Round Rock rolls to finish
April 19, 2010
www.theAccent.org
First Copy free | Volume 12, Issue 11
Construction wraps as new campus gets ready to rock Sarah Vasquez Campus Editor
The construction time line of Austin Community College’s new Round Rock Campus is currently running tight but staying on schedule to open for the fall semester classes of August 23. The construction crews have stayed on schedule with minimal interruptions and within the budget as they work toward finishing each of the five buildings for the Certificate of Occupancy. The Certificate of Occupancy is a ceremonial part of the construction process when the contractor walks through the completed buildings to ensure the safety and building codes have been met before the employees and students can occupy the structure without the aid of hard hats. Once the building is determined to have met compliance, the contractor then hands the building over to ACC. Each building will receive a Certificate of Occupancy at different times as they are awarded when each building is completed. However, ACC’s project manager Paul Mason mentions that receiving these Certificates of Occupancy doesn’t mean the Round Rock faculty and staff will be able to move into their offices just yet. Before the construction team can release the doors to the employees, all the furniture photo courtesy of Multivista Construction Documentation, Inc. and office equipment must be installed first as well as the equipment and technology Under Construction— Workers put finishing touches on the new campus. Groundbreaking of the Round Rock Campus took place needed in the various classrooms such as Feb. 2009, the campus is scheduled to open this fall. computers, refrigerators, outlets and fume serve more than 11,000 students and will an upgraded news room for ACC’s student classes for her nursing career. However she hoods. include a library, central utility plant, as well newspaper, Accent that will relocate from the feels the campus would offer more flexibility “There’s 11 million dollars worth of stuff as a three-story building for health sciences, small Rio Grande office to the Round Rock with scheduling classes. to put in the building,” said Mason. “The mathematics and science programs, an Campus. This newsroom includes a larger “Round Rock Higher Education Center biggest challenges are to work around the applied technology building for automotive work room for the student staff as well as two doesn’t offer as many classes. You would have schedules and how to accommodate to welding, and building construction programs small offices for full time staff. to go to another campus which is farther the thousands and thousands of pieces of and a general studies building which will Student Timesha Berry is anticipating the in Austin,” said Berry. “So by us having our equipment to install.” serve as the student activity center including opening of the new campus. She currently own campus, it will offer more classes so we Two buildings are scheduled to be a student commons and bookstore. resides in close proximity of the Round Rock wouldn’t have to drive.” released on July 26 followed by two more The new campus will also incorporate Higher Education Center where she takes buildings ready for moving in on August 2.
Perrine hopes to focus Richard unopposed in on future growth of ACC race for Board place 4 Michael Needham
Brynne Harder
Estrella Gutierrez • Staff Photographer
Michael Perrine — Running for Place 6
issues are also related to the maintenance and renovation of existing campuses. Perrine would like to see campuses such as the Rio Grande campus modernized with updated amenities for students. This is something he’s seen firsthand as a student. He’s also focused on class offerings and the effect they can have on Austin’s growth. “Approximately three-quarters of current student enrollment is in transfer credits. That’s an important legacy, but it’s very important we continue to build that workforce. Job growth is important for all of us,” Perrine said. For that, Perrine would work on increasing job training classes in industries such as technology and health care that attract hiring companies to Austin. “If I’m not successful I plan to become involved in other ways such as through the Chamber of Commerce,” Perrine said. “I plan to stay…and become involved.”
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third the tuition that students pay outside the district. This motivation is currently bringing areas into ACC. “There is more of that to be There are three board of done, and I want to be helpful trustee places up for election there,” said Richard. this year, and anyone interested Richards explained that in running could have applied economics requires the to be a candidate in any of the allocation of scarce resources, three places. The places are and as property taxes begin to “At-Large,” which means they reflect the economic crash and do not represent a specific area. revenue declines, it will be his Four candidates chose to run for responsibility to suggest how to place 5, and three for place 6. maintain programs, supplies and Nobody chose to run against technology. incumbent Jeffrey Richard for “It’s when things are place 4. tougher and choices have to “It seems to me they made an observation that I could serve be made, that economic skill set background becomes more the college well,” said Richard. “I important,” said Richard. “It is am humbled and honored that I not a skill set that I am unopposed this term.” need to learn on Six years ago this board, it’s a Richard was not skill set that I running alone. He have brought said he wanted to to the board.” be on the board When because he had a Richard was vision, a purpose, OARD born, neither and a plan. OF of his parents “The vision RUSTEES could vote was that ACC could because they were rise to become a true black. core institution in this “They were outstanding community,” said Richard. community citizens, but they Richard has seen the school couldn’t vote,” said Richard. grow over the last six years. Content of character “I know that ACC is a high seemed to be a better tool for quality institution. It is not a differentiating people than how junior college, It is a community they looked, Richard said. He college,” said Richard. “I know that this region is in good hands. became interested in policy and politics because of the laws that I know that intelligence and separated his parents from civil rigor is extolled and celebrated rights. at each one of our campuses.” “I realized the society I was During his next six-year growing up in was putting a lid term Richard hopes to see more on progression because of how school districts join ACC. He a person looked, and that didn’t explained that when a district joins ACC, the students pay one- make much sense to me,” said
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me become organized and more dependable because I have to stay Staff Writer on target,” Perrine explained. In addition, Perrine believes “It’s been exciting and a great that his professional experience learning experience,” Michael in finance and time spent on Perrine said about running for different boards gives him an ACC Board of Trustees Place 6. insight into the work required in Though he has served on the district. Perrine explained that several boards, this is the first this background also gives the time he’s had to campaign. board a financial advisor, an SEC “I’m excited to have the requirement for corporate boards. opportunity to run,” Perrine said, Perrine identifies four “that speaks volumes about the issues that will play a critical community college district.” role for ACC: implications of Although this is Perrine’s first growth, faculty and employee time to run for the board, he is satisfaction, campus maintenance not new to ACC. He first started and renovation, and increasing at ACC in 1982 taking summer workforce development accounting classes for transfer programs. Together these four credit while a University of Texas areas largely relate to the growth finance student. Though the district has seen over he hasn’t been idle the years and how since graduating the district should in 1986, he was direct future bothered that he growth. never earned a “Enrollment CPA degree. has outpaced A little over growth of ACC,” OARD two years ago he Perrine said. “It’s OF started researching important that RUSTEES his options for we grow wisely continuing his without forgetting education. Looking at cost, where we come from.” classes offered and class times he The majority of Perrine’s decided to re-enroll at ACC and campaign time has been spent started taking a couple classes meeting with full time and each semester towards this goal. adjunct professors. He said “I’m on campus at least two that from speaking with them nights a week. I’ve taken classes many of the issues that affect at five out of the eight campuses. their working conditions have I have a lot of ACC in everyday become apparent. For example, life,” he said. he mentioned classrooms not Adding the extra work being equipped with visual aide to his schedule as a student, technology and adjunct faculty businessman and parent doesn’t driving between the different concern him. campuses spread across Austin “I’m certainly very busy, but I during a single day. think the process has helped me Many of these concerns grow immensely. It has helped surrounding faculty satisfaction
Estrella Gutierrez • Staff Photographer
Jeffrey Richard — Running for Place 4
Richard. Richard said he hopes he will be remembered as an engaged board member who was prepared for the meetings, respected the staff and administration, was not afraid to ask question for clarification, make tough decisions and to celebrate as easily as critique. “I hope I’m remembered as a thoughtful leader who respected the institution and loved it,” said Richard. Along the way he has received advice from friends. “A good friend of mine said I want to be remembered as a trustee that you can trust. I love that,” said Richard.
Editor’s Note
Candidates running for a seat on the ACC Board of Trustees can contact the Accent at editor3@austincc.edu or 2233111 for an interview.