The Austin Community College District (ACC) Board of Trustees met for its regular meeting on Monday, July 7. Trustees approved the fiscal year 2026 budget, heard an update on the Student Affairs Division realignment, renewed the Green Pass contract with CapMetro, and more.

Below are highlights from the Board meeting.

FY26 Budget Approved

Trustees unanimously approved the fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget after five months of budget sessions. The $568 million balanced budget includes a 3% employee pay raise, maintains the College’s minimum wage, keeps tuition and fees unchanged for the 12th consecutive year, projects double-digit enrollment growth, and factors in the first increase to employee health insurance rates in seven years.

Learn more about what’s in the budget HERE.

Student Affairs Division Realignment

Dr. Shasta Buchanan, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, provided trustees with an update on the realignment process that the Student Affairs Division has undergone. The comprehensive restructuring is meant to help the College better meet the evolving needs of our students and fulfill the vision outlined in our institutional Theory of Change. 

She shared what they have done to date:

• Facilitated more than nine open roundtable sessions for the entire College community, complemented by electronic feedback opportunities to collect ongoing input, ideas, and concerns from employees at every level.
• Finalized and presented the new organizational structure to the Student Affairs team and Executive Leadership. Integrated student feedback into each stage of the design process, including orientation, advising, enrollment, and support services.
• Collaborated with Theory of Change Design Teams, Human Resources, and consultants Swim Digital Group and Guidehouse, to maintain consistent alignment as the work progresses.
• Established student-centered functional units across 12 executive dean areas (for example: Financial Aid, Records, Advising, Assessment, Student Life, Transfer Services, and Career Services).
• Initiated strategic recruitment and onboarding for key leadership roles, with a focus on strategic leadership, data-informed decision making, operational excellence, change agility and innovation, systems thinking, institutional alignment, dynamic emotional intelligence, and team development. 
• Conducted a comprehensive financial analysis and developed alignment maps to assess each unit’s role in advancing access, belonging, momentum, and completion for students.

She also shared the key priorities for the future:

1. Finalizing Financial Modeling – We are developing a comprehensive financial analysis to evaluate long-term budgetary impacts and identify opportunities to reinvest in student-facing services.
2. Completing the Implementation Timeline – Starting in late August, we will launch the full transition timeline, including key milestones and phased transition efforts that begin December 2025.
3. Launching Divisionwide Training – A professional development roadmap is in progress to equip every employee, at every level, with the knowledge, tools, and support necessary to succeed in their redefined roles. Training components will include:
   1. Role-based onboarding sessions
   2. Cross-functional collaboration labs
   3. Change-readiness coaching facilitated by the new Strategy and Transformation team
4. Standing Up Implementation Teams – Dedicated working groups will lead launch activities, monitor progress, and maintain a strong focus on student outcomes throughout the transition.

Watch the presentation HERE.

Bond Refinancing 

Trustees also approved several items related to restructuring existing debt, which will allow the District to achieve $2.5 million in savings.

Consent Items Approved

The Board approved five items on the consent agenda, including the authorization for the ACC Foundation to continue working with Gonser Gerber. The consultant will assist in the process of hiring four new positions to expand and support the College’s engagement and philanthropic strategies.

Trustees also approved extending the ACC’s Green Pass agreement with CapMetro for an additional year. Under this agreement, eligible ACC faculty, staff, and students who sign up for a Green Pass can use CapMetro transportation services for free.

Other items on the consent agenda included: 

• A contract with SpawGlass Contractors for construction services at Highland Campus Building 3000 to address Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) deficiencies for push-button doors and card readers, provide security enhancements, and remediate safety issues at the rooftop access ladder and trash enclosure area.
• A contract with J.T. Vaughn Construction LLC to expand the existing central utility plant at Round Rock Campus to include a new water chiller and the required construction services. The expansion will support new buildings being constructed for ACC’s applied technology programs (which is a 2022 Bond Program project) and for Round Rock ISD’s Early College High School programs.
• A contract with Samco Inc. to provide the College’s Advanced Manufacturing Department with a reactive ion etch (RIE) equipment system at the Riverside Campus. The acquisition of the RIE equipment system will enable AMD to develop teaching methodologies that focus on a hands-on learning approach within the semiconductor industry. 

View all agendas and recordings from the meeting here. Recordings are usually available by the Thursday following the meeting.

Tags: Board of Trustees, budget, Student Affairs