ACC Highland Campus' newest phase is nearing completion, and many departments have started the move-in process.

The credit classes expected to start in spring 2021 -- and are therefore among the first to make the move -- are Culinary, Architectural and Engineering Computer Aided Design (AE CAD), Dance, Drama, Geospatial Engineering, G.I.S., Music, Music Business & Performance Technology (MBPT), and Radio-TV-Film (RTF).

This series on the HLC2 Move-Ins explores one area at a time.

MBPT
Tim Dittmar, MBPT department chair, has been visiting Highland once a week to check the progress.

"It's going to be a game-changer. I've waited a long time for this, and I've worked really hard to advocate for a lot of the things that we're getting at the new campus," says Dittmar. "I stopped teaching audio engineering about two years ago when I became a department chair, because I didn't have as much time, but the new campus has inspired me to want to teach audio again."

Highland Campus Building 2000 includes two recording studios, four student recording studios, four smart classrooms that allow every student to have a computer and audio interface, a large performance room, a Foley pit, individual rehearsal rooms, a band hall, and much more.

"MBPT is a great program, and I think it's just going to explode even more. When I started at ACC 20 years ago, there were four audio classes, and we had maybe 250 to 300 students. We have about 600 to 700 students in the program now, and I think it's going to double again with the new campus."

"Highland gives all our programs an opportunity to discover and explore new opportunities for collaboration," says Tom Nevill, Arts, Digital Media & Communications dean.

"We're all in the same area so everyone can interact. It's a huge opportunity for our students and provides a lot more real-life and real-world learning. For example, if RTF is shooting a movie, they can cast drama students as actors, recruit music students for the soundtrack, and MBPT students for audio tracks. The list goes on and on."

The first courses in the new facilities will open in spring 2021 with a soft-opening of Phase 2. A grand opening and celebration are expected later in the year, as the COVID-19 pandemic allows.

Explore more at austincc.edu/highlandproject.

MUSIC
Follow ACC Music Department Chair Shane Anderson and student David A. on a tour of the new music spaces at Highland below.