Higher Education September 2007
Higher Education September 2007
Written by Rachel Youens and Grant Fuller Friday, 07 September 2007
Northwest Higher Education
By Rachel Youens
1 — Austin Community College - Northridge Campus, 11928 Stonehollow Dr. • Austin
This branch of the Austin Community College system is served by Capital Metro bus services and offers a collegiate environment in the area, including a Bevo’s bookstore, cafés and bars. It is one of only three ACC campuses to offer the Weekend College program, to help busy students earn a degree. ACC offers many classes targeted at Austin’s local industry such as computer assisted design and commercial music.
- Phone: 223-4782
- Website: www.austincc.edu/nrg/
2 — Cypress Creek Campus
1555 Cypress Creek Rd. • Cedar Park
In addition to serving students in far Northwest Austin, this campus also serves those LISD students involved in ACC’s College Connection partnership. Capital Metro does not offer bus service to this campus.
- Phone: 223-2010
- Website: www.austincc.edu/cyp/
3 — The Academy at Austin
15635 Vision Drive, Suite 107 • Pflugerville
This Paul Mitchell certified academy offers students an education in cosmetology and esthetics with both day and night classes. Students can get hands-on experience at the guest services salon, performing skin, nail, wax and hair services for customers.
- Phone: 251-1644
- Website: www.theacademyaustin.com/
4 — Texas Culinary Academy
11400 Burnet Road • Austin
Founded in 1981, the academy’s partnership with Le Cordon Bleu means students learn a combination of fine French and American culinary art. The Le Cordon Bleu school has existed in Paris since 1895, and students at the Austin branch learn the skills involved in the entire fine dining process from the kitchen to table. Students also gain experience at the school’s restaurant La Ventana.
- Phone: 837-2665
- Website: www.tca.edu/
5 — Devry Institute
11044 Research Blvd • Austin
This national technical college hosts a full campus in Northwest Austin offering bachelor’s and master’s degrees and business certifications. Some of Devry’s degree options include game and simulation programs, business administration and accounting.
- Phone: 231-2500
- Website: www.devry.edu/locations/campuses/loc_austin.jsp
6 — Letourneau University
8501 N. MoPac • Austin
Based out of Longview Texas, Letourneau is a Christian college with branches in five Texas cities. At the Austin campus Letourneau offers business degrees and teacher certification. One of the special business degrees the school offers is in aviation management.
- Phone: 346-6407
- Website: www.letu.edu/
7 — Academy of Oriental Medicine
2700 W Anderson Ln # 204 • Austin
This nationally accredited school teaches Oriental medicine and acupuncture. Most degrees take three to seven years and the school keeps class sizes small at eight to 28 students. The school hosts a student clinic where students get hands on experience and Austinites can find affordable acupuncture and herbal treatments.
- Phone: 454-1188
- Website: www.aoma.edu/
8 — University of Phoenix Austin
10801 N. MoPac • Austin
Now the largest private university in America, the University of Phoenix offers business and management master’s and bachelor’s degrees for working adults. Their combination of onsite and online classes are designed for busy schedules.
- Phone: 340-0944
9 — ITT Technical Institute
6330 Highway 290 East, Suite 150 • Austin
This nationwide private technical college offers four degree programs in drafting design, electronics technology, business and information technology. In addition to their academic offerings, the school also has student activities such as mentoring, clubs and career fairs.
- Phone: 467-6800
- Website: www.itt-tech.edu
10 — St. Edward’s University - Professional Education Center
9420 Research Blvd., Echelon III, Ste. 200 • Austin
The mission of this extension from the University’s south Austin campus is to bridge the gap between traditional academic education and the technology and management skills required by today’s fast-paced companies. This campus offers flexible times for classes in management and continuing education for several professions. Microsoft, CISSP, A+ and Network+ certifications are also available.
- Phone: 346-8110
- Website: www.pec.stedwards.edu
Concordia University Texas prepares for campus move
by Grant Fuller
After 80 years near the heart of downtown Austin, Concordia University will move northwest in 2008, giving itself plenty of extra breathing room.
The new campus will be located on 385 acres of land off RM 620 near Anderson Mill, an area that dwarfs the current 23-acre downtown location. However, about 65 percent of the university’s new acreage is untouchable for development because it is part of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve, a new asset that Concordia hopes to leverage for enhancement of its Environmental Science program.
Confined by space limitations at the current campus, the Board of Regents decided in 2005 to begin the search for a new home in Central Texas. After considering an $80 million option of sinking parking underground and building on top, the time came to look elsewhere.
“We started exploring if we could sell our property to help us buy something else, maybe we could pull off a relocation and get more land out of it in the end,” said Rev. Dr. David Kluth, vice president. “Our thought was we might be better off to just simply start over.”
The small private school, formerly known as Concordia University at Austin, recently changed its name to Concordia University Texas to better reflect the system’s statewide presence through non-traditional and adult education programs, and it also adopted a new logo. But the campus move is a greater concern for Kluth at the moment.
“I think once we got over the physical move hurt, other changes have not been as painful,” said Kluth, who has already moved his office to the new site. “I’m sure there will be a few people that will never forgive us for moving, but I think in a decade, the school will be flourishing, probably double the size, and I would hope that in retrospect, people will say it was a really good decision.”
Concordia will move into six existing buildings on the heavily wooded property at the head of Bull Creek, which was formerly used as a research and development facility by Schlumberger, an international oilfield services company. The current structures will be converted into two adjacent classroom and office halls, a fine arts center, an administration building, a cafeteria and a library. The campus will be divided into four villages: student learning, student life, student living and athletic. Further expansion is planned over the next 30 years.
Concordia’s president, Thomas Cedel, is pleased with the condition of the existing buildings and is thinking about changes that will begin to take shape after classes start on the new campus next fall.
“We’ll let the dust settle and let everybody get comfortable from that, and then step back and look at some of the things we can do differently,” Cedel said. “How do we integrate into the community? How do we integrate into the school districts?”
While Kluth and Cedel both say the Northwest Austin community has reacted positively to the news of Concordia’s arrival, the drastic change in location should present an interesting new challenge.
“It isn’t as visible, certainly, as IH 35 and the baseball field and the upper deck,” Kluth said. “I think we’ll have to work much harder than we have in the past making ourselves continually felt within the community through expanded academic programs and different PR efforts.”
A developer plans to raze the downtown campus as soon as Concordia faculty and staff clear out sometime next July. Many of the old buildings are beloved by alumni, and the historic change will be a bittersweet moment for many of those involved. The university does plan to salvage items of historical or sentimental value and find a place for them at Concordia’s new home.
“There’s going to be some strong emotions that are going to surface next spring when we call it quits, and we’re going to have to do a really good job when we bring people out here to acclimate them into this setting,” Kluth said. “I think they’ll love it, but there is probably a sense of loss. The reality is that the school is staying the same, but it’s moving to a different spot that can serve students better.”
0 Comments 
