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Alamo Colleges' Construction On Target

In November 2005, San Antonio area citizens approved a $450 million bond package to construct new Alamo Colleges' facilities and renovate existing buildings.

Today, construction is right on target, with all new construction expected to be completed in August, said James N. McLaughlin, vice chancellor for finance and administration at the colleges.

“And to further accentuate the good news,” said McLaughlin, “through the combined efforts of our facilities management staff and consultants, the Alamo Colleges have realized nearly $10 million in savings on the cost of the projects.” According to McLaughlin, contractors for the various projects worked under a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) system, which measures the difference between the contractor’s actual costs and the GMP they previously submitted.

The newest Alamo Colleges entity, Northeast Lakeview College, realized cost savings of $4,116,533 working with commercial contractor Austin Commercial, L.P. Savings at San Antonio College totaled $2,713,780. The contractor was Vaughn Construction. Northwest Vista College savings totaled $2,150,000 with commercial contractor Bartlett Cocke, L.P. Savings of $488,588 were accomplished at Palo Alto College with commercial contractor Spaw Glass Construction. The grand total of savings was $9,468,901, which Alamo Colleges will apply toward completion of remaining projects, said McLaughlin.

According to Alamo Colleges' Chancellor Dr. Bruce H. Leslie, the bonds have additionally generated $27 million in interest revenue through December 31, 2008. “Since the capital improvement projects have been staggered over a period of three years, bond monies that have not been in active use have earned an additional interest of more than five percent. Together with the construction savings, there is now nearly $487 million available for new and improved facilities,” he said.

Denver McClendon, chairman of the Alamo Colleges' Board of Trustees, expressed satisfaction on its high-level performance. “It’s no accident that there have been savings on the capital improvement projects,” he said. “Bexar County students and citizens will reap the benefits of the rigorous fiduciary diligence of the Alamo Colleges' Board of Trustees and the outstanding work of staff and its partners.”

The bond project financed construction of the Alamo Colleges' new Northeast Lakeview College, which opened in fall 2008 at its new location near Loop 1604 and Kitty Hawk Road. This included site development, building the base campus and setting up a utilities infrastructure. It also enabled an upgrade of the Alamo Colleges' information technology capabilities with district-wide connectivity, a cyber information technology center and an infusion of resources to its distance learning and electronic communications systems.

At the other four colleges, the bond project has financed a number of new buildings, Among them, with their completion dates, are:

San Antonio College—Nursing and Allied Health Complex (fall 2008); Parking Garage (spring 2008); Academic Complex (fall 2008)

St. Philip’s College—Center for Health Professions, Learning Resources and Welcome Center (spring 2009); Diesel Technology Laboratory at Southwest Campus (spring 2009)

Palo Alto College—Convocation Center (spring 2009); Veterinary Technology Building (spring 2008); Science and Workforce Center (fall 2009)

Northwest Vista College—Academic Building (fall 2008); Theater and Fine Arts Complex (fall 2009); Library/Learning Center (fall 2008); Commons Building (spring 2009); Science Building (spring 2009)

Alamo Colleges Rate HIgh on Employee Survey

A recent survey reveals that Alamo Community Colleges employees are highly satisfied with their working environment. In a detailed survey of 1,460 ACC employees, 87% of all respondents indicated that they would recommend ACC as a place to work. The results of the Personal Assessment of the College Environment (PACE) survey, administered to Alamo Community Colleges’ employees in November 2008, “indicate a healthy campus climate.” ACC was rated exceptionally highly in these areas:

• The extent to which an employees’ job is relevant to institution’s mission
• The extent to which supervisors expressed confidence in employees work
• The extent to which students receive an excellent education at this institution
• The extent to which supervisors are open to the ideas, opinions and beliefs of everyone
• The extent to which student ethnic and cultural diversity are important at this institution
• The extent to which the institution prepares students for a career
• The extent to which the institution prepares students for further learning
• The extent to which faculty meet the needs of students
• The extent to which students are satisfied with their educational experience
• The extent to which employees are given the opportunity to be creative in their work
• The extent to which there is a spirit of cooperation within employees’ work teams

In the four prevailing conditions that affect morale, job satisfaction, and productivity—Supervisory Relationships, Institutional Structure, Teamwork and Student Focus—ACC scored higher in each category than the average of 45 other community colleges which have participated in the survey. The results also placed ACC in the high “Consultative System,” a designation denoting an organization where employees are significantly involved in the decision-making process, more decisions are made at the lower levels and influence is through the rewards process.

The purpose of the survey was to obtain the perceptions of personnel concerning the prevailing condition that affects satisfaction (e.g., morale and feelings) and productivity (e.g., task completion or goal attainment) at a particular point in time, and to provide data to assist ACC in improving employee satisfaction and productivity. Researchers at the National Initiative for Leadership and Institutional Effectiveness and representatives of ACC collaborated to administer the survey.

25 Community Leaders To Serve on Alamo Colleges' Fundraising Foundation Board

A diversified and distinguished group of 25 community leaders are lending their expertise and experience to take the Alamo Colleges' fundraising efforts to a new level. Their service on the Alamo Colleges' Foundation Board will be of significant value in Alamo Colleges drive to be recognized as the best community college system in the country.

The members of the Foundation Board of Directors are:
Jackie Van De Walle, Chairwoman, community volunteer and civic leader
Paul Young, Vice Chairman, Executive Vice President, Gunn Automotive Group
Edwin T. McQuiston, Treasurer, Senior Vice President, USAA
Katherine David, Secretary, Attorney, Oppenheimer Blend Harrison & Tate, Inc.
Michael Beldon, Chairman of the Board, Beldon Enterprises, Beldon Roofing Company
Steven A. Bennett, Executive Vice President/General Counsel/Corporate Secretary, USAA
Dr. Diana Burns-Bank, Pediatrician, South Texas Center for Pediatric Care
P. Gus Cardenas, AARP State President, State and Community Service
Charles J. Conner, Trustee, ACC Board of Trustees
Samuel G. Dawson, P.E., CEO, Pape-Dawson Engineers, Inc,
Erlinda Cortez Dimas, Senior Vice President, Siebert, Brandford Shank & Co. L.L.C.
Cappy Lawton, Owner, Cappy’s and La Fonda Restaurants
Milton Lee, General Manager/CEO, CPS Energy
Stanley H.R. Long, CRPC, RP, LUTCF, CSNA, Financial Advisor, Merrill Lynch
Jane H. Macon, Partner, Fulbright & Jaworski
Lou Miller, Agent, State Farm Insurance
George Ozuna, Jr., Consulting Engineer, Briones Engineering
Fernando Reyes, CEO/Chairman, Reyes Automotive Group
Louis Rowe, P.E., President, Goetting and Associates, City Councilman District 9
Alvaro Rodriguez, President, A Marketing & Service Company
Randy M. Smith, CPA, President & CEO, Randolph Brooks Federal Credit Union
Roberta Tiner, long-term community volunteer
Charles (Marty) Wender, Owner, Real Estate & Investments
Anthony White, Frost Bank Public Finance
Roberto Zárate, Trustee, ACCD Board of Trustees

The ACCD Foundation Board’s primary focus is supporting the Alamo Colleges by raising funds for scholarships. Its scope has broadened to include raising funds for, and supporting, faculty and staff development, curriculum development, equipment and capital improvement projects. The Alamo Colleges award more than $800,000 annually in scholarships from funds raised by the Foundation Board.

Alamo Colleges Representatives Discuss Army AVOTEC Program

The Lackland Off-Site Coordinator along with representatives from SAC, PAC, SPC continuing education departments, Fort Sam Houston Soldier and Family Assistance Center and ACC Business Outreach participated in a meeting to discuss the Army AVOTEC pilot program. This pilot program is designed to provide increased opportunity for Soldiers and Wounded Warriors to acquire technical, vocational or advanced training, and retraining. This program provides tuition assistance for Army active duty military members enrolled in continuing education courses leading to a certification or licensure. To be included in this pilot program, Alamo Colleges representatives agreed to submit necessary paperwork to the Army.

The Alamo Colleges on Cable TV

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 21. This section of the Chancellor’s Weekly Report provides 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 3/21, 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
First half of the Regular Board Meeting from March 17

Sunday 3/22, 7, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Second half of the Regular Board Meeting from March 17, followed by the Academic Accountability and Student Success Committee Meeting of March 17 and the Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee Meeting