El Paso Community College
HISTORY
El Paso Community College District was established in June 1969 when citizens of El Paso County voted to form a junior college district and elected a board of seven trustees to administer the college, but did not pass a tax or bond to fund the school. By 1971, the 62nd Texas Legislature appropriated funds and El Paso Community College became a reality, enrolling 901 students in September 1971. Official accreditation was received in December 1978, following the completion of an institutional self-study and a site visit by a Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) committee. SACS reaffirmed accreditation in 1983, and the revised Master Plan was enacted in 1984. In December 1994, the Board of Trustees adopted a five-year financial plan for remodeling, expansion, and construction of College District facilities. The College is currently one of the fastest growing community colleges in Texas serving over 27,000+ credit students.
CHARACTERISTICS
Total Enrollment: 28,168
% Admitted: n/a
% of First-Year Students Receiving Pell Grants: 68%
Retention Rate: 70%
Six-year Graduation Rate: 9%
INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY
EPCC’s Math Emporium is designed to assess student knowledge in mathematics, address their deficiencies in content knowledge, and provide students with an individual learning plan based on their needs. Students work at their own pace after an initial assessment at the beginning of the semester. The diagnostic assessment identifies student competencies, allowing students to focus only on the areas in which they have deficiencies. Because many students need guidance, instructors and tutors are available to students three class hours per week to offer just-in-time instruction. Instructors and students are provided with two options for the semester - one suggested calendar to pace their work to complete one math course and a second calendar to complete two courses. The Math Emporium model is designed to allow students to take responsibility for their learning while being provided with all the necessary individual support from instructors and tutors during their class time.