Austin Community College (ACC) students joined hundreds of their peers for Community College Day at the State Capitol Wednesday, January 30, to push for change this legislative session.

Students participated in a rally on the South Steps with lawmakers before meeting face-to-face with representatives to discuss critical issues that impact community colleges today.

“We are here to fight for our accessibility and opportunity to the needs and resources that we want at ACC,” says ACC student Grant Loveless. “Each student needs something different but it’s important to make sure the basics of opportunity is there.” ACC’s Board of Trustees approved the college’s policy

priorities for the 86th Legislature during the regular January board meeting. Priorities include:

• Funding: Investing in Texas Community Colleges — Texas community colleges seek to increase state formula funding by 8 percent, or $144 million.

• Dual Credit: Broadening Access and Sustaining Quality — Texas community colleges support dual credit programs as both a proven means for students to earn college credits while in high school, and as an important factor in meeting the state’s 60x30TX plan.

• Workforce Education: Critical Role of Community Colleges — Texas community colleges seek increased state investments in community college formula funding to help broaden the reach of career and technical education and continuing education programs.  

“One of the ways we can bring change is having students share their own story with state representatives and senators,” says Dr. Molly Beth Malcolm, executive vice president for Campus Operations and Public Affairs. “A big push we are making this year is a universal system for transferring credits. It’s different for every college and students find themselves wasting years and thousands of dollars in the process.” 

ACC students met with a dozen Central Texas lawmakers, including Senator Kirk Watson, Representative Donna Howard, and Representative Gina Hinojosa.

The event was sponsored by the Texas Association of Community Colleges.

Read more about ACC’s 2019 legislative priorities.