As we see it: District future could be promising

Since 2004, the district has experienced immense growth in terms of enrollment, administration, physical facilities and even several name changes.

The identity of the Alamo Community College District shifted to Alamo Colleges after the board of trustees hired Bruce Leslie as chancellor in November 2006.

The district has seen a major overhaul of core business functions. Leslie added vice chancellors and associate vice chancellors and made way for consolidation of the five district colleges. At least, that's how many at the colleges see it.

This fear was only perpetuated by Leslie's drive for single accreditation after building the district's fifth college, Northeast Lakeview College in 2007.

The college needed accreditation yet its financial documents were not separate from the district and classes there were being offered by this college and St. Philip's.

It was a kill-two-birds-with-one-stone offering. Northeast Lakeview would receive its accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools by default.

Faculty were apprehensive of the logistical fallout. Would this mean one multicampus system and sacrifice the separate identities of the colleges? Would this college become the downtown campus?

In September, the four accredited colleges voted to determine faculty confidence in the chancellor's leadership. Of those who voted, 90 percent cast votes of no-confidence.

This did not resonate with the board, which followed with its own vote-of-confidence after the faculty votes were announced in the September regular meeting.

Minutes after presentations from faculty leaders, the board voted for a three-year extension of Leslie's contract costing the district $313,663.84 annually plus benefits. Also attached to the deal was a $15,000 per year retention bonus and $12,000 per year car allowance.

In November, Leslie collected a $30,000 retention bonus for staying for three years.

At around the same time, district officials searched for ways to cut the budget. When lab hours and student services were cut, district officials were quick to point out the colleges decided where to cut.

The chancellor created waves when his goal of a 50-50 ratio of full-time vs. adjunct faculty was established.

The district's enrollment grew 18 percent from 49,074 students in fall 2006 to 57,903 students in fall 2009 according to the district Factbook.

Fortunately, the district was already at work on a $450 million capital improvements program approved in November 2005 to construct facilities and renovate existing buildings to support growth. Nearly five years and 24 new buildings later, or about 1.3 million additional square feet, the remaining district CIP in the form of the renovations is under way.

The bond funded the building of Northeast Lakeview College and implemented information technology improvements. District officials reported in November at a community celebration that construction was completed on time and under budget, however, that budget had to be trimmed considerably because of construction inflation.

As of March 31, the capital improvement program has generated $323 million in cost savings, enabling additional renovations to existing buildings.

Current partnerships such as dual-credit programs, Gateway to College and Travis Early College High School are promising. Most recently Northeast Lakeview College created a merger with its Judson Early College Academy, and St. Philip's College is currently exploring its own early college high school program with Comal ISD.

New degree plans and curriculum alignment of core classes at the colleges in the district will enable students to have far more options than the ones that walked through the doors years ago.

Workforce training opportunities expand as partnerships and collaboration with companies like AT&T become reality. This was necessary to keep up with the rise in enrollment.

The future may see a sixth college. Trustees unanimously voted April 28, 2005, to purchase four tracts of land for a North Central campus on the west side of Interstate 10 north of Loop 1604 near the Kendall County line.

So far nothing has been planned for that site.

Another piece of land under heavy discussion includes the district's acquisition of the former Playland Park property at 2222 N. Alamo St.

The district purchased the 12.644-acre property for $4.13 million and considered it for a new administration headquarters in possible partnerships with the city.

Then there's Banner.

The adjunct paycheck debacle is behind us but ahead is the launch of student modules in the operating system. The mere mention of the word Banner incites sighs, groans and eye rolling in college employees, but we'll cross our fingers for smooth registration for the fall. The implementation of the $6 million software package could provide a few benefits, such as being able to sign up for a payment plan online instead of waiting in lines for hours.

The district has had the technology to process financial aid checks as direct deposit for years; however, we still stand in lines hundreds long.

So good luck to all the employees who will sit through hours of training to learn to program ... a room number? It's true.

But the future is not bleak. Perhaps one of the most challenging issues that the district will face in the coming years is not whether Banner worked the way we wanted , how much administrators are paid and what programs are underfunded.

The bigger picture is how the district will at least maintain the status quo if improvements in this austere season are not possible.

State appropriations have been declining for years and Gov. Rick Perry sent notice in January to prepare for the possibility of another 5 percent cut in state funds next fall.

The chancellor responded with a request for exemption because further cuts could require capping enrollment.