Each day brings classes closer to starting at Allen Community College. That event was a consistent thread in conversations at Thursday’s ACC Board of Trustees meeting as last minute plans and adjustments are made for the fall.
While campus classes open Aug. 14, students are continuing to enroll at the Iola campus, as well as in Burlingame and online. According to John Marshall, vice president of academic affairs, it appears enrollment will top out at what was projected or possibly with a slight increase. Marshall credits part of the positive enrollment numbers to the marketing campaign that the school recently undertook.
“We started out with a more aggressive campaign that featured a lot more television ads,” Marshall said. “The people who we talk to have received a lot of positive feedback so I’m really happy with how things have worked out so far in our marketing approach.”
The campaign features television spots with ACC students talking about their experiences. The eventual progression of the campaign also will feature alumni giving testimonials about the impact that ACC has had on their careers.
Marshall also spoke about a possible change in accreditation. While the decision is still far off, the college is exploring options with an accreditation program called, “Open Pathways.” Marshall said that if a change were made it wouldn’t dramatically affect the college.
“So far what we understand is that the main difference from what we have now and this would be the scope and number of action plans we would have to come up with in order to keep accreditation,” Marshall said. “Under our current system we do several smaller action plans. Under Open Pathways, it would be one huge action plan that encompasses everything.”
STEVE TROXEL, vice president for finance and operations, updated the board on the status of campus infrastructure and facilities. Troxel said the city replaced an electric transformer July 31. The college experienced no interruption of services.
Troxel also talked about upgrades to the duplexes in the Red Devil apartment complex. Several measures were taken to improve the outside of buildings, including new siding, repair of roof overhangs and other minor items.
The new six-plex will be ready for occupancy when school starts. Amenities might take a while. At the last board meeting, there was concern that the new apartment complex might not be ready from a structural standpoint. Outside of a few minor items regarding shower configuration for handicap access the apartments were built on schedule.
“I have to say out of all the projects I have been involved with, this one went about as smoothly as I’ve seen,” Troxel said. “The only thing we have to worry about now where will students sit.”
Indeed, according to Troxel, the company contracted to provide furniture for the apartments has yet to deliver and as of now, students don’t have chairs.
That isn’t the only amenity missing. A third party company had been contracted to install cable wiring. While that has been accomplished, it was done two weeks later than promised. Cox Communications has yet to follow through with a technician to take care of finishing up services for television and Internet access.
While students might not have immediate access to these services, Troxel said he will keep pressure on.
Despite building a new apartment building, the college also continues to push past maximum occupancy for campus housing. This year 13 students will be staying at Best Western hotel while several rooms in the residence halls have been rearranged to accommodate three students instead of the standard two.
“The number of students living at Best Western might change,” Cynthia Jacobson, newly-hired vice president for student affairs, said. “Every semester some students move out and get a place off campus and some decide not to go to school and cancel their enrollment last second. We’ll see how many we really will keep there when the dust settles.”
