PAC Convocation

THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS SENT ON BEHALF OF THE PAC PRESIDENT:

Dear Palo Alto College Administrators, Faculty and Staff,

Convocation day will be Monday, August 18. The ACCD Instructional Innovation Council has planned a district-wide convocation. This ACCD Faculty Convocation is scheduled for Monday, August 18, at San Antonio College’s McAllister Fine Arts Center beginning at 9:00 a.m. Breakfast will be served at 8:30 to 9:00 a.m. I will be joining you at this morning’s event. Palo Alto College will have its traditional Convocation Luncheon on Monday, August 18, in the PAC Student Center beginning at 11:30 a.m. As always we will continue to have required Faculty Development on Tuesday, August 19. A schedule for Convocation week is enclosed.

Our last academic year was most productive for Palo Alto College. Our Commencement Ceremony had a greater number of students than last year with a total of 302 walking in graduation. Rick Noriega, Texas representative from Houston, delivered the Keynote Address at the Municipal Auditorium on May 8th He challenged our students and faculty to become leaders in the community and to be very thoughtful about our important role in the community. This year’s commencement was held at the Municipal Auditorium, the first time in such a large venue. At commencement practice, I worried that we would be dwarfed by this new venue, but that evening it was amazing to see that auditorium full!

Palo Alto College is well underway in the ACC Capital Improvement Program (CIP). We have recently completed the construction of the Veterinary Technology building and the renovation of the Fine Arts building. The Vet Tech building has brought new surgical rooms, clinical pathology lab, parasitology lab, dog kennel and outside exercise area, 3 classrooms, pharmacy and x-ray room. This new facility has already enabled the Vet Tech program to increase enrollment to 50 students. The Fine Arts building renovation has also brought a new art gallery and kiln rooms to name a few.

Renovations

We are in the process of planning for the renovation of ten buildings, approximately 81,276 sq. ft. on campus. The renovation of the Palomino and Counseling Centers is expected to begin in August. The Business, Social Sciences, Applied Science, Math and Science, Gymnasium, Ozuna, Faculty Offices and Education Labs buildings will also be renovated over the next few years.

New Construction

We are in the process of constructing two additional buildings to include the Convocation, and Science and Workforce Building. The Convocation building will provide additional classroom space, a theater/auditorium with a seating capacity for over 450 students, a recital hall, dance studio, and recording studio. The Science and Workforce building will add over 20 additional classrooms and computer labs. The building will also host specialized workforce programs such as EMT, Hazwoper and Allied Health. These new buildings will bring an additional 95,423 sq. feet of classroom, labs and office space to the college.

This year’s faculty development day will focus on learning communities as well as security and emergency preparedness on campus. I look forward to a wonderful year with all of you.