Published: September 18, 2009 10:24 am      

ACC student credits on rise

Final 12th day numbers confirm a record-breaking number of students enrolled at the Austin Community College District’s seven campuses this fall.

The official fall 2009 enrollment stands at 40,248 credit students – up nearly 4,500 students compared with last fall. That’s an increase of more than 12 percent.

“We are experiencing significant growth,” says Dr. Stephen B. Kinslow, ACC president and CEO. “ACC provides affordable academic transfer courses that are important to increasing higher education participation rates in our community, and the college also is expanding workforce programs that train and re-train residents for high-demand careers.”

ACC saw a 19 percent rise in African-American students in fall 2009 (for a total of 3,543 African-American students). There was about 14 percent growth among Hispanic students (with a total of 10,065 Hispanic students). These increases contribute to a statewide goal of closing the college enrollment gap. Here is the fall 2009 student ethnicity breakdown:

• White – 23,043 students (+11 percent)

• African-American – 3,543 students (+19 percent)

• Hispanic – 10,065 students (+13.8 percent)

• Asian/Pacific-Islander – 2,222 students (+9.5 percent)

• American-Indian/Alaskan-Native – 349 students (+14.1 percent)

ACC is experiencing growth in all of its core curriculum programs, which reflects an increase in students who take their basic courses at ACC before transferring to a four-year institution.