Student Support Services and Resources

San Antonio College provides student support programs, services, and activities consistent with its mission that are intended to promote student learning and enhance the development of its students. Most student support programs, services, and activities are administered through the Division of Student Success. Additionally, student support activities such as academic advising by faculty mentors is administered through the Division of Academic Success. Other student support programs are administered by the Alamo Colleges District Support Offices such as the Office of Student Financial Aid and the Office of the Bursar.

The Division of Student Success supports the mission of the college by serving to support and enhance the academic experience of a diverse student body resulting in student success in retention, progression, and completion. As a critical component of a comprehensive community college, the Student Success Division is committed to excellence in the provision of programs and services that will maximize student access, learning, and development. The following section presents an overview of the student support programs, services, and activities provided by the Division of Student Success with an explanation of how each area aligns with the mission and strategic objectives of the institution.

Support Programs, Services, and Activities through San Antonio College’s Division of Student Success

The Division of Student Success is the primary area that provides support programs, services, and activities at San Antonio College. The mission of the Division of Student Success is “to support and enhance the academic experience of a diverse student body resulting in student success. As a critical component of a comprehensive community college the Student Success Division is committed to excellence in the provision of programs and services that will maximize student access, learning, and development.” To accomplish its mission, the Division of Student Success has organized comprehensive programming, activities, and services through the units/departments listed below:

1. Enrollment Services

2. Advising and Counseling

3. Services for Women and Non-Traditional Students (SWANS)

4. Disability Services

5. Veterans Services

6. Student Life

7. Student Learning Academic Center (SLAC)

8. Retention Services

9. Outreach and Recruitment

10. Student Conduct and Title IX

11. Financial Aid

12. Bursar’s Office

13. Pre-College Programs

1. Enrollment Services: The Enrollment Services department includes Admissions and Records and the Assessment Center. These services are available via email, telephone, and face-to-face contact. In addition, extended hours and weekend hours are available. The Enrollment Services department supports the mission of the college by providing activities and services that promote and support students’ college experience from connection through completion.

Admissions and Records services include assisting students with requesting transcripts, registration (add/drops), enrollment verifications, and certifying student eligibility for graduation. In person and online, students are able to get information on applying for admissions, applying for student financial aid, academic calendars, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy ACT (FERPA) and Bacterial Meningitis vaccination compliance and vaccine resources. Admissions and Records has compiled a wealth of helpful information for prospective and incoming students to ease their transition to San Antonio College under the Future Students tab of the college’s homepage, including a list of the advantages of attending San Antonio College, an enrollment checklist for first-time-in-college students (FTICs) and transfer students, information about group academic advising and advising requirements for FTICs, student housing, new student orientation and paying for college. Prospective students and their families can fill out an online Request for Information form to answer any admissions questions they may have, and the Future Students webpage links to San Antonio College’s social media outlets for more information and events listings. The Future Students webpage has a direct link to ApplyTexas.org, the website all public colleges and universities in Texas use for admissions applications. This is the first step students take in the enrollment process. The Admissions and Records department homepage provides links to various online “how to” videos related to requesting a transcript, dropping classes, getting a Banner ID through the ACES student portal, applying for admission, and viewing final grades.

For more information on the requirement for Bacterial Meningitis vaccination, please visit the website.

The Assessment Center ensures that each incoming student complies with Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirements for college placement testing and provides testing services to assist with compliance. Staff also review outside agency’s placement test reports to determine students’ eligibility for college credit through programs such as Advanced Placement (AP) testing, and the Center links students with other tests/assessment programs on campus and through the college district, including CLEP exams, the GED exam, English-as-a-Second-Language (ESLA) exams and the college district’s Prior Learning Assessment and College Credit for Heroes programs, where students can get college credit after a satisfactory review of their job skills or military experience. If a student’s college placement exam score shows they have tested below “college-ready” competency in mathematics, the Assessment Center will refer them to San Antonio College’s PASS Math program, which offers a series of week-long refresher courses that are designed to help students “brush up” on their math skills and retake the TSI exam with confidence, hopefully reducing, or completely eliminating, the number of non-credit-bearing remedial math courses they are required to take by increasing their TSI exam score. Students work with a customizable computer program called ALEKS Math and have an instructor present to assist them in comprehending topics they find difficult.  Please visit the Assessment website.

The Assessment Center is also responsible for managing the college’s ID Center, which issues student identification cards to eligible students. The Center website has a list of hours and numerous links to test preparation resources for students.  Please visit the ID Center website.

2. Advising and Counseling: The Advising and Counseling department includes the following services: academic and career advising, case management, personal and crisis counseling, the Transfer and Career Center (TRAC), online advising, and community partnerships. These services are available via email, telephone, face-to-face contact, and online. In addition, extended hours and weekend hours are available. The Advising and Counseling department supports the mission of the college by taking an active role with the student by engaging and facilitating their learning experience through career and personal exploration, and educational goal attainment in a professional and caring manner.

Advisors play a vital role in the educational endeavors of students by providing a variety of advising services at key points in the matriculation process and in students’ subsequent academic career. Academic advisors assist students with assessment score interpretation, degree plans, transferring to senior institutions, course equivalency guides, and registration.

All new students must attend a New Student Orientation session prior to the start of classes. Sessions explain registration procedures and scheduling classes, assessment score interpretation, how to read a degree/transfer plan and identify necessary courses, how to calculate total credits, how to access campus resources and how to prepare for crucial deadlines. Also, students are shown how to choose and register for a required Student Development course and register for courses via the web using the ACES portal. Academic advisors address individual questions that pertain exclusively to students’ academic needs. Students who have not earned 15 college credit hours are required to attend.

New students are assigned to academic advisors in the Advising and Counseling department upon completion of New Student Orientation. These advisor assignments are based upon a student’s concentration and/or career pathway. After 30 earned hours, students will begin receiving advising from faculty advisors of the department housing their majors or certificate programs. Declared Liberal Arts students will continue to be advised in the Advising and Counseling Center through graduation or transfer to another institution. A student’s assigned advisor can assist them with academic and career advising along with coaching them through academic recovery concerns such as probation and dismissal.

Personal and crisis counseling is available for students who are experiencing challenges that impact their academic success. Personal and crisis counseling is provided to students through appropriate assessment, a maximum of three personal counseling sessions, thematic group sessions, and referrals to community resources as needed. Counselors are equipped to perform crisis intervention as necessary. The counseling office also offers a number of activities throughout each semester that are designed to enhance students’ engagement and connection with the college.  Please visit the Advising and Counseling website.

The San Antonio College Transfer and Career Center (TRAC) focuses on connecting students to transfer and career opportunities. To help better prepare students, an array of services are offered such as transfer advising, career advising, degree and transfer planning and transfer and job fairs. TRAC provides students with access to a variety of online career exploration resources to help them chose a path of study, including the college district’s Career Coach program, where students can create a personal profile that links them to jobs in their field(s) of interest and a corresponding educational pathway from high school to graduate-level study, and MyAlamo Career, a “virtual career placement center” that offers a more interactive career exploration experience. TRAC’s FOCUS software is a self-paced, online career and education planning tool that allows students to assess their personal qualities and how they relate to careers and major areas of study, and Optimal Resume helps students create powerful, persuasive resumes that will make them stand out in the market. TRAC’s Career Resource Library provides numerous links to occupational information and outlook resources, and the Center’s website has a list of transfer plans and a list of universities that have established articulation agreements with San Antonio College and our college district, allowing students to transfer the maximum number of credits earned at the community college level.

TRAC Center staff link students with scholarship opportunities and assist with transfer admissions and financial aid processes. They also provide training and information to advisors and faculty advisors regarding the transfer process and transfer university requirements. The Center refers students to contacts at senior colleges or universities to ensure that appropriate courses are taken at San Antonio College for their transfer degree plan.

Advising and Counseling also partners with the non-profit San Antonio Education Partnership (SAEP), an organization that provides motivation for at-risk students in 24 high schools throughout San Antonio. SAEP offers San Antonio high school students an eight-semester college scholarship if they commit to earning a “B” grade average and keeping a 95% attendance rate vetted upon graduation from high school. The SAEP Retention Program at San Antonio College assists SAEP participants in the transition from high school to college by providing academic support services, including intrusive advising, degree plan assistance, social activities, and additional scholarship opportunities.  Please visit their website for more information.

3. Services for Women and Non-Traditional Students (SWANS): SWANS includes the following programs/services: the Women’s Center, Seguir Adelante, and Mi Casa. Services are provided to residents within the San Antonio and greater Bexar County. Services offered through these programs are available via e-mail, telephone, and/or face-to-face contact at the Empowerment Center on the San Antonio College Campus. SWANS supports the mission of the college by advocating for and empowering women and non-traditional students and community members by transforming their lives through a comprehensive system of quality and retention services.

The Empowerment Center opened in 2009 and serves as a one-stop center for education, career, scholarship opportunities, employment and economic empowerment services for both students and the community. SWANS also offers several scholarship programs and has hosted an annual Women Empowered (WE) Conference for the past 13 years. This free, one day outreach/recruitment Conference was developed to provide outreach into our community to a much underserved population: women who are considering a return to school who are often overlooked in traditional outreach efforts. Conference workshops provide information on topics such as overcoming fears and gaining confidence in order to reach personal and educational goals. Information on GED preparation and testing, college enrollment, financial aid, and short-term technical certificate programs as well as personal and professional development is provided.  Please visit their website for more information.

A description of each SWANS program is as follows:

The Women’s Center was established in the spring of 1981 to provide comprehensive educational and other supportive services to meet the needs of displaced homemakers, women in transition and single parents. Over more than 30 years, the center has developed an extensive array of services to enhance students’ abilities, expand their resources and raise their self-esteem. Services include course advisement, degree plan development, textbook and transportation assistance, scholarship and financial aid resource identification and health workshops.

The Seguir Adelante Adult Re-Entry Program, established in 1997, and the Mi CASA (Career Assistance and Self Sufficiency) Program, established in 2007, were both initially funded by Hispanic Serving Institutions Assisting Communities (HSIAC) grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. These programs were developed to meet a community need for pre-college preparation and workforce/career development services. Seguir Adelante targets low-income San Antonio residents, single parents, first-generation college students, public housing residents, homeless individuals or individuals in transitional housing, individuals without a GED, and veterans. The program provides services for adults who wish to attend college or enter the workplace, including TSI voucher assistance, academic/degree plan advisement, admissions assistance, registration/enrollment assistance, and academic remediation in Math, Reading, and Writing, comprehensive case management and supportive services.

SWANS’ GED-to-College Transition program focuses on GED instruction and college transition services to low-income non-traditional student populations. This unique, award-winning program is a collaboration with SAISD Adult Education Department with funding by SAISD, the City of San Antonio, and San Antonio College. This comprehensive program provides under-educated community members college access and support that is considered a “best practice” among the Colleges of the Alamo Colleges District.

Mi CASA helps low-to-moderate-income families become self-sufficient by helping them find employment and by providing them with comprehensive career development and other services in a one-stop environment. The program provides individual career counseling, a Career Transition Lab (CTL) for job search, career exploration, financial literacy, and family support services, including hosting representatives of various social service agencies.

4. Disability Services: The disABILITY Support Services (dSS) department includes the following services: advising, counseling, accommodations, tutoring, access to a computer lab, academic testing, TSI testing, guidance to the institution on disability-related laws and regulations; provide alternate formatting of text materials; campus and community referrals. These services are available via email, telephone, face-to-face contact. In addition, extended hours and weekend hours are available.

dSS supports the Mission of the college by ensuring equal access for students with disabilities to all academic and co-curricular opportunities offered by the institution. dSS provides guidance & leadership to the San Antonio College community to ensure compliance with legal requirements for access as well as empowering students to achieve student success. dSS promotes student learning and development outcomes that are purposeful, contribute to students’ realization of their potential, and prepare students for satisfying and productive lives. We also provide guidance to faculty and staff members in providing reasonable and effective accommodations, work with faculty to ensure the accommodations do not fundamentally alter the essential components of courses, and provide guidance to the institution on disability-related laws and regulations.  For more information, please visit their website.

5. Veterans Affairs: The Veterans Affairs (VA) department is combined with dSS and offers academic advising, counseling, tutoring, certification, campus and community referrals, and opportunities for San Antonio College & civic engagement. These services are available via email, telephone, face-to-face contact. In addition, extended hours and weekend hours are available. San Antonio College’s VA supports the Mission of the college by providing services for student veterans and their eligible dependents in utilizing\ their educational benefits to achieve student success.

San Antonio College VA assists student veterans and their family members with transitioning from military service to higher education by providing counseling and academic advising. VA also makes available certifying paperwork for student veterans for all applicable educational benefits and obtains, distributes, and provides referrals to current information on educational benefits for veterans. The department works closely with Admissions & Records, Residency, and Advising to streamline campus administrative procedures for student veterans. San Antonio College VA has also established a Student Veterans Association for the first time at San Antonio College, providing opportunities for veterans to connect with their peers and the campus-wide community. This association promotes intrapersonal development and interpersonal competence amongst its members.

San Antonio College VA is also the only student veterans affairs office in the college district that has secured a partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) through a grant from the VetSuccess on Campus program. This partnership brings a VA counselor to serve our students through San Antonio College VA full-time. Our VetSuccess on Campus counselor also works with San Antonio College VA to help foster professional connections with the DVA, which strengthens our advising services and referral network.

Please visite their website for more information.

6. Student Life: The Office of Student Life (OSL) provides campus activities, civic engagement and service, cultural awareness series programming, health promotions, New Student Orientation, recreational sports (intramural and extramural), administrative guidance for registered student organizations, and student leadership development opportunities. These services are primarily available face-to-face through on-campus and off-site interaction, but some events are made accessible for online populations via social media and OrgSync, a social media platform that connects all students to faculty and the college’s numerous student organizations. Information about all of OSL’s events is available via e-mail, telephone, online, and face-to-face contact. Extended hours and weekend hours are available for some events.

OSL supports the mission of the college through the students’ development of, exposure to, and participation in programs and activities that improve student engagement, orientation, communication skills, teamwork, social and personal responsibility, leadership and performance. Campus activities includes large campus festivals, weeks of welcome, live music, karaoke, contests, novelty acts, performers, comedians, and movie nights. Student leadership opportunities include two honor societies Phi Theta Kappa - Beta Nu chapter and the National Society for Leadership and Success, and the college district’s Student Leadership Institute. Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) number between 40-50 active student organizations each year, and each club is either cultural, political, professional, religious, or special interest in nature.

Through the Civic Engagement and Health Promotions office, students can participate in a variety of hands-on, service-related activities and awareness programming focused on living a healthy lifestyle, alcohol and drug abuse awareness, stress management, and STD/HIV testing. Cultural awareness series programming includes four primary recognized celebrations: Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month, Women’s History Month, and LGBT History/Coming Out Month. Recreational Sports include intramural single-day activities, intramural leagues, and extramural team sports.

New Student Orientation (NSO) recently became mandatory for all first-time-in-college (FTIC) students at San Antonio College. OSL staff work in collaboration with all other Student Success departments, especially Advising, and academic departments to orient students to available services, the physical campus, online resources, student conduct expectations, personal and property safety, and collegiate expectations in the classroom. NSO culminates in group advising and student self-registration for their first semester coursework. The OSL website also has a list of student resources and parking information for incoming freshmen to reference.

SAC OSL also manages the Student Fitness Center, which offers elliptical machines, treadmills, stationary bikes, fixed weight machines, and free weights. The Center is open to students, faculty, staff and community members from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday.  For more information, please visit the Student Life website.

7. Student Learning Academic Center (the SLAC Lab): The SLAC Lab includes the following services: tutoring, peer mentoring, supplemental materials, exam proctoring and a computer lab for student use. SLAC supports the mission of the college by engaging and supporting students to become confident and independent learners while providing academic support in a safe environment. SLAC Lab staff are committed to provide great service to all students. SLAC’s Peer Mentoring program utilizes experienced college students engaging with FTICs to successfully guide them through the college experience. Peer mentors lead by example and provides encouragement and support that helps students discover their own abilities to succeed.  For more information, please visit their website.

8. Retention Services: The Retention Services department has several programs and initiatives that span academic, student support, and co-curricular engagement programming. These include Learning Communities (LC), Partnerships and Extended Services, the San Antonio College Honors Academy, and the Minority Male Success Initiative (MMSI). The Retention Services department supports the mission of the college by supporting and enhancing the academic experience through programs that facilitate and support student success. Services are delivered through a series of programming activities and workshops for students as well as training for faculty and students. The aim is to engage faculty and staff in the teaching and learning process so that student success can be achieved.

Partnerships and Extended Services provides the following services: coordination learning opportunities through our Weekend & Evening College and off-site centers (Central Texas Technical College and Fort Sam Houston). The office increases access to learning opportunities by providing courses to students through an evening and weekend program. The office also works closely with CTTC in New Braunfels and Fort Sam Houston to offer courses at those locations and ensure that students are receiving adequate services to be successful.

The San Antonio College Honors Academy was founded in May 2011 to replace the college’s former Presidential Honors program that provided scholarships to a select few dozen San Antonio College students and offered special sections of courses in English, U.S. History, Western Civilizations, Government, Speech, and Philosophy. The ultimate goal of the new San Antonio College Honors Academy is to create a community of success that reflects the diversity of the student population at San Antonio College, builds alliances with the college’s neighborhood majority minority, low-income, promotes graduation and transfer among all of its students, and better prepares students for success following transfer to senior institutions of higher education. The Academy also serves as a community were some of the most dedicated and innovative faculty from across disciplines at San Antonio College test and incubate best practices for the wider college community.

Approximately one year after the redesigned San Antonio College Honors Academy debuted, the Jessie Ball DuPont Fund awarded San Antonio College a $152,000 grant to support the Academy’s new focus on recruiting a larger, more diverse population of qualified high school students, particularly those in neighboring inner-city, at-risk Title I and Title III schools. San Antonio College Honors Academy students now benefit from an expanded program with comprehensive services that, although rooted in best practice, are rarely available at resource-poor community colleges like ours. DuPont has provided funding for technology, office supplies, and compensation for faculty to redesign and integrate their curriculum and to become better academic advisors. DuPont-funded release time supports the efforts of the Coordinator of the Academy to recruit students while in high school, to train and supervise the Academy’s work study personnel/peer mentors (partially funded through duPont), and to coordinate various activities for students and faculty in the Honors Academy Center.

The Minority Male Success Initiative was created in 2013 to improve the success rates of our minority male students. Support services underway are focus groups, a future men’s conference, leadership training and mentoring services that will promote minority male student success.

9. Outreach and Recruitment: The Office of Outreach & Recruitment promotes a college-going culture and provides access to higher education so that students can reach their full potential. The office functions include College Connection, the San Antonio College Welcome Center, Community Activities, and also some Graduation Initiatives.  Please visit their website.

Area high school students are introduced to San Antonio College through our recruitment program called College Connection. College Connection staff visit our feeder high schools to provide college information and promote a college-going culture.  For more information, please visit College Connection.

The San Antonio College Welcome Center serves as a center for admissions processes that is aimed to assist students with college application submission, transcript submission, bacterial meningitis verification, and residency information. It also serves as the main entry to the campus, where prospective and current students and visitors can learn how to access college facilities and programs. The Welcome Center is located on the bottom floor of the Tobin Lofts building, a mixed-use student and employee housing apartment/retail complex on the south side of San Antonio College’s campus.  More information on the Welcome Center at San Antonio College, please visit their website.

For Community Activities, the office has partnered with elementary schools to promote college readiness through ISD campus visits, college days, student-led town hall meetings, and through a Big Brothers/Big Sisters Mentoring Program. They also collaborate closely with the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to provide an annual CORE 4 STEM Expo to promote STEM careers in K-12.

Graduation initiatives motivate students toward completion. Students are recognized for academic achievement and personal success through the Distinguished Graduate Program. Each academic program has the opportunity to select a Distinguished Graduate to represent the program at the graduation ceremony and also participate in Graduation Push Week. Graduation Push Week is a celebration for students who are eligible for graduation and an opportunity to increase awareness. Graduation Push Week also provides students opportunities to learn more about the graduation application process and provides incentives for submitting their application early.

10. Student Conduct and Title IX: The Office of Student Conduct and Title IX oversees student conduct, Strategies for Behavioral Intervention (SOBI), and Title IX compliance. This office supports the mission of the college by empowering our diverse student population to continually view proper conduct as a wise undertaking as well as an integral part of personal development and academic success. Student conduct staff work diligently to develop and disseminate written information about all aspects of the Student Code of Conduct to the college community, and the Office of Student Conduct and Title IX provides a process to report troubling incidents to encourage a safer learning environment for all students. Staff conduct thorough and equitable investigations and determine outcomes based on a preponderance of evidence and assign sanctions as warranted. In-service training and student information workshops are also conducted. The college district provides information and guidance on Title IX compliance through a district Title IX Coordinator and the district Vice President for Student Success. The district has also posted a series of online FAQs for students, faculty, staff and community members.

The SOBI Team meets weekly to address concerning behavior reported via an internal report form and refers students in need to appropriate on campus and off campus resources. The SOBI Team also conducts training sessions for faculty and staff on “red flag” behaviors and processes for referrals to the SOBI Team. The team continuously evaluates processes and policy to ensure best practices are reached. The Office of the Vice President for Student Success currently addresses Title IX complaints. All cases are received through the Vice President for Student Success Office and evaluated for referrals for investigation, counseling, and off campus resources. The Title IX Team coordinates Interim Measures across campus and acts as a liaison to the Investigative Team to ensure an efficient and effective process. The Title IX Team also collaborates across campus to provide educational activities to students, promoting Title IX awareness and reporting information.  For more information on Student Conduct, please visit their website.

11. Financial Aid: San Antonio College Financial Aid 1) informs students about their tuition and fee payment options, 2) helps them apply for financial aid, including assistance with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), 3) processes all financial aid applications to determine students’ eligibility for financial assistance, including Pell grants and scholarships, 4) processes all financial aid packages that are awarded to students to ensure their tuition and fees are covered, and 5) in close collaboration with the college Bursar and Enrollment Services, processes all financial aid payment plans and refunds when necessary. Financial Aid services are administered at the college district level. There is a full-time Financial Aid Director and full- and part-time staff devoted to serving San Antonio College.  For more information, visit Student Financial Aid website.

12. Bursar: The Bursar’s Office processes cash payments, online payments and third-party vouchers, sets up tuition payment plans and issues refunds, departmental deposits and collections. These services are available via e-mail, telephone, face-to-face contact, and online. Extended hours and weekend hours are available. The Bursar’s Office supports the mission of the college by providing innovative technology for our customers with necessary services to fulfill their financial obligations.  For more information, visit their website.

13. Pre-College Upward Bound (UB) Programs: These programs provide engagement and outreach to high school students and support the Mission of the college by helping students achieve their full potential through preparing them to be college ready as they enter higher education.

San Antonio College’s dual credit program allows high school juniors and seniors to enroll at San Antonio College, within the Alamo Colleges District to earn college-level credit, while at the same time fulfilling high school academic requirements. Dual credit courses are offered at the local and area high school campuses, as well as selected online courses. The dual credit program serves high school juniors and seniors who have met the minimum college placement testing requirements in the areas required for the course being taken, as well as the identified deadlines within the school district students are attending. San Antonio College makes final determination on all admissions to the dual credit programs for courses that are offered through our college. San Antonio College’s dual credit office is staffed by a full-time Director and three full-time school district Liaisons.

San Antonio College’s federally funded pre-college programs include three TRIO Upward Bound programs, an Upward Bound Classic and two Upward Bound Math and Science programs that serve four San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) high schools. TRIO programs are funded by the U. S. Department of Education. Upward Bound Projects provide fundamental support to low-income and first-generation high schools students in their preparation for college entrance, including academic and career advising, case management, tutoring, academic, college readiness and leadership instruction, college entrance exam preparation, assistance with financial aid, college admissions and scholarship application assistance, peer mentoring; summer bridge opportunities, summer work study opportunities, field trips/college campus visits/cultural trips, and service-learning opportunities.

Alamo Colleges Police Department

The Alamo Colleges District Police Department was organized and commissioned for the safety and protection of the College community; to ensure its orderly day to day operation; to render aid, assistance, and service to its people; and in general, to strive to maintain conditions conducive to the pursuit of learning. Police Officers are on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They are uniformed, armed, and while patrolling, whether in a marked vehicle or on foot, are equipped with a two-way radio and other necessary equipment to efficiently do their job. The Alamo Colleges District Police Department also has bike patrols assigned to all campuses between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. The bike officers patrol the interior of all campuses as well as the parking lots.

The primary objective of the patrol officers is to provide a safe environment for the students, employees, and the community. Police duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Responding to calls for service.
• Providing escorts.
• Non-emergency requests.
• Community relations.
• Crime prevention activity.

In addition to the patrol officers, there are 69 emergency phones located throughout the campus and in campus parking lots. The emergency button on the phones is a direct line to the Alamo Colleges District Police Department Emergency Communications Division. The phones, which should be used in emergency situations only, include a speaker to communicate with the dispatcher and a blue strobe light to help officers locate the call. The emergency telephone number is 210-485-0911.

If assistance is needed for battery failure, locked keys, or a low tire, a courtesy patrol is available for service by calling the 24-hour non-emergency line at 210-485-0099.  And, for information on college closures due to inclement weather or other emergencies, dial 210-485-0189.

Follow the Alamo Colleges District Police Department on Facebook for campus safety information.

Cyber Cafe

Cyber Cafe was established in September 2001 through the joint efforts of Academic Development and the Technology Center. The cafe is located on the second floor of the Loftin Student Center.

The cafe is lovingly dedicated to the memory of Dr. Roger Bailey. Dr. Bailey began his extensive career at San Antonio College in 1971. Over the years, his brilliance, altruism, and humanity won him many friends and admirers among students, faculty, and staff at San Antonio College.  Visit their website.

Food Services

The cafeteria is located in the Loftin Student Center and is available to all students, staff, and faculty at San Antonio College. Its hours of operation during the Fall and Spring semesters are from 7 a.m.- 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7 a.m. - 2 p.m. Friday. The cafeteria offers fast food, prepared meals, snacks, and beverages. The cafeteria also provides catering services for student clubs and organizations. The cafeteria accepts Visa, Master Card, and Discover.

International Student Services

The International Student Services office (ISS) helps prospective students through the F-1 student visa requirements and guides them through a successful academic experience.  Applicants for F-1 student visas or F-1 visa students transferring from a high school, college, or university in the United States must complete an I-20 Application Form for admissions directly to International Student Services.   The ISS also assists students with academic advising, immigration rules and regulations, scholarship information and personal counseling.  International Student Services is dedicated to helping international students succeed while enrolled at San Antonio College.  For more information, call 210-486-0116. 

In accordance with 8 C.F.R §214.3(j) of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: This school is authorized under Federal Law to enroll non-immigrant alien students.

Laboratories

San Antonio College has laboratories to meet the requirements for standard work in architecture, biology, chemistry, child development, computer information systems, dental assisting, electronics, geology, interpreter training, journalism, medical assisting, mortuary science, nursing, photography, physics, radio/television/film, and visual arts and technology (graphic arts, fine arts, and animation graphics).

There are also well-equipped laboratories for courses in business, music, speech, drama, English, foreign languages, and engineering drawing. Provision has been made for use in the classroom of audiovisual aids, including films, tape recordings, phonograph records, and slides. Foreign languages use the oral-aural method. Courses in speech and drama make extensive and practical use of video, lighting, sound, and recording equipment. In addition, a fully equipped scene shop is used for set construction.

Library

Library is located in the Moody Learning Center, is a vital technologically advanced center of learning and exploration for students, staff, faculty, and the community. The department collection includes materials in paper, microform, electronic, and other media formats.

Informational resources owned by the library, as well as the other libraries Colleges within the Alamo Colleges District are listed in the online catalog. The catalog is accessible from the department’s homepage, as are additional resources. These include the World Wide Web and numerous databases and indexes, many of which provide full-text access to magazine, journal, and newspaper articles. The facility provides access to computer workstations where users may access these resources. San Antonio College students, staff, and faculty may also access all Web-based databases and indexes off campus through the library’s proxy server.

Also available through the department’s homepage are electronic forms that allow users to request interlibrary loan materials and seek reference assistance through the Ask a Librarian service. Services and resources for distance education students and faculty are also available and may be found on the library’s distance learning Web page. Remote access to the catalog, Web-based databases and indexes, interlibrary loan, and online reference assistance enhances learning opportunities for all library users and is vital for distance education students.

The facility is equipped with two state-of-the-art electronic classrooms where librarians teach students search strategies and techniques for finding relevant information using print materials, the online catalog and databases, and the World Wide Web.

Through individual and group instruction, librarians strive to reduce “library anxiety,” increase student opportunities for success, and ensure that each student becomes an independent and life-long learner.

Loftin Student Center

The Loftin Student Center houses the bookstore, which is located in the basement, the cafeteria which features a wide variety of foods, a game room and Cyber Café on the second floor, two large screen televisions, and facilities available for extracurricular activities, including variety performers, concerts, fiestas, films, speakers, special programs, and game tournaments. There are lounging, programming, and recreation areas, as well as offices for the Office of Student Life, the San Antonio College Student Assembly, the campus newspaper and magazine, and the Department of Journalism and Photography. Students may pick up bus pass applications in the Office of Student Life for discounts on bus fares to and from College, as well as getting approval to post flyers/posters on bulletin boards located throughout the campus.

Lost and Found

The lost and found office is located in the Alamo Colleges District Police Department campus.  Every effort is made to return items to the owners, but the Alamo Colleges District Police Department accepts no responsibility for lost items.  Follow the Alamo Colleges District Police Department on Facebook for lost and found property notifications.

Creative Multimedia

In September 2006, the Library and Creative Multimedia was reorganized into two separate departments within the Division of Learning Resource.

Creative Multimedia is divided into three sections: The Educational Multimedia Center, inTV, AV Graphics, and Photography.

Services for Students: Under the supervision of the faculty or designated club sponsor, students may plan and produce video projects for classroom assignments and/or club projects.  This production is planned, produced, edited, and duplicated by our DCM faculty and staff.

Services for Faculty and Staff: Our talented staff of graphic artists, photographer, and video producer are trained to prepare materials for a wide variety of media including print, projection, and electronic for college projects.  Our media specialists are available to provide video recording, teleconferencing, video conferencing, in studio photography, and distance learning services.

We are committed to providing high quality products and services in a reliable, timely and friendly manner.

inTV Your Educational Channel: Following deregulation of the cable industry in Texas, the City of San Antonio asked Media Services to cablecast educational calendar announcements and programming on the Education Channel (Time Warner Ch 98 and Grande Ch 23, AT&T Uverse 99) for the community.  The station website is intv.alamo.edu

Creative Multimedia invites you to schedule a visit so we can discuss your needs or refer you to an appropriate location.  All Creative Multimedia areas are conveniently located on the sixth floor in the Moody Learning Center.

San Antonio College Bookstore

The San Antonio College Bookstore is located in the basement of the Loftin Student Center. It compiles the official College booklists and offers additional books, supplies, and educational aids requested by teachers as well as sundry items. Hours are 7:45 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7:45 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Friday. The Bookstore is closed on Saturday and Sunday. Students may also purchase textbooks, supplies, etc. at the Bookstore’s website.

Student Wellness Services

Wellness is the state of the whole person being in positive health as shown by their quality of life and sense of well-being. Wellness information is divided into two categories, mental and physical, whether free from disease or not.

The Health Promotion Office is staffed by a registered nurse (RN) and a licensed vocational nurse (LVN).  We are ready to support the needs of students in promoting a balanced lifestyle for success in their studies and through their lifetime.
 
The student wellness center provides:

• Health maintenance, disease prevention and self-care information in a variety of formats to students in small groups or individually.
• Weekly seminars given on a variety of health and wellness subjects.
• Referrals for low cost medical care.
• Information for student insurance.

Hours of operation are 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday.  Student Wellness Services is located in room 10 of Loftin Student Center.  

For more information please visit Wellness website.

Tino & Millie Duran Welcome Center

Tino & Millie Duran Welcome Center at San Antonio College serves new and returning students with enrollment process which include:

• Assistance with the completion of the Apply Texas application for admission and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• Guidance on completion of the AlamoENROLL process to be admitted and enrolled at San Antonio College
• Submittal of official transcripts and Bacterial Meningitis documents
• Online class registration and bill payments via ACES, the Student Portal

Campus Tour Program

The Campus Tour Program is dedicated to educating primary and secondary school children on the importance of a college education. School programs (K-12) in Bexar County and the surrounding areas are scheduled for tours of the San Antonio College to expose them to the campus and familiarize them with how San Antonio College can help “Create their Tomorrow”. To schedule a tour please call 210-486-0125 or visit website.

Bennett Estate (1974), Dewey and Belknap Streets. The three buildings on the Bennett Estate were renovated and assigned to the Department of Music and Humanities and San Antonio College Custodial Services. The main house (Music Hall) is used for faculty offices, teaching studios, and practice rooms for the Department of Music. The guest house and the carriage house provides space for Custodial Services.

Chance Academic Center (1992), 1819 N. Main Avenue. The Chance Academic Center houses laboratories, classrooms, the Student Health Center, dSS, and the Departments of Biological Sciences, Economics, Engineering Technologies, Political Science, History, Physics / Engineering / Architecture, Sociology, and Protective Services.

Candler Physical Education Center (1951), 1819 N. Main Avenue. The Candler Physical Education Center contains two regulation basketball courts, an indoor swimming pool, ten racquetball courts, eight tennis courts, a dance studio, weight room, physical conditioning room, classrooms, and offices.

Chemistry and Geology Building (1961), 1819 N. Main Avenue. Newly renovated, the Chemistry and Geology Building contains laboratories including chemistry laboratories, classrooms, departments and maintenance offices, and the Earth Sciences Museum.  This building also houses the Astronomy program.

Center for Academic Enhancement (2015), 1819 North Main Avenue.  The center for Academic Enhancement houses the Student Development department, offices, classrooms, laboratories, and faculty offices.

Continuing Education Annex (2005), 309 W. Dewey. The Division of Continuing Education Training Network utilizes the three modular buildings located on W. Dewey for various courses, such as Alternative Teacher Certification, G.E.D. / E.S.L., and Real Estate Inspection.

Department of Public Safety Building (1973), 1601 N. Main Avenue. The Alamo Colleges District Police Department Building houses the offices for patrol officers of the Police Department. The administrative office (210-486-0996) is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The emergency telephone number is 210-222-0911. The dispatch non-emergency number is 210-485-0189.

Early Childhood Studies Building (1993), 210 W. Ashby. The Early Childhood Studies Building provides classrooms, laboratories, and office space for the Early Childhood Studies Department and also houses the Early Childhood Center.

Early College Programs Building (1972), 1300 San Pedro Avenue. Newly renovated, the Early College Programs building houses the Gateway to College program, a nationally recognized drop-out recovery program.

Facilities Building (1979), 201 W. Dewey. The Facilities Building houses campus maintenance and housekeeping management as well as the District facilities staff and moving crew.

Fletcher Administration Center (1972), 200 W. Dewey. The Fletcher Administration Center houses the offices for the President, Vice President, Deans, Continuing Education Training Network, Admissions and Records, Student Financial Services, Communications Services, the Assessment Center, and other administrative offices.

Jean Longwith Radio, Television, and Film Building (2005), W. Courtland and Howard Streets. The Jean Longwith Radio, Television, and Film Building is the newest building on the campus of San Antonio College. It is a  state-of-the-art facility which houses classrooms, laboratories, two television studios, a multi-track recording studio, a newsroom lab, a lecture theater, a large conference room and faculty offices for the Radio, Television & Film Department, and also KSYM-FM the San Antonio College radio station.

Koehler Cultural Center (1973), 310 West Ashby Place. The Koehler Cultural Center, a gift to the College for enhancement of education in the fine arts, is designated as a Texas historical landmark by the Texas State Historical Commission. It houses the ceramics, art metals, and jewelry design studios of the Visual Arts and Technology Department and is also used as a conference and meeting location.

Law Enforcement Training Center, 1014 San Pedro. The Law Enforcement Training Center houses the Law Enforcement Academy and administrative offices.

Law Enforcement Training Center (Annex), corner of Park and Maverick. The Law Enforcement Training Center (Annex) houses the alcohol breath test training laboratory and classrooms.

Loftin Student Center (1954), between Myrtle and Dewey. The Loftin Student Center houses the bookstore, classrooms and offices of the Department of Journalism and Photography, conference rooms, an employee lounge, a student lounge, a cafeteria, the Student Representative Commission Office, Office of Student Life, and student publications.

M.C. Gonzales Hall (1950), 1819 N. Main Avenue. M.C. Gonzales Hall houses laboratories, classrooms, and offices of the Department of English.

McAllister Fine Arts Center (1956), 1400 San Pedro Avenue. McAllister Fine Arts Center contains a 1000-seat auditorium, classrooms, offices, studios for dramatic and musical arts, Speech, audio and television studios, practice rooms, and two reception areas.

McCreless Hall (1950), 1819 N. Main Avenue. McCreless Hall houses McCreless Theater, the Mathematics and Computer Science Department, and the Reading and Education Department.

Moody Learning Center (1968), 1001 Howard Street. The Moody Learning Center contains the Library and Media Services, language laboratories, individual instruction laboratories, tutorial services, the SSP, the Office of Student Development, the Counseling Center, Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Transfer Center, Job Placement Center, Women’s Center, Career Planning Center, ISO, Student Learning Assistance Center, Internet Skills Center, Multi-Media Lab, Instructional Innovation Center, the Office of Technology Services, San Antonio College TV Station, Development Education Lab, Classrooms, the Student Learning Assistance Center (the SLAC), and the Department of Psychology.

Nail Technical Center (1966), 1819 N. Main Avenue. The Nail Technical Center provides classrooms, laboratories, and office space for the following departments: Administrative Computer Technology, Allied Health, Computer Information Systems, Engineering Technologies, American Sign Language/Interpreter Training, and Mortuary Science. Office space is also provided for nursing faculty.

Nursing and Allied Health Center (2009), 1819 N. Main Avenue. The NAHC contains departments, classrooms, and state of the art labs for Nursing, Medical Assisting, Dental Assisting, Dental Lab Technology, Emergency Medical Services, and Emergency Medical Technician.

Oppenheimer Academic Center (2009), 1819 N. Main Avenue.  The OC contains the classrooms for the departments of Languages, Philosophy, and Culture; Business, and Protective Services.  It also houses classrooms for Continuing Education classes.

Scobee Planetarium (1961), adjacent to the Chemistry and Geology Building. The Scobee Planetarium provides the accumulated knowledge of astronomy and space science to educational institutions and the community.

Seguir Adelante Community Center for Adult Re-Entry Education and Training (2006), 703 Howard. The center provides college re-entry/transition services, short-term training, financial literacy/money management, and homebuyer education classes. The center houses staff offices, a computer lab, a conference room, and a training classroom.

Special Projects Center, 218 W. Ashby.

Susan R. Oppenheimer Education and Training Center (1990), 1801 N. Main Avenue. The Susan R. Oppenheimer Education and Training Center provides office space and classrooms for the Continuing Education Training Network. Also included are laboratories for the division’s Allied Health, Environmental Technology, Office Skills, and Computer Training Programs.

Visual Arts and Technology Center (1991), 950 Lewis Street. The Visual Arts and Technology Center houses visual arts studios, a lecture theater, electronic multimedia studios, a visual resource library, and a large conference room. In the center of the building is a two-story instructional gallery displaying changing exhibits by professional artists, graphic designers, faculty, and art students featuring drawings, painting and sculpture, jewelry, lithography, and photography.