Senator Barrientos, Other Leaders to Address the Need for Expanded Access to Higher Education

Austin, TX – September 8, 2006 – The Austin Community College District will host a dedication and open house on Friday, September 15 at 10 a.m. to announce the opening of its newest campus. Located at 1820 Stassney Lane, on the northeast corner of Manchaca and Stassney, the new South Austin Campus will serve a growing need for access to higher education in that area.

“The board would like to extend thanks to the ACC District voters who helped make this campus possible by passing the 2003 bond election,” said John Hernandez, chair of the ACC District Board of Trustees. “Access to quality higher education just got easier for thousands more students.”

“More than 25 percent of the college’s total credit headcount comes from South Austin,” said Dr. Stephen B. Kinslow, president/CEO of the ACC District. “This additional instructional space will assist us in meeting the higher education needs of this growing South Austin community.”

Fast Facts About South Austin Campus: Construction of the new South Austin Campus began in March of 2005. The 86,000 square foot campus provides students with three stories of instructional space and classrooms featuring state-of-the-art media teaching stations. The campus also houses:

The new campus offers more than 200 credit courses, in addition to Adult Education and Continuing Education classes. Enrollment for the opening semester is expected to reach between 2,500 and 3,000 students. The South Austin Campus is the first in the District to have a three-level parking garage. Cost of this project was $21.5 million, included in a $99 million general-obligation bond referendum approved by voters in 2003.