ACC,” said Kim. “Green Pass is one easy way to get on board.”
Bicycle Sport Shop also took part in the event, with advice on how to efficiently and safely commute to campus on a bike. For those who drive low-emission, fuel-efficient vehicles, ACC began the Green Car preferred parking program this fall.
Addie Broussard, an environmental science major, applauds the college for rolling out a variety of sustainability initiatives.
“It gives me another reason to boast about how great it is to be part of ACC,” said Broussard, a member of Students for Environmental Outreach. “What we’re doing helps raise awareness, and that’s the first step to protecting the planet.”
ACC does more than practice the sustainability message – the college also teaches it, offering courses in areas such as solar technology, wind power, green building, and weatherization.
“We are at the forefront of the push to educate Texans for these 21st century jobs,” said Dr. Hector Aguilar, a professor in ACC’s Electronics and Advanced Technologies Department.
Students provide information about sustainability initiatives at the Great Big Green Get-Together.
The college made information about its alternative energy education programs available during the Great Big Green Get-Together. Professor Dave Kollen was at the event to spread the word about his sustainable business practices course, which trains students in ways they can make companies environmentally-friendly.
“I think it will make students more marketable,” said Kollen. “People recognize the need for reducing their impact on the environment, and businesses play an important role in creating a more sustainable society.”
Colleges play an important role too, according to Addie Broussard.
“At ACC, we are making positive changes,” she said. “Education is key when it comes to getting people to go green, and colleges and universities have the ability to lead the way to environmental solutions. We can set examples and improve our communities.”
For ACC Board of Trustees Chairperson Nan McRaven, it’s all about responsibility.
“Sustainability means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs,” said McRaven. “What we do today will have a lasting impact at ACC.”
To learn more about ACC’s commitment to environmental stewardship, visit austincc.edu/sustainability.
Posted on 11/20/2009 in ACC Newsroom, Banner Stories | No Comments »
ACC’s commitment to green started with blue.
Blue recycling containers began popping up in more places across ACC’s campuses last year, fueled by students encouraging the college to expand its recycling program and reduce its impact on the environment.
That movement got a big boost in February, when the ACC Board of Trustees passed a policy directing the college to incorporate sustainability in all operations and projects.
Now, green is growing everywhere at ACC. The college hired a director of environmental stewardship. ACC joined the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment. The Green Car program established preferred parking for low-emission, fuel-efficient vehicles. And that’s just the beginning.
The college will officially proclaim its pledge of environmental stewardship on Thursday, November 19, with the Great Big Green Get-Together at Rio Grande Campus. ACC students, faculty, and staff are invited to celebrate the college’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint – and learn what else can be done to help ACC go green.
After all, sustainability starts here!
“We need everyone’s help to create a sustainable ACC,” says Andy Kim, who came on board as the college’s director of environmental stewardship in April. “Every step adds up to make a big difference.”
The November 19 event will provide further information about the college’s sustainability initiatives, including Green Pass, a pilot program starting in January that gives Capital Metro bus passes to students, faculty, and staff at no cost to them. Capital Metro will be on hand to answer questions about its service and help students determine the best ways to get from campus to campus. Want to commute to ACC on a bike? Austin’s Bicycle Sport Shop will be there to show you how to efficiently and safely navigate the roads.
During the Great Big Green Get-Together, Austin Energy will recognize ACC for earning a 3-star Green Building rating for the Rio Grande Campus parking garage, which opened this semester. Austin Energy awards the rating for the design, construction, and operation of sustainable buildings.
Addie Broussard, an environmental science major, applauds the college for rolling out a variety of sustainability initiatives.
“It gives me another reason to boast about how great it is to be part of ACC,” says Broussard, a member of Students for Environmental Outreach. “What we’re doing helps raise awareness, and that’s the first step to protecting the planet.”
ACC does more than practice the sustainability message – the college also teaches it, offering courses in areas such as solar technology, wind power, green building, and weatherization.
“We are at the forefront of the push to educate Texans for these 21st century jobs,” says Dr. Hector Aguilar, a professor in ACC’s Electronics and Advanced Technologies Department.
The college will make information about its alternative energy education programs available during the Great Big Green Get-Together. Professor Dave Kollen will also be at the event to spread the word about his sustainable business practices course, which trains students in ways they can make companies environmentally-friendly.
“I think it will make students more marketable,” says Kollen. “People recognize the need for reducing their impact on the environment, and businesses play an important role in creating a more sustainable society.”
Colleges play an important role too, according to Addie Broussard.
“At ACC, we are making positive changes,” says Broussard. “Education is key when it comes to getting people to go green, and colleges and universities have the ability to lead the way to environmental solutions. We can set examples and improve our communities.”
Join ACC for the Great Big Green Get-Together on Thursday, November 19, from 10:30 a.m.-noon at the Rio Grande Campus (at the corner of West Avenue & 12th Street). The college will offer refreshments and gifts while supplies last.
To learn more about ACC’s commitment to environmental stewardship, visit austincc.edu/sustainability.
Posted on 11/13/2009 in ACC Newsroom, Banner Stories | 2 Comments »
You know their names… Wolfgang Puck. Julia Child. Brian McCormick. Brian Hay.
OK, Brian and Brian may not be quite as well known as some celebrity chefs, but they’re celebrities in their own right, heading up the Austin Community College Culinary Arts Program and starring in their own instructional series, “Austin Cooks.”
“When we started ‘Austin Cooks,’ it was aimed at our students,” says McCormick. “It was all about allowing students the opportunity to watch and review various techniques as much as they’d like.”
Professors Hay and McCormick began taping 15- to 30-minute episodes, covering everything from kitchen basics to advanced cooking techniques. The Culinary Arts Program used those episodes to reinforce what students learn in the classroom – or rather, in the kitchen. But ACC also wanted the community to know what’s cooking with Culinary Arts. So the college made “Austin Cooks” viewable over the Internet and on ACC’s cable channel 19.
Chefs Hay and McCormick star in "Austin Cooks."
Want to polish your knife handling skills? There’s an episode for that. Braising basics? But of course. And what would a cooking series be without Grilling 101? Hay says since he and McCormick began “Austin Cooks,” students pick up those important techniques faster.
“Culinary students tend to be visual learners,” explains Hay, chair of the program. “No matter how many times you read about how to fillet a fish, you need to see it done to truly begin to grasp the concept. That makes ‘Austin Cooks’ a huge advantage for our students. The more times they see something, the better they’ll be when it’s their turn in the kitchen.”
Episodes go beyond food preparation. McCormick and Hay visit such locations as a vineyard, a seafood market, and an ostrich farm.
The fall 2009 episodes mark the show’s third season, with planning for a fourth season under way. Hay and McCormick welcome anyone to contact them with questions about an episode.
“We get positive feedback from our students as well as from the public,” notes McCormick. “It’s great to know that through these episodes, we help people improve their culinary skills – whether they’re cooking for a restaurant or just for their family.”
Chef Brian Hay works with Culinary Arts students.
Culinary arts student Adam Dodson agrees that he and his classmates are a step ahead because of “Austin Cooks.”
“I learn something more each time I watch an episode,” says Dodson. “ ’Austin Cooks’ gives you the foundation you need to feel confident in the kitchen.”
Dodson, who owns a candy business and wants to expand his offerings, appreciates that Hay and McCormick spice up “Austin Cooks” episodes with a healthy dose of humor.
“That definitely makes complicated techniques easier to digest,” says Dodson. “These aren’t dry, boring instructional videos. They’re really engaging.”
McCormick and Hay believe that sense of engagement is key to helping students get a handle on what they’re learning.
“If there is one thing I want aspiring chefs to take away from ‘Austin Cooks,’ it’s that cooking is fun,” says Hay. “Have a good time with it – those are the words I live by in the kitchen.”
“Austin Cooks” episodes can be seen at austincc.edu/cooks. They also air on cable channel 19 (Mondays at 6:30 p.m., Thursdays at 9 p.m., and Saturdays at 4 p.m.). To contact ACC’s top chefs with culinary questions, email bhay@austincc.edu.
Posted on 11/09/2009 in ACC Newsroom, Banner Stories | No Comments »
As the country observes Veterans Day, the Austin Community College District would like to express its gratitude to veterans and active duty service members. The college is dedicated to helping veterans reach their goals, providing assistance with benefits, degree and career planning, and counseling services.
“We want to honor veterans and thank them for their service, so we have a commitment to going the extra mile for our students who have served in the military,” says Mervin Jones, a counselor at ACC’s Riverside Campus who works closely with the Veterans Affairs office.
ACC has experienced a rise in veteran enrollments due to recent changes to the GI Bill. To better serve them, the college has streamlined many processes and enhanced its outreach programs.
“From re-acclimating to civilian life to possibly dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder, veterans face unique challenges at this stage in their lives,” says Jones. “They deserve our full support.”
Jones is a veteran himself, having served more than 22 years in the Army. ACC’s Veterans Affairs manager, Mark Harden, is a 25-year Army veteran.
“I have great empathy for our veterans, especially the ones who have been in combat, which is nearly all of them these days,” says Harden, who served in Mogadishu, Somalia – the conflict portrayed in “Black Hawk Down.” “I know what it’s like to get off a plane from a combat zone and a few weeks later be sitting in a classroom.”
For ACC veterans, that’s a reminder that they’re not alone.
“It makes the transition so much easier when you are working with someone who really understands what you’ve gone through,” says Brent Bell, a freshman nursing major who served six years in the Navy. “It’s a connection. You feel more comfortable.”
Bell is now giving other veterans that same sense of connection – he is a work-study student in ACC’s Veterans Affairs office.
“I love helping other veterans,” says Bell. “There can be some anxiety in making the transition to college student, and they are more relaxed when they find out that I’m a veteran, too.”
ACC’s VA staff helps students navigate the GI Bill and understand what to expect. That’s a complicated process right now, with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs experiencing delays in distributing the financial aid allotted by the bill. VA officials say the new Post-9/11 GI Bill, which went into effect August 1, has resulted in an unprecedented amount of new applications. The VA says it is doing everything in its power to minimize delays.
In the meantime, ACC is taking steps to help its veterans. Those still waiting for their benefits will not be dropped for non-payment of tuition.
ACC’s VA staff has offices at the Northridge and Riverside campuses, and the Veterans Affairs website at austincc.edu/support/veterans provides links to essential support services veterans may access. The American Council on Education also created a site to help veterans understand their GI Bill benefits.
“Our office tries to provide the very best service to our veterans each day,” says Harden. “We want to give them every opportunity to succeed and let them know how valued they are. I consider it an honor to have this job.”
Warren Heatwole, a professor in ACC’s Building Construction Technology Department, will honor veterans on Tuesday, November 10 (the anniversary of the Marine Corps’ founding in 1775) and Wednesday, November 11 (Veterans Day) with breakfast at Riverside Campus. A Vietnam veteran, Heatwole will serve breakfast tacos from 7:30-9 a.m., on the south end of the campus. Heatwole and Warren Donworth, an ACC welding professor, will play the national anthem and service songs at the campus flagpole.
ACC staff members are also paying tribute to active duty service members. The Classified Employees Association is holding a “Supplies for Soldiers” drive through November 20, taking donations of items for Fort Hood troops who are returning from their tours of duty and will be living in the post’s barracks. The drive is being organized by Bernie Hinterlong, a laboratory technician in ACC’s Biology Department, whose son is currently serving in Iraq. His unit will return to Fort Hood in January, and this drive will help ensure they have enough basic supplies such as pillows, towels, and twin bed-sized linens. For more information on the drive, see this flier or contact Hinterlong at bhinterl@austincc.edu.
“We want our troops to know that we remember them and are very grateful for their service,” says Hinterlong. “They have done so much for us – it’s the least we can do to make sure they are comfortable and cared for when they return stateside.”
Jones, the Riverside counselor who works with ACC veterans, is planning the second annual Veterans Appreciation and Open House for May 2010. The event helps current and prospective veteran students find out about the services and aid offered at ACC.
“This is one small way to say thank you to those who put their lives on the line for this country,” says Jones. “We need to remember to show our gratitude every day – not just on Veterans Day.”
Posted on 11/09/2009 in ACC Newsroom, Banner Stories | 3 Comments »
The ACC Drama Department’s production of “Under the Gaslight” opened Friday, October 30, at the Rio Grande Campus Mainstage Theater. Performances are held on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through November 8.
Performance Schedule:
- Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31 at 8 p.m.
- Sunday, November 1 at 2 p.m.
- Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7 at 8 p.m.
- Sunday, November 8 at 2 p.m.
Augustin Daly’s “Under the Gaslight: A Totally Original and Picturesque Drama of Life and Love in These Times” is set in 1867 New York. A young woman is jilted by her lover when he discovers that she was adopted into a family of high society and actually comes from humble beginnings. She runs away and comes under the control of the play’s villain, which sets off a dramatic sequence of events.
The production features a cast of 24, nine locations, and live music. Images are available upon request.
Rio Grande’s Mainstage Theater is located at 1212 Rio Grande Street, on the second floor of the main building. Admission: suggested donation of $6.
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About the Austin Community College District (austincc.edu):
ACC, Central Texas’ community college, is the primary gateway to higher education and career training for residents in eight counties. The college provides access to affordable, quality education. ACC enrolls more than 40,000 credit students, offering university transfer courses, two-year associate degrees, certificates, Early College Start, access programs that get students “college-ready,” and continuing education. At ACC you can “Start here. Get there.”
Posted on 10/29/2009 in ACC Homepage Announcements, ACC Newsroom, Banner Stories, Official ACC Press Releases | No Comments »
Austin Community College students have plenty of pride. What they don’t have is a mascot. But that is about to change.
The college’s Student Government Association, Student Life Office, and Public Information and College Marketing Department have teamed up to launch a search for the perfect ACC mascot.
Once upon a time, ACC had a mascot. Do the ACC Eagles sound familiar to anyone? Back in the 1970s, the college took on the eagle mascot and official school colors of black and gold. There was even a football team, which won a city championship.
The ACC Eagle has long since flown the coop – disappeared for one reason or another. This time, the 2009 search committee is determined to create a symbol of ACC that will be around for years to come.
“We think this is going to build school spirit and give ACC a lasting tradition,” says Avy Gonzalez, Student Government Association Parliamentarian and co-chair of the mascot search committee. “It’s cool to be part of something that will have a big impact at ACC long after we finish school.”
While the search committee is spearheading the effort, they want to hear from you. The college wants ideas from students, faculty, staff, and the public.
“We’re looking for something that genuinely resonates with the community,” says Brette Lea, executive director of the Public Information and College Marketing Department (PICM) and co-chair of the search committee. “It is so important to build a college-going culture, and the mascot will be a key part of that. A mascot creates a sense of excitement tied to education and makes people feel more connected to the college.”
So how did this search begin? As they say, great minds think alike. The Student Government Association recently decided it was time for a mascot to enhance school spirit. PICM was already thinking the same thing. The Student Life Office also came on board to facilitate engagement with students at all seven of ACC’s campuses.
Together, they formed a search committee that includes students, faculty, staff, alumni, and other members of the community. With that, the committee’s four-step mascot search process got underway.
Step One: Got an Idea?
“This is a group effort. We need all the suggestions we can get,” says Gonzalez. “We need to find a mascot that really captures the essence of ACC.”
The search committee has created an ACC mascot website, encouraging the entire community to submit ideas. The site also includes links to follow the mascot search on Facebook and Twitter. Send us your suggestions by December 4!
Step Two: Drilling It Down
After collecting as many ideas as possible, the search committee will begin a process to reduce the list to the top three to five mascot candidates. The finalists aren’t selected on a whim – the committee will base its choices on frequency of the suggestion and focus group research. Committee members will also make sure the mascot finalists support ACC’s vision and mission.
Step Three: Cast Your Vote!
When the finalists are identified, there will be an online ballot this spring. The committee will take the top vote-getter to the college for review and final board approval.
Step Four: Shhh…
The winner will be kept under wraps at first to give graphic artists a chance to design and create the mascot. As soon as that’s accomplished, it will be time to reveal the ACC mascot to the world!
“A mascot will help us create a unique college identity and raise awareness of ACC’s role in the community,” says Lea.
That’s still a ways away, though. For now the focus is on gathering as much input as possible. The college has already done some grassroots promotion to build buzz. A slightly pathetic-looking pink bunny hopped around the ACC campuses during the Welcomepalooza fall kick-off events, cautioning students to voice their suggestions or risk having the unsightly pink rabbit represent them. Students got the message, and ideas are coming in fast – some thoughtful (such as Bats or Armadillos), others irreverent (think the ACC Chupacabras or the Zombies).
Want to weigh in? Now is your chance.
Posted on 10/28/2009 in ACC Newsroom, Banner Stories | 36 Comments »
The Austin Community College Choir is heading to Carnegie Hall, but its first stop will be here in Austin for benefit performances of “The 1940’s Radio Hour” to raise funds for the trip. (more…)
Posted on 10/22/2009 in ACC Newsroom, Banner Stories | 4 Comments »
ACC co-hosts conference with TEA, Coordinating Board
Taking on the landmark task of overhauling Texas academic standards, state, local, and regional education leaders are gathering at Austin Community College on October 30 for “The College & Career Readiness Regional Round-Up.” (more…)
Posted on 10/21/2009 in ACC Newsroom, Banner Stories | 1 Comment »
ACC Professor Preserves the Art of Blacksmithing
William Bastas - ACC Welding Professor
William Bastas grew up in a welding shop, but his father wanted his son to be something better, a salesman perhaps. Instead of sales, Bastas followed in his father’s footsteps and fashioned his career into one that provides opportunity to others and preserves a historic art form.
The Austin Community College professor mastered the centuries-old skills used by blacksmiths and used those skills to transform the college’s Metalsmith Program into one of only two college-credit smithing programs of its type in the United States. Students now come to ACC from across Central Texas to learn the ancient metal craft.
“The smithing program includes traditional forging and power hammer as well as classes in hardware, toolmaking, sculptural forging, and furniture making,” says Bastas, who joined ACC’s faculty in 1992. “Students can study the history, tradition, and techniques that give access to the beauty of an artistic heritage that extends 6,000 years.”
In 1984, Bastas was following his father’s wishes. He was enrolled at UT-Austin and trying different majors until a 2,400-mile detour led him back to his father’s welding shop. Bastas took off a summer to bike through Greece, Italy, Spain, and France and found himself photographing less of the monuments and more of the beautiful ironwork in gates, grilles, window lights, stairways, and entrances.
“Seeing ironwork firsthand in Europe cemented my aspiration toward a career in metalsmithing,” Bastas says. “I admire the tradesmen and craftsmen because there is great humility of people who work with their hands.”
Bastas returned with a clearer focus. He re-enrolled at UT and earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish, with a minor in fine arts metals. He transferred to Austin Community College to improve his welding skills, and the college later hired him.
Today, Bastas specializes in functional art, with pieces that include wall brackets, fireplace screens, gates, furniture, and railing. He teaches the skills in the Welding Department’s metalsmith classes, which are open to all students but can be taken as part of the art metals associate degree and certificate.
“ ‘By hammer and hand, all crafts do stand’ is an old adage that describes the pivotal position the blacksmith held in the community as maker of tools, hardware, and iron artifacts,” Bastas says. “The torch has been passed to artist craftsman to produce finely wrought ironwork and sculpture.”
As an artist, Bastas draws upon the world of art nouveau, modeling most of his work after things organic, especially floral and plant-inspired motifs. Shaping a material that seems so rigid into a rose is powerful to watch. In keeping with the art nouveau style, he hammers hot steel into fluid, curvilinear shapes that turn into functional items like gates and decorative wall brackets.
“Most of my inspiration comes from nature and flowers,” he says. “But, historically I am inspired by artists like Gaudí, Mazzucotelli, and Albert Paley.”
Bastas also forges custom hammers – he is only one of six in the United States to do so.
“Someone once told me that if you don’t make your own tools, you are half a smith. I make hammers for other blacksmiths. I don’t really advertise, but my name is spread by word-of-mouth.”
A professor for 17 years, Bastas starts each semester by creating a design for students to create in their class. It features the techniques they will learn and, if all goes well, results in a completed artwork. “Sometimes I have to resuscitate their projects from the dead, but for the most part I let them learn from their mistakes,” he says.
Bastas’ metalsmith students are a diverse group. One recent class included a displaced worker seeking a new career, a retiree wanting simply to create artwork, and an oilfield worker advancing his welding skills.
The work is hard, but Bastas’ passion is inspirational, students say. They value his guidance.
“He really knows his stuff,” says Jason Wild, who studied metalsmithing last summer.
Bastas and his students gather at a table at the start of each class, then move to a forge to begin the smithing process – heating steel to red-hot, then hammering it into shape. Bastas moves among the students, supervising and coaching them.
“Working with steel is like playing a game of chess,” he reminds a struggling student. “Steel tries to beat you, so you have to always be three steps ahead,” he says.
Bastas is pleased with his chosen profession. “I am proud to have developed, with the support of ACC, only one of two college credit blacksmithing programs in the United States.”
And his father?
“My father is happy for me and proud to tell his friends that his son is one of the best blacksmiths in the country.”
Posted on 10/08/2009 in ACC Newsroom, Banner Stories | 10 Comments »
ACC Police Chief Frankie Waller
Frankie Waller thought he had hung up his holster for good when he retired as assistant director of the Texas Department of Public Safety. He began his law enforcement career 33 years earlier, joining DPS as a patrolman and eventually administering the programs of the Texas Highway Patrol, Texas Rangers, criminal intelligence, narcotics, motor vehicle theft investigations, crime laboratories, aircraft operations, and the governor’s security before retiring in 2003.
“I was a poster boy for retirement,” recalls Waller. “Each day I made a list of fun things to do, and the next day I made a new list. I was not looking for a job.”
But in June of 2006, Waller got a call that took him out of retirement. The ACC Police Department needed a new chief, and one of the college’s criminal justice professors recommended Waller take the position temporarily. Waller agreed – and six months later, he accepted the position on a permanent basis.
“It’s gratifying to combine law enforcement service with ACC’s mission of providing access to quality, affordable education,” says Chief Waller. “What we do here truly makes a difference. We want to ensure that students, faculty, and staff have a safe college environment and feel secure.”
Throughout Chief Waller’s tenure, he has focused on a commitment to excellence and accountability. While attending a conference hosted by the Texas Police Chiefs Association, Waller learned about a program that recognizes agencies for adhering to “best practices” in law enforcement. Chief Waller discussed the accreditation program with his officers, and ACC PD began the year-long process of applying for recognition.
The department undertook an internal review of all its policies, procedures, and operations. ACC PD had already worked to improve its practices in recent years, and through the accreditation process was able to further fine tune those practices. An outside review team confirmed the department’s compliance and noted that ACC made any necessary modifications in record time.
The Texas Police Chiefs Association Foundation committee then awarded ACC PD with “Recognized Status,” indicating that the department meets or exceeds all of the identified best practices for Texas law enforcement, in areas such as patrol operations and investigations.
“We have addressed the most critical law enforcement issues in both policy and actual operations,” says Chief Waller. “This translates to greater safety, greater security, and protection of individual rights.”
ACC PD is the 19th recognized law enforcement agency statewide and the first community college police force in Texas to receive this recognition. James McLaughlin, executive director of the Texas Police Chiefs Association, calls the department a leader in professional law enforcement.
“The Austin Community College Police Department, under the direction of Chief Frankie Waller, has demonstrated it is a professional agency in every sense of the word,” says McLaughlin.
Chief Waller notes that the accreditation itself is only part of the reward.
“Achieving a place in history as the ‘first’ in any worthwhile professional endeavor is a special moment,” says Chief Waller. “But enhancing the ability of the department to provide for a safe and secure environment for all ACC stakeholders is the most important achievement.”
The pride in this accomplishment goes beyond the ACC Police Department.
“This recognition is a reflection of the ACC Police Department and the excellence we strive for throughout the college,” says Dr. Mary Hensley, executive vice president of college operations. “The dedication of Chief Waller, Assistant Chief Lynn Dixon, the department’s sworn officers, and support staff is an integral part of ACC’s success.”
ACC PD, which maintains offices at each of the college’s seven campuses, will be recognized at the Texas Police Chiefs Association’s annual conference next April. But earning “Recognized Status” isn’t the end of the story. To keep its recognized status, ACC PD must submit annual reports showing continued compliance with best practices standards and undergo a re-accreditation evaluation every four years. And that’s just fine with Chief Waller.
“We remain committed to continually evaluating and improving our department,” says Chief Waller. “It’s not something we do simply for recognition. Providing the college with quality community service is extremely rewarding.”
So rewarding that retirement can wait.
Posted on 09/22/2009 in ACC Newsroom, Banner Stories | 7 Comments »
