Austin Community College

Austin Community College and the Travis County Sheriff’s Office have been working on getting this program off the ground for more than two years. The pilot is grant-funded.

About 70 ACC students spent the first weekend of ACL Fest learning the ins and outs of putting on a music festival as they prepare for careers in the industry.

The fall semester begins Monday for the first group of students participating in the college's free tuition program. More than 4,800 local high school graduates are taking advantage of it.

ACC administrators say the salary increase is higher than what other community colleges in Texas are offering. Groups representing faculty and staff had been pushing for an 8.5% raise.

High school graduating seniors are eligible for a free education at Austin Community College starting this fall if they live in the ACC service area. Those who do will not have to pay tuition or fees.

The ACC board of trustees voted Monday to approve the pilot program, which will launch this fall. The college’s main goal is to attract students who may not have pursued higher education.

Chancellor Russell Lowery-Hart says ACC estimates the pilot program would cost $7 million. The board is expected to vote on the plan in March.

ACC’s Make It Center aims to give people of all ages the chance to have hands-on experiences with a variety of fields, from manufacturing to health care. It’s set to open to the public this fall.

The 10-story highrise in Oak Hill was intended to be an office tower, but then the economy tanked and it was sold to the college.

The measure will allow the board of trustees to issue a $770 million bond to expand programs and facilities at its 11 existing campuses and build two more campuses.