Alvin Community College in UHCL Pearland’s halls
Alvin Community College (ACC) courses will soon be available to ACC students at the UHCL Pearland campus.
The courses offered for the fall 2017 semester are English Composition 1301 and 1302, U.S. History 1301 and 1302, Federal Government 2305, College Algebra 1314, General Psychology 2301 and Principles of Macroeconomics 2301. The courses will be taught by Alvin faculty utilizing space at the UHCL Pearland campus.
Kathy Dupree, executive director of campus operations for the UHCL Pearland campus, said the agreement was mutual.
“Dr. Staples, [former] president of UHCL, saw an opportunity for UHCL Pearland Campus to provide lower-level college courses while Dr. Albrecht, president of Alvin Community College, needed additional classroom space for expansion,” Dupree said. “Both saw UHCL Pearland Campus as the perfect location and opportunity to grow especially with the exponential growth in population in Pearland.”
John Tompkins, communication coordinator for ACC, confirmed the coordinated expansion.
“ACC and UHCL have enjoyed a long, cooperative relationship,” Tompkins said. “Dr. Staples approached our president Dr. Christal M. Albrecht with this idea after our past successful ventures.”
The academic expansion is set to benefit Pearland students by providing a convenient location for higher education. Existing freshmen and sophomores at UHCL Pearland could also benefit from the expansion due to the location. If students are registered at both ACC and UHCL those students could take basic courses and upper-level courses at UHCL Pearland, eliminating the need to commute between campuses.
“These classes are available to all students eligible to take courses at ACC,” Tompkins said.
The classes bridge the gap for students who would choose to continue their education at UHCL Pearland. The distance between the campuses is a thirty-minute drive with minimal traffic. The introduction of ACC classes at Pearland campus allows students to alleviate the need to commute long distances in the process of continuing their education.
“ACC has an opportunity to provide courses to Pearland students,” Dupree said. “UHCL Pearland Campus also benefits since they can work with ACC students to make their transition seamless into the upper-level classes.”
Dupree and Tompkins said the addition will also benefit campus life at UHCL Pearland.
“I think we will see a younger student population since Alvin has a very favorable reputation for its dual credit program with the high schools,” said Dupree. “I expect we will see more activity on campus rather than the current commuter students we have who take their classes and immediately leave campus.”
ACC and UHCL Pearland anticipate the classes will increase the student population at both schools and strengthen the ties between the campuses.
“The more diverse class offerings are, the easier it is for students to complete their education,” Tompkins said.
This expansion provides extra room for ACC, a boost in student population for UHCL Pearland and future expansions on the Pearland campus should aid that growth.
“Once the Health Sciences and Classroom Building is completed in Spring 2019, I anticipate we will have a lot more Student Services activities offered on campus,” Dupree said.
Registration for the 16-week fall 2017 semester at ACC began May 30 and closes Aug. 23.
