Final 12th day data confirm a record-breaking number of students enrolled at the Austin Community College District’s seven campuses this fall. The official fall 2009 enrollment stands at 40,248 credit students – up nearly 4,500 students compared with last fall. That’s an increase of more than 12 percent.

“We are experiencing significant growth,” says Dr. Stephen B. Kinslow, ACC president and CEO. “ACC provides affordable academic transfer courses that are important to increasing higher education participation rates in our community, and the college also is expanding workforce programs that train and re-train residents for high-demand careers.”

ACC saw a 19 percent rise in African-American students in fall 2009 (for a total of 3,543 African-American students). There was about 14 percent growth among Hispanic students (with a total of 10,065 Hispanic students). These increases contribute to a statewide goal of closing the college enrollment gap. Here is the fall 2009 student racial and ethnic breakdown:

• White – 23,043 students (+11 percent)
• African-American – 3,543 students (+19 percent)
• Hispanic – 10,065 students (+13.8 percent)
• Asian/Pacific-Islander – 2,222 students (+9.5 percent)
• American-Indian/Alaskan-Native – 349 students (+14.1 percent)

ACC is experiencing growth in all of its core curriculum programs, which reflects an increase in students who take their basic courses at ACC before transferring to a four-year institution. Other notable increases are in the Health Information Technology (Medical Coding) program as well as Electronics/Renewable Energy, with new job opportunities in those fields.

“ACC is expanding its programs and services to meet the demands of an increasing enrollment,” says Dr. Kinslow. “We are hiring more full-time faculty and adding classes – and the college works closely with community and business leaders to guide the growth of our programs, in order to best match local workforce needs.”

The college will continue its expansion in fall 2010, with the opening of the new Round Rock Campus.

In addition to the increase in credit students, the college will enroll approximately 15,000 students this year in non-credit Continuing Education and Adult Education classes.

Even before the enrollment spike, Texas community colleges were already educating 54 percent of all public higher education students, 70 percent of all freshmen, and 78 percent of all minority students, according to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. 

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About the Austin Community College District (austincc.edu):

ACC, Central Texas’ community college, is the primary gateway to higher education and career training for residents in eight counties. The college provides access to affordable, quality education. ACC enrolls more than 40,000 credit students, offering university transfer courses, two-year associate degrees, certificates, Early College Start, access programs that get students “college-ready,” and continuing education. At ACC you can “Start here. Get there.”