Click on the AY 13 Change Guide for an alphabetized reference guide listing new developments or read about them here. Unless noted, the changes are effective fall 2012.

Accreditation Reaffirmation (see also QEP below): ACC’s decennial Reaffirmation of Accreditation is under way. The onsite review team appointed by ACC’s accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, will visit each ACC campus between Oct. 30 and Nov. 1. SACSCOC’s final recommendation on ACC’s accreditation will be issued in 2013. Learn more about the SACSCOC visit and how students and employees will be impacted here.

Assessment testing: The college is preparing for changes in student assessment testing. Texas House Bill 1244 requires institutions to use a common assessment test. A new test, with accompanying minimum score requirements, is scheduled to be ready by August 1, 2013. Students mandated to placement testing who enroll after the first day of classes for fall 2013 must take the new test, even if they have already taken one of the current placement tests. Exemptions will still be in place.

The new test will feature detailed diagnostics that will help ACC identify the most appropriate developmental course options for students. Students taking placement testing also will complete test preparation. ACC is developing online test prep modules similar to ACC 101.

Class Roll Certifications: Federal law requires institutions to have a process to determine whether a student has begun attending classes. Beginning in the spring 2013 semester, instructors must complete class roll certification procedures to help verify student enrollment and attendance. Updates and instructions for this process will be posted on the faculty/staff webpage as they develop.

December Commencement Ceremony: The college is adding a commencement ceremony in December for students completing degrees midyear and other graduates unable to attend spring commencement. This year’s ceremony will be Friday, December 14. Graduation applications must be submitted by Friday, October 5. The midyear event will elevate the importance of commencement and degree completion and alleviate some of the growth at ACC’s May commencement.

Emergency Notifications: State law requires ACC to collect emergency notification information from all students, faculty, and staff unless they complete an opt-out process. Faculty will be prompted to add their information or opt out when they access Online Services for class rosters or to enter grades. Other staff members will receive prompts through Online Services or reminders from supervisors. See the ACC Emergency Alert webpage for sign-up tutorials.

Meningitis Immunization Requirement: Texas law requires most incoming college students to be vaccinated against bacterial meningitis or to provide documentation showing they are exempt from the requirement. Incoming students as well as current students impacted by the law must provide the necessary documentation by their applicable tuition payment deadline or they are deregistered. Details can be found on the meningitis webpage.

QEP: ACC’s QEP, (Quality Enhancement Plan), is a key component of the college’s decennial reaffirmation of accreditation, which is ongoing throughout 2012. ACC’s QEP, Math PLUS, is a five-year plan targeting Developmental Mathematics. An information campaign will help students and employees learn about the QEP in advance of the SACSCOC team visit in late October (see Accreditation Reaffirmation above). Visiting SACSCOC representatives may ask any student or employee to identify the college’s QEP.

Reverse Transfer: ACC is working to simplify the process of obtaining a degree through reverse transfer by automating transcript sharing with some universities. Students applying to ACC or registering for the first time must now respond to a consent statement authorizing their four-year institution to send their transcript back to ACC. The Reverse Transfer webpage has detailed information about reverse transfer procedures.

Smoke-Free Campuses: Individuals are prohibited from using smoke-producing tobacco in all campus buildings, college grounds, and ACC-owned vehicles. Click here for more information.

Tuition and Fees: ACC’s Board of Trustees set the fall 2012 in-district tuition rate at $62 per credit hour, a $5 increase over the spring/summer 2012 rate. The board set the out-of-district rate at $224 per credit hour ($62 tuition plus $162 out-of-district fee), a $20 increase in the out-of-district fee over spring/summer 2012. There are no additional fee increases.

Waitlisting Expansion: Course waitlisting is available collegewide at the discretion of individual departments. Faculty can check with their department’s administrative assistant to find out whether their courses have a waitlist. Open seats are filled from waitlists during regular registration only. Waitlisting ends with regular registration, and any student can register for open seats during the add/drop period.