Goal I. Access to Higher Education
The Department of Institutional Advancement met with corporate and regional representatives of Firestone and representatives of St. Philip’s College to accept $4,000 gift to the ACCD Foundation for St. Philip’s automotive technology department. The possibility of an SPC/ Firestone internship program was also discussed to assist in placing and finding job opportunities for automotive technology students.

Goal III. Workforce Development
CTTC held an open house on Saturday, June 2nd, with approximately 200 prospective new students participating. The CTTC initiated a new Production Worker Training program for 12 non-traditional students under the Department of Labor grant. In addition, SAC will be offering additional manufacturing courses under their new Polytec and Manufacturing Technology Academy (MTA) marketable skills certificate programs. Also offered at the CTTC, are a total of six classes with enrollments of 72 students under the Ford Motor Company Dealer Training Program.

Goal IV. Capacity To Serve
The installation of FotoWare – ACCD Photo Management System has started. This is part of one of the Facilities Department’s Process Improvement Plans (PIP). This software application is a District wide digital photograph archival storage and retrieval system that will be used by Public Relations, Facilities, District Departments and the colleges.

District-wide, collaborative planning sessions for the kick off and installation of the Vista instructional management system were held this past week. Vista is a rich, full featured software system enabling E-learning from anywhere and developed by Blackboard and WebCT companies. Many of the Alamo Community Colleges’ faculty are excited about the enhanced opportunities provided by the system to support Internet teaching and learning. A small group of faculty is expected to pilot its use during the fall 2007 semester.

Drs. Leslie, Claunch, Loston and Guzman attended a 3-day fundraising workshop sponsored by the Council for Resource Development. The workshop, designed for administrators, focused on fundraising ethics, investment and spending policies, planned giving and capital campaigns.

Receptions were held this week for two outgoing vice presidents – Dr. Lanier Byrd, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dr. Thomas Baynum, Vice President for Academic Affairs at PAC. Dr. Byrd is retiring after 35 years with SPC; Dr. Baynum accepted the position of President of Coastal Bend College. Both gentlemen are tremendous leaders and have served the students of ACCD and our community well. We wish them all the best and are extremely grateful for the numerous contributions they have made to the Alamo Community Colleges.

On Tuesday, three finalists for the position of Vice Chancellor for Administration were interviewed by Dr. Leslie, individuals representing the administrative areas, and members of the faculty senate, staff council, and chancellor’s executive committee. Our search firm, Gold Hill and Associates, is in the process of conducting reference checks. Many thanks to Dr. Reno for chairing the Search Advisory Committee.

Interviews were also conducted for semi-finalists for the position of Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Success. Two individuals were interviewed on Thursday by Dr. Leslie and the Search Advisory Committee, led by Dr. Zeigler; a third applicant will be interviewed on July 9th. Finalists for the position will be invited to return and meet with other members of the ACCD community, including faculty, staff council, and members of the college leadership teams.

Goal V. Organizational Communication
Dr. Leslie, members of the ACCD leadership team, and nursing program administrators met with Dr. Francisco Cigarroa and representatives of the UTHSC administration to discuss further developing the partnership between the two institutions. Issues addressed were current articulation agreements, working with the School of Nursing to create internships, and continuing the dialogue regarding high schools and the health career pipeline. The group will convene again in mid-October. Dr. Cigarroa thanked the ACCD for initiating the summit and commented that this is the first meeting of its kind between the two institutions since he has served as CEO.

The Department of Governmental and Public Relations produced an ad for the SA Post's July issue which features the occupational/technical programs selected by the colleges' as most important to promote; ordered media buys for radio spots to promote teacher certification programs at the colleges; and produced 20,000 payment reminder postcards to be mailed to students who have registered for fall 2007 and not paid.

We have an increasing number of events and activities district-wide and are taking the opportunity to showcase such events on Time Warner Cable channel 98 and Grande cable channel 19. This section of the Chancellor’s Weekly Report will now provide a schedule of the programming for our regularly scheduled times of 12 – 2 pm on Saturday and 9 – 11 am on Sunday. Programming varies due to the timing of Board and committee meetings, groundbreaking ceremonies, etc. The programming for the coming weekend is as follows:

Saturday, 7/14, 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Audit, Budget and Finance Committee Meeting and the first half of the regular June board meeting.

Sunday, 7/15, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Audit, Budget and Finance Committee Meeting and the second half of the regular June board meeting.