History
The Alvin Community College District was approved by the qualified voters of the Alvin Independent School District on November 2, 1948. From its inception until the 1971-72 academic year, the College was administered by officials of the Alvin Independent School District. The 1971-72 academic year marked the beginning of a new era in the history of Alvin Community College. A separate administration, tax district, and college board were established to assume the management, control, and operation of a newly created Alvin Junior College District.
Initially, when the College and public schools were in the same system, the College was part of Alvin High School. The first classes began on September 12, 1949, in facilities which grouped grades 11 through 14 in one building and which placed Alvin under a system known as the 6-4-4 plan. One of the more important changes in the program of Alvin Community College was the building of a separate physical plant for academic work at the college level and dropping of the 6-4-4 plan in favor of a 6-3-3-2 arrangement. The college program was strengthened by additional facilities, by an enlarged faculty, and by successfully meeting the standards of the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools (1959). Alvin Community College moved to its present campus in the summer session of 1963.
By a vote of both the original district and voters of adjoining territories, the college district was enlarged to nearly twice its geographical size in 1974. Then, in the spring of 1975, an $8 million bond issue was approved, providing funds for the facilities necessary to meet an expanding enrollment. In 1998 the College expanded into its service area with the establishment of the Pearland Center in the former C.J. Harris Elementary School in Pearland. The Pearland Center was closed in 2013 and the campus was sold in 2016.
In 2005, a $19.9 million dollar bond issue was approved, providing funds for a new science/health science building to meet the needs of expanding health programs, to provide relief for overcrowded classrooms, and to update technology and simulation labs.
In 2016, the college was named a Hispanic Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education. The college also received a $3.8 million grant to expand its offerings in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math fields.
That same year, the college was one of 67 in the United States to be named part of the Second Chance Pell program, which offers scholarship assistance for incarcerated students.
The Board of Regents approved a Maintenance Tax Note in 2018 for $25 million to upgrade infrastructure on campus including the replacement of water lines, roof repairs, HVAC equipment, electrical, security and more. The funds will also be used to renovate the Student Center and the Nolan Ryan Center.
The college entered into an articulation agreement with the University of Houston-Clear Lake in 2018. The agreement establishes a transfer protocol that will create a clear pathway for ACC Associates of Arts graduates who want to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree at UH-Clear Lake.
The Alvin-Manvel Area Chamber of Commerce gave ACC the Lifetime Achievement Award for Business in 2019.
ACC was listed among the top community colleges for the fifth time for the 2021 Aspen Prize.
The enrollment of Alvin Community College has grown from 134 students in 1949 to almost 6,000, posting its highest enrollment ever in 2019. During this period of growth, Alvin Community College has had six presidents. The sixth president joined the college in 2014 and has strived to move the college forward through the challenges from the impact of Hurricane Harvey and the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the obstacles, Dr. Albrecht has implemented strategic planning, obtaining accreditation reaffirmation and implementing needed upgrades on campus.
Mr. A.G. Welch 1949 - 1954
Dr. A.B. Templeton 1954 - 1964
Mr. D.P. O’Quinn 1964 - 1971
Dr. T.V. Jenkins 1971 - 1976
Dr. A. Rodney Allbright 1976 - 2014
Dr. Christal M. Albrecht 2014 - 2021
Dr. Robert J. Exley 2021 - Present
Mission Statement
Alvin Community College exists to improve the lives of its constituents by providing affordable, accessible, high quality and innovative academic, technical and cultural educational opportunities for the diverse communities it serves.
Vision Statement
As a premier college that provides high-quality academic, technical and cultural programs, Alvin Community College’s focus will be to promote student success, enhance quality of life and support economic development.
Core Values
ACC began implementing its core values, called C.A.R.E.S. in 2019. The statements define the college’s purpose as well as acknowledging its responsibility to its students and the community. The core values were developed by students, faculty, staff as well as members of the community.
- Community Asset: Alvin Community College is a strong community asset.
- Accountable: Alvin Community College is accountable to all its stakeholders.
- Responsive: Alvin Community College is responsive to the needs of students and the region.
- Excellence: Alvin Community College strives for educational excellence in programs and services.
- Student-centered: Alvin Community College prides itself on being student-centered.
Institutional Goals
In 2015 the Board of Regents approved the following goals as part of the Strategic Plan 2016-2021:
- Alvin Community College will develop itself as an evidencebased, data-driven organization to improve organizational efficiency and increase student achievement, completion and success.
- Alvin Community College will plan and develop a campus in the vicinity of the west side of the taxing district, and address facilities’ needs and technology update for existing campus.
- Alvin Community College will develop branding that will be an effective representation of the institution and its mission, and will be used to market the college.
- Alvin Community College will develop programs and partnerships to meet employment needs of the community.
- Alvin Community College will maximize the acquisition of revenue, taking into consideration the interest and values of all stakeholders, and allocate them efficiently to the highest and best value for the institution.
- Alvin Community College will strengthen its human resources’ capacity to promote a strategically-staffed and nimble organization that embraces change, supports open communication, and provides for ongoing professional development.
Facilities
Note: As ACC moves forward with campus upgrades, facility use will vary.
The main campus of Alvin Community College is situated on 113 acres in Alvin, Texas and consists of seventeen buildings: Learning Resources Center, Fine Arts Center, Childcare Center, Business and Industrial Technologies Center, Student Center, Physical Fitness Center, Liberal Arts Building, Continuing Education - Workforce Training/Health Science Center, Occupational Technical Building, KACC Radio-TV, Nolan Ryan Center, Maintenance Complex, Transportation Center, Shipping & Receiving Science/Health Science Building and Art Instruction Laboratory. As ACC moves forward with campus upgrades, facility use will vary.
A The first floor of the “A” building contains the Department of Information Technology, Office of the Vice President of Student Services, Welcome Center, Advising, Career Services, Student Accessibility Services, Financial Aid, Testing Center, Veterans and Graduation Offices, Cyberlink Lab and the Business Office. The second floor houses the Learning commons (Tutoring Center), classrooms, Library, and other offices.
B The Fine Arts Center contains facilities for the Music, Drama and Art Departments, rehearsal rooms, offices and the Theater. The offices of the President, Vice President of Instruction, and Vice President of Financial & Administrative Services are located on the second floor along with the Communications Department and KACC Racio 89.7 FM.
C The first floor of the Childcare Center houses classrooms, offices and kitchen facilities used by the Child Development Laboratory School. The Dean of Professional, Technical, and Human Performance is located on the 1st floor in C100. The second floor contains a multi-purpose conference room, faculty offices and classrooms, as well as offices used by the Upward Bound program and the Marketing department.
D Facilities for instruction in industrial programs include an electronics lab, a welding lab and fabrication shop. In addition to the many classrooms and offices located in the Business and Industrial Technologies Center, laboratories are provided for various programs. Human Resources is also located on the first floor of the D building.
E The Student Center consists of the Game Room, Student Activities offices including the student ID station, College Store and Food Services and Study Grounds Coffee Bar.
F The Physical Fitness Center includes athletic offices, the gym, weight room, dance exercise studio, four racquetball courts, saunas, dressing rooms, lockers, eight tennis courts, baseball field, two-mile jogging track, soccer/football field, and a softball field.
G The Liberal Arts Center contains classrooms, the foreign language lab, faculty offices, and the offices of the Academic Dean of Arts & Sciences and Academic Dean of General Education & Academic Support along with the Veterans Lounge.
H The Continuing Education Workforce Development Center contains the office of the Executive Director/Dean, Continuing Education & Workforce Development, classrooms, and laboratories supporting workforce training in health sciences, information technology, commercial driving, GED, veterinarian assistant and contract training. Campus Police is also located in the H building.
J/I The Art Instruction facilities contain offices and space for art instruction and creation (ceramics, sculpture & jewelry making).
K Houses staff offices and classrooms
N The Occupational Technical Building includes a drafting lab/classroom, computer laboratories, classrooms, faculty offices, Process Technology lab, and the Criminal Justice Training Center.
R The Nolan Ryan Center is a 12,000 square foot facility built by the Nolan Ryan Foundation and donated to the college in 1996. It contains classrooms, a community room that seats 216 people, kitchen facilities, a Culinary Arts Lab and Board Room.
S The Science/Health Science Building contains four teaching theaters, laboratories, classrooms, faculty suites, offices of Allied Health Directors, and office of the Dean of Legal and Health Sciences.
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