'Love our students for success': ACC chancellor talks vision, power of community colleges

Russell Lowery-Hart, who was recently hired as chancellor of Austin Community College, is inspired by Bell Hooks' philosophy on the transformative power of love in organizations and communities. In his first three weeks leading ACC, he has carried the American writer's theory with him.

“We have work to do to improve the way that we love our students for success,” Lowery-Hart told the American-Statesman on Monday. “The transformations that our communities need from public spaces require our work to be personal.”

Lowery-Hart, who likes to be called Russell, led Amarillo College — an institution with about 12,000 students where he had served as president since 2014 — to win the prestigious Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence this year.

“I could have finished the next 10 years of my career in a place that I loved and cared for and had success with," he said of the community college in the Texas Panhandle. "But this (ACC) is the place that I applied for. It’s the only job I really considered.”

Lowery-Hart's interest in community colleges stems from their potential to innovate. And ACC was the only higher education institution on his radar because he said the resources, talent and district's size, as well as community partners in Austin, can help transform and evolve higher education. ACC, with its 11 campuses, has a total annual enrollment of more than 70,000, according to its website.

“The transformative degrees and certificates that are happening in higher education are happening in the community college world, not the university world,” Lowery-Hart said. “I think higher ed needs to save it from itself, and community colleges are the place where that's happening. And Austin Community College, specifically, is the place that I think can do it at a scale that can lead the country.”

Lowery-Hart said his "North Star" goal will center on graduation and retention, and part of that plan will be to offer students support so they can enhance their success, including by launching new student resource centers, like the three that officially opened at the Highland campus Monday.

'Students are struggling'

In his first 100 days, Lowery-Hart plans to visit all the college's campuses to meet students and staff and learn of their needs to help develop a plan for student success. Thus far he's visited three of ACC's 11 campuses and hosted community conversations.

Part of his improvement plan will include wholly supporting students, even outside of academics.

“We have an obligation to ensure that students can finish what they start,” Lowery-Hart said. “We have data that demonstrates students are struggling with food and housing insecurity, that they struggle with child care and transportation. Our students are less than a $500 emergency away from dropping out.”

ACC's three new student centers — a welcome center, a life center and a care center — at the Highland campus aim to connect students to food, resources such as housing and child care, and community. The goal is to expand those centers to each campus.

David Zuniga, the director of ACC welcome centers, said the centers have been in the works since 2015. He said they will serve both prospective and current students and will be a gathering place for students on campus.

At the care center, no one will be asked to demonstrate a need to receive services or food. Steven Christopher, associate vice chancellor of student accessibility and social support resources, said 1,500 students visited the center in the first month, without any school advertising.

“If they say they need something, we believe them,” Christopher said.

'Waiting for the action'

Lowery-Hart took the student centers tour Monday and asked students about their studies, their favorite horror movies and their needs at ACC.

Jackie Torres, a student, a Riverbat ambassador and an employee at the student life center, said her peers have been visiting the center. Torres also expressed gratitude for the chancellor coming in.

“I think the chancellor is awesome,” Torres said. “You would think that someone so higher up and so important wouldn’t do something like this, but for him to come in and talk to us and the students, I thought it was amazing.”

Elisha MacGregor, who is involved in student government and the ACC women’s volleyball team, presented Lowery-Hart with a signed volleyball from the team as a welcome gift.

“So far he is being welcoming and he’s been listening to what people say,” MacGregor said. “I want action, so I’m waiting for the action.”

She said she hopes the new chancellor helps find a facility for the volleyball team to play in, as it is currently training in a community center. She also hopes he listens to students when they open up about their needs.

Lowery-Hart, who received a doctoral degree from Ohio University in interpersonal communications with an emphasis on diversity and gender, said he is committed to supporting and empowering all students. And despite a new state law limiting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in higher education, he said he is committed to advocating for everyone.

“We’re going to be a place that respects our laws, even if we don't understand them,” Lowery-Hart said.  “It may challenge some of the language that we use, but it doesn't keep us from building support systems and deepening our knowledge and understanding of who our students are.”

Lowery-Hart said he is inspired by ACC's students and wants them and the community to know he is here for them.

“Our students, I don't think they understand or walk in the true power that they possess and the hope that they give me for our community and our country,” he said. “And I want them to know that we see them.”

This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: Austin Community College chancellor on how leads, pushes for success