The Austin Community College District (ACC) Board of Trustees held its September regular meeting on Monday, September 14, in a hybrid format due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Below are highlights from the meeting.
Two percent cost-of-living-raises
Trustees unanimously voted to amend the FY 2021 budget to include two percent cost-of-living raises for staff and faculty. The new compensation package retroactively begins September 1. Read more here.
2020-21 tax rate adopted
Trustees approved the new tax rate of $0.1058 per $100 of valuation, which remains among the lowest for community colleges statewide. It includes $0.09 for maintenance and operations and $0.0158 for debt service. Read more here.
Chancellor contract extended
Trustees unanimously approved a one-year extension for ACC Chancellor Dr. Richard Rhodes' contract. Dr. Rhodes' contract now runs through August 31, 2023. Trustees also approved a raise to Dr. Rhodes' contract. Two percent was awarded to match the recent collegewide raise provided to all ACC employees. Dr. Rhodes was appointed president/CEO of ACC in September 2011, making him the longest-serving leader in ACC history.
Dr. Rhodes was hired for his intentional focus to close equity gaps and increase student success. He laid out his priorities for the next year to meet these goals, and others for the college. He will highlight these priorities during the General Assembly meeting, Friday, September 25.
Strategic Enrollment and Management Planning
ACC’s Strategic Enrollment Management Committee presents its work to date to Trustees. The committee, composed of representatives from across the college including staff, administration, and faculty, are developing a three-year comprehensive plan focused on enrolling new students and retaining current students. To follow the committee’s work, visit austincc.edu/semc.
Trustees modify policies to align with district's police force
Trustees unanimously modified two board policies, CHA (Local) and FLC (Local). The decision puts into Board policy several elements that are already within ACCD PD policy such as limitations on searches, the use of force, and a prohibition on racial profiling. These amendments mean ACCD PD cannot change those aspects of its policies without Board approval. The Board's amendments to CHA (Local) also put into Board policy certain reports that the ACCD PD will make to the Chancellor or the Board regularly.
A portion of Pinnacle Campus sold to TxDOT
Trustees unanimously agreed to sell about two acres of land at the ACC Pinnacle Campus to the Texas Department of Transportation as part of an eminent domain settlement. The area will be used for improvements to West Highway 290. ACC will receive $1,050,000 in the deal, which is about $400,000 higher than TxDOT's initial good-faith estimate for the property.