Trustees of Texarkana College approved adding an Associate of Applied Science degree in Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning to the curriculum during their regular meeting Tuesday. It will pair the HVAC workforce certificate with core classes to give students an advanced option, TC's Vice President of Instruction Donna McDaniel said.
"We are already teaching the certificate classes, and then when they get the applied associate's degree it's just core classes added to those certificate programs," she told the board.
TC President James Henry Russell said Ronda Dozier, dean of workforce and continuing education, has worked to align all workforce certificates with an AAS option, and this was the final one that needed approval.
"There may actually be students that have already taken those classes," Russell said. "It can do great things for you, plus it can lead to a bachelor's degree later on in life."
The degree has been approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and now that it has board approval, it will be sent to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Once approved at that level, students will be able to declare this major in December.
"A lot of these will go on to a big company," Russell said. "Sometimes they do require an actual associate's degree. The more credentials they have in training, the further we believe they can go."
In other business. McDaniel also reported that dual-credit enrollment was up from last year, with preliminary reports showing 1,715 high school students taking courses this fall.
Reports also show total student enrollment to be 4,287, an increase of more than 130 students. Of those, almost 500 are entering college for the first time. The Continuing Education Department, which heads the Fire Academy, EMT and truck driving classes, also showed an increase.
"We believe that this increase in enrollment is due to our faculty and staff really trying to build a college-going environment here at Texarkana College, and we want to ensure our students have access and affordable high quality options here at TC," McDaniel said. "More and more students are taking advantage of going to a community college to save thousands of dollars over those classes at a four-year university."
Board members also voted unanimously to cancel the Nov. 8 trustee election, because no opponents filed against Place 1's Ken Reese and Place 2's Jane Daines. Notices will be posted at polling places on election day stating the race is uncontested, and the two members will be sworn in and giving election award certificates after that date.
TC saved approximately $10,000 by canceling the election.