Collin College

Collin College is a public community college district in Texas. As defined by the Texas Legislature, the official service area[3] of Collin College includes all of Collin County and Rockwall County and the portions of Denton County within the cities of Frisco and The Colony and the portions included within the Celina and Prosper school districts. Founded in 1985, the district has grown as the county has grown from around 5,000 students in 1986 to more than 58,000 credit and non-credit students.[4]

Not to be confused with Collins College (disambiguation).

Collin College
Former names
Collin County Community College (1985-2007)
Motto"We have a passion for: Learning, Service and Involvement, Creativity and Innovation, Academic Excellence, Dignity and Respect, and Integrity"
TypeCommunity college
Established1985
PresidentDr. Neil Matkin
Academic staff
1,443 (Full-time Faculty/Staff/Admin) and 1,321 (Part-time Faculty/Staff)[1]
Students58,383 (Credit and Non-Credit)[2]
Location
Collin County
,
Texas
,
United States
AthleticsNJCAA – NTJCAC
MascotCougar
Websitewww.collin.edu

Formerly known as the Collin County Community College District, CCCCD, or CCCC, the college re-branded itself "Collin College" in March 2007. The district headquarters is in the Collin Higher Education Center in McKinney.

Campuses
Plano Campus

The McKinney Campus (also known as Central Park Campus) opened in 1985.[5] The campus features include a multi-story parking garage, library, classrooms, offices, student development center and a clock tower. The campus library totals 73,500 square feet (6,830 m2). In January 2016, Collin College added a 125,000-square-foot state-of-the-art Health Sciences Center.[6]

The Plano Campus (also known as Spring Creek Campus) opened in fall of 1988.[7] By number of students, this campus is the largest and hosts the college district's fine arts and athletics[8] programs. The campus features a 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2) art gallery,[9][10] theatre center,[11] gymnasium (Cougar Hall), and tennis facilities. In January 2013, the college opened an 88,0000 square-foot library building with majestic architecture inspired by Thomas Jefferson’s design for the University of Virginia.[7]

The Frisco Campus (also known as Preston Ridge Campus) opened in July 1995. In 2014, thanks to a $2 million gift for scholarships by Roger and Jody Lawler of Frisco,[12] the campus renamed their 70,000-square-foot (6,500 m2) building from "D Building" to "Lawler Hall" in honor of the donation. Collin College's business and high-tech programs are centered at Frisco Campus. The culinary arts program[13] moved there in 2009.

The district administration is located in the Collin Higher Education Center (CHEC) in McKinney. The CHEC hosts – among other things – a number of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs from five North Texas universities: Texas A&M University-Commerce, Texas Woman’s University, The University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Tech University and the University of North Texas. Offerings vary per university. The center is located at the intersection of the Central Expressway (U.S. Route 75) and Texas State Highway 121.[14]

The Public Safety Training Center (PSTC) in McKinney provides reality-based training for law enforcement and firefighter cadets and active first responders. Training elements include law enforcement and firefighter training areas with simulated retail spaces, office buildings and living areas for reality-based scenario training, three firearms ranges, specialized gas-fired burn structures, a confined space rescue simulator, as well as other training obstacles. The facility, which was built in partnership with the cities of McKinney and Allen, opened in August 2018.

The Technical Campus,[15] located in Allen, opened in the fall of 2020. The campus provides workforce programs in fields including automotive, collision repair, computer-aided drafting and design, construction, electronics engineering, HVAC, welding and more. The campus features architecture unique among Collin College facilities, including an underground garage, a cantilevered third floor, and four buildings with large lab spaces dedicated to individual trade areas.

The Wylie Campus also opened in the fall of 2020.[16] Designed to support 7,500 students at capacity, the campus's opening allowed for the expansion of the college's veterinary medicine program. Th campus was built in cooperation with the city of Wylie, which donated approximately 44 acres across the street from the city's municipal complex toward the project.

The college broke ground on planned campuses in Farmersville and Celina in December 2019 and January 2020 respectively. Both of these planned campuses are expected to open by the fall of 2021.

Collin College also educates students at an education center in Rockwall[17] and a continuing education center in Plano. The following is a list of the college district's current and planned campuses.

Courtyard Center campus
  • Celina (under construction; planned to open fall 2021)[18][19]
  • Collin College Technical Campus (Allen)[20]
  • Collin Higher Education Center (McKinney)[21]
  • Courtyard Center (Plano)[22]
  • Farmersville (under construction; planned to open in spring 2021)[19]
  • Frisco Campus (Preston Ridge Campus)[23]
  • McKinney Campus (Central Park Campus)[24]
  • Public Safety Training Center (McKinney)[25]
  • Plano Campus (Spring Creek Campus)[26]
  • Rockwall Center[17]
  • Wylie[19][27]

2017 bond program and current Master Plan

The residents of Collin County approved a $600 million bond proposition in May 2017[28] to fund the college district's Master Plan. Master Plan projects which have been funded by the bond included the Technical Campus, the Wylie Campus, the Public Safety Training Center in McKinney, and safety upgrades to existing campuses. Outstanding projects funded by the bond include planned campuses in Celina and Farmersville, an information technology building at the Frisco Campus, welcome centers at the college's existing campuses, and other upgrades to improve student experiences throughout the district.

The Master Plan in place during the bond election was supplanted by a new Master Plan in 2020 that will guide the college through 2025. Priorities for the new Master Plan include: streamlining the college's administrative data systems to improve business processes and accommodate growth; implementing planned and future components of the comprehensive safety and emergency management plan; strategically expanding existing instruction and service delivery modalities to maximize access to college programs; examining and developing expansion plans for existing facilities and future programs to accommodate growth in the service area; completing phase III and IV projects from the previous Master Plan and prioritizing and repurposing available facilities; assessing current and proposed college facilities and extracurricular programs to identify and prioritize opportunities for improved student recruitment, engagement and success.[29]

Coronavirus deaths

The effects of this pandemic have been blown utterly out of proportion across our nation and reported with unfortunate sensationalism and few facts regardless of which news outlet one tunes into. It has become political in a pivotal election year and frankly, it has made our jobs all the more difficult.

— Matkin[30]

The school was criticized for its lack of transparency regarding COVID-19 on campus and risks of in-person classes. College president Matkin overruled faculty concerns in June 2020, stating the campus would remain open. In August 2020 he downplayed the virus, stating the national case count is "clearly inflated". Iris Meda, a recently retired nurse, had begun teaching nursing assistant classes in August 2020. She came in contact with a sick student in October and died in mid-November. The staff were informed of her death as an information item deep in an email titled "College Update & Happy Thanksgiving!"[30][31][32][33][34][35][36]

A student had also died in October, and a food service employee infection led to the closure of the cafeteria, though faculty only learned about the infections informally. The school closed its campus on December 14.[30][37][31][32][33][34]

Academics

In addition to associate degrees, the college has bachelor's degrees in cybersecurity and nursing established in 2019; this was the first time Collin College made its own bachelor's degrees available.[38] The college had worked with university partners to offer their bachelor's degrees at its Collin Higher Education Center.

Athletics

Collin College's athletic program offers scholarships in Men and Women's basketball and tennis. The teams are known as the Cougars and Lady Cougars. They compete in the North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference in the NJCAA Region 5.[39] The Lady Cougars won NTJCAC conference championships in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2020.[40]

The competition gym and tennis facilities are located on the Plano Campus (Spring Creek Campus).

Crisis intervention training

Collin College provides training for law enforcement officers in North Texas, especially in the Collin County and Dallas area. The training is certified by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, and is a forty hour class based on the Memphis training model. The training is in the classroom, with reality-based conflict resolution, with presentation by the mentally ill and professional mental health providers.

Notable faculty
  • Levi Bryant - Continental philosopher, influential figure of the Speculative Realism and Object-Oriented Ontology movements.
  • Ceilidh Charleson-Jennings — Recognized in 2013 as the Texas Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.[41]
  • Amina El-Ashmawy — Recognized in 2015 as a U.S. Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.[42]
  • Rosemary Karr — Recognized as a 2007 U.S. Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.
  • Tracey McKenzie — Recognized as a 2009 U.S. Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.[43][44]
  • Jennifer O'Loughlin-Brooks — Recognized in 2006 as the Texas Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.[45]
  • Greg Sherman — Recognized in 2012 as the Texas Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.[42]

References
  1. http://www.collin.edu/hr/personnel_head_count.html
  2. http://www.collin.edu/aboutus/statistics/index.html
  3. Texas Education Code, Section 130.175, "North Central Texas College District Service Area".
  4. https://communityimpact.com/dallas-fort-worth/city-county/2019/09/16/collin-college-marks-highest-enrollment-in-35-year-history/
  5. "Central Park Campus". Collin.edu. Retrieved 2015-07-24.
  6. Luna, Nichole (20 January 2016). "Collin College Opens New Cary A Israel Health Sciences Center". www.communityimpact.com.
  7. "Spring Creek Campus Library Design". Collin.edu. 2015-06-23. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
  8. "Collin College - Athletics". Collin College Athletics. Collin.edu. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
  9. "Collin College - THE ARTS Gallery". Collin.edu. Retrieved 2015-07-24.
  10. "Gallery Listings". TASA. Retrieved 2018-01-11.
  11. "Collin Theatre Center". Collin College. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
  12. "www.collin.edu/news/PressReleases/2013-2014/20140224lawlerGift.html". www.collin.edu. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  13. "Institute of Hospitality and Culinary Education". Collin.edu. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
  14. "Maps/Visit Us." (Archive) Collin College. Retrieved on July 17, 2013. "The Collin Higher Education Center (CHEC) opened for classes January 2010. Located in the northeast corner of the intersection of State Highway 121 and 75 Central Expressway, the CHEC is home to Collin College district offices and five university partners offering courses toward their baccalaureate and graduate degrees."
  15. contributor, Greg Ford, Star Local Media. "Collin College celebrates Technical Campus opening". Star Local. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  16. "Collin College holds Open House for Wylie campus today". Wylie News. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  17. "Rockwall Center - Collin College". www.collin.edu. Retrieved 2019-07-31.
  18. "Celina, TX - Official Website". Celina-tx.gov. Archived from the original on 2015-07-24. Retrieved 2015-07-24.
  19. Beattie, Chris. "Collin College to build Wylie campus, centers in Celina, Farmersville". Star Local. Retrieved 2018-01-11.
  20. "Collin College Technical Campus - Collin College". www.collin.edu. Retrieved 2019-07-31.
  21. "Collin Higher Education Center - Collin College". www.collin.edu. Retrieved 2019-07-31.
  22. "Courtyard". Collin.edu. 2014-05-28. Retrieved 2015-07-24.
  23. "Preston Ridge Campus - Collin College". www.collin.edu. Retrieved 2019-07-31.
  24. "Central Park Campus - Collin College". www.collin.edu. Retrieved 2019-07-31.
  25. "Public Safety Training Center - Collin College". www.collin.edu. Retrieved 2019-07-31.
  26. "Spring Creek Campus - Collin College". www.collin.edu. Retrieved 2019-07-31.
  27. "Collin College to open Wylie Campus in 2020 - Plano Profile Connecting Collin County". planoprofile.com. Retrieved 2018-01-11.
  28. Luna, Nicole (2017-05-07). "Collin College $600 million bond passes with more than 55 percent of the votes". Community Impact Newspaper. Retrieved 2019-07-31.
  29. "The Collin College Master Plan". www.collin.edu. Retrieved 2019-07-31.
  30. Bill Zeeble (11 November 2020). "Collin College Doesn't Post A COVID-19 Dashboard. Faculty, Students Ask Why". KERA News. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  31. Bill Zeeble (9 December 2020). "Collin College Ends In-Person Classes Until 2021, Publishes COVID-19 Dashboard". KERA News. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  32. Elizabeth Redden (24 August 2020). "College president faces criticism for how he communicated a professor's death from COVID". insidehighered.com. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  33. Wright, Lawrence (28 December 2020). "The Plague Year". The New Yorker. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  34. Andrea Salcedo (24 November 2020). "A 70-year-old came out of retirement to teach nursing. She died of complications from covid-19 after a student exposed her". Washington Post. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  35. Emma Pettit (24 November 2020). "'One of Us': A President's Message Stuns Faculty After Their Colleague Dies of Covid-19". CHE. Retrieved 7 January 2021. College Update & Happy Thanksgiving!
  36. "Retired only a few months, a nurse felt compelled to help. And then the virus hit her". nytimes.com. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  37. Bill Zeeble (29 October 2020). "Collin College Student Dies After Contracting COVID-19". KERA News. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  38. Panicker, Jobin (2019-06-20). "Collin College to offer four-year bachelor's degree programs". WFAA. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  39. "NJCAA Region 5". njcaaregion5.com. Retrieved 2016-06-12.
  40. "Wins Propel Basketball Teams into Post-Season". Collin College. 2020-02-24. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
  41. "State Winners : 2013 U.S. Professors of the Year" (PDF). Usprofessorsoftheyear.org\accessdate=2015-07-24. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-06. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
  42. "Texas State Professors of the Year". US Professor of the Year Awards Program. Council for Advancement and Support of Education. 2012. Archived from the original on 2013-04-16.
  43. Aujla, Simmi (November 27, 2009). "Professors of the Year: Award Winners Are Celebrated for Innovative Teaching". The Chronicle of Higher Education. LVI (14): A8.
  44. Anderson, Lindsey (November 18, 2009). "Four teachers named U.S. Professors of the Year". USA Today. Retrieved March 30, 2010.
  45. "Texas State Professors of the Year". US Professor of the Year Awards Program. Council for Advancement and Support of Education. 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2010.

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