PLANT OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
This chapter examines Austin Community College's (ACC's) plant operation and maintenance functions in the following sections:
- A. Facilities Planning, Condition and Utilization
- B. Facilities Organization and Management
- C. Custodial Management
- D. Construction Program Management
- E. Energy Conservation and Management
- F. Safety and Security
- G. Transportation Services
Facility planning and managing construction and renovation projects are significant activities for most colleges or universities. Planning for facilities based on student growth, program needs and legislative requirements is essential to satisfy student needs without overcrowding or the use of substandard facilities or costly alternatives. An efficient system that ensures construction projects are properly managed can control costs, provide quality workmanship and help meet deadlines. Facilities must also be routinely maintained and cleaned to ensure a safe and healthy environment for students, faculty and staff.
Community colleges are the only segment of the state's higher education system that builds and maintains facilities without state financing. Local community college districts have taxing authority for this purpose. For this reason, most facilities standards and reporting requirements promulgated by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) for the other areas of public higher education are recommended but not required for community colleges. As a result, each community college district devises, to a large extent, its own facilities management plan.
BACKGROUND
ACC occupies six academic campuses and two administrative centers in the metropolitan Austin area. The sites range from four to 41 acres and average 18 acres. The college owns five of the campuses-Cypress Creek, Eastview, Northridge, Pinnacle and Riverside and leases the Rio Grande campus from the Austin Independent School District (AISD) in a carryover arrangement from the time when ACC was established as a part of AISD. The lease agreement runs through August 31, 2020.
The total physical plant consists of 997,445 gross square feet (GSF). There are 31 permanent academic buildings totaling 591,112 GSF, six buildings that are either administrative or non-academic totaling 198,611 GSF and eight leased facilities totaling 207,722 GSF. The leased facilities include the Rio Grande campus, faculty offices and storage. In addition, ACC operates seven evening centers at high schools in the out-of-district service area (Bastrop, Fredericksburg, Hays, Georgetown, Lockhart, Round Rock and San Marcos). Classes also are offered at AISD's Akins High School, the Highland Business Center and the Downtown Education Center, which is a leased facility.
ACC continues to expand, renovate and improve its academic facilities to support its educational programs in the eight-county service area. Construction of the new 89,000 GSF Health Sciences building, located on the Eastview campus, began in June 2002 with occupancy scheduled for fall 2003. Phase two of the project is tentatively scheduled for construction in 2004. Plans also include the 2004 renovation of the recently acquired Albertson's building to create the ACC south campus.
ACC has three primary sources of revenue-state reimbursement, local property tax and tuition. Capital construction is funded through the use of bonds that are repaid by student fees. No state funds are available for capital expenditures. Tax revenue can be used for the construction of facilities if designated through a bond election.