{"id":47261,"date":"2024-03-05T15:20:34","date_gmt":"2024-03-05T20:20:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.austincc.edu\/newsroom\/?p=47261"},"modified":"2024-03-05T15:20:35","modified_gmt":"2024-03-05T20:20:35","slug":"acc-board-of-trustees-continues-to-explore-proposed-college-affordability-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.austincc.edu\/newsroom\/2024\/03\/05\/acc-board-of-trustees-continues-to-explore-proposed-college-affordability-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"ACC Board of Trustees continues to explore proposed College Affordability Plan"},"content":{"rendered":"
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After careful consideration, the Austin Community College District (ACC) Board of Trustees is requesting more time for due diligence to examine the sustainability and growth of a proposed College Affordability Plan. The plan includes an innovative, pilot program that would provide free tuition for the graduating high school class of 2024. The official proposal went to the board during its regular meeting on Monday, March 4.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an exciting and complicated conversation. I want to thank my fellow Trustees for their time, attention, and care to make sure we\u2019re doing due diligence,\u201d says Dr. Barbara P. Mink, ACC Board of Trustees Chair. \u201cAs a board, it\u2019s our responsibility to ensure we\u2019re being good stewards to our entire community. A program of this magnitude takes time. We are going to be thoughtful about every aspect to ensure any plan we launch is sustainable, scaleable, and centered on academic success, social equity, and economic development.\u201d<\/p>\n

Development of the program has been on an expedited timeline to date. The college first presented a preliminary proposal in January and answered initial follow-up questions during the board\u2019s February work session. A formal proposal was presented to the board for the first time in March. <\/p>\n

Trustees are requesting more time to evaluate specifics of the proposal to ensure long-term sustainability and scalability \u2014 particularly regarding the free tuition pilot program.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve moved very quickly, and I want to thank the board for their guidance and thoughtful consideration to make sure we get it right. We all want to do what we can to alleviate the burden of paying for college for everyone. Our trustees are asking all the right questions to ensure we focus on the proposed program’s potential challenges, sustainability, and scalability,\u201d says ACC Chancellor Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart. \u201cUltimately, we want a free tuition program to work for all ACC students. People are experiencing a life that\u2019s not affordable, and they can\u2019t find a way to climb out and up. It\u2019s not about getting students in the door. It\u2019s about eliminating barriers so that they not only come, they persist, they graduate, and they enter our local workforce with the skills and talents our community needs.\u201d<\/p>\n

The college first began evaluating the proposal after looking at regional data that indicate a significant shift in college-going rates in Central Texas. Currently, 57% of high school graduates didn\u2019t enroll in postsecondary education after graduating in 2023. Potential ACC students, those who started an application but ultimately chose not to enroll, indicated that tuition costs were the overwhelming reason why they were postponing college. <\/p>\n

Highlights of the proposed pilot program, including eligibility details, are below:<\/p>\n