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    San Antonio College
   
 
  Mar 19, 2024
 
San Antonio College 2009-2010 Academic Catalog 
    
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San Antonio College 2009-2010 Academic Catalog [Archived Catalog]

College Overview


   

Our History

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San Antonio College was established as University Junior College in September 1925, under the auspices of the University of Texas. The following year, control of the College was transferred to the San Antonio Independent School District and the name was changed to San Antonio Junior College. Following passage of state legislation authorizing junior college districts, the San Antonio Union Junior College District was formed in 1945 and in 1946 assumed control of San Antonio College and its sister college, St. Philip’s Junior College. In 1948, San Antonio Junior College’s name was changed to San Antonio College, and in 1951, the College was moved to its  present location on San Pedro Avenue. Five hundred students were enrolled at that time. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools granted accreditation to the college in 1955.

In the late 1960s, San Antonio College became a comprehensive community college by expanding offerings in occupational and technical courses and by assuming the San Antonio Independent School District’s Continuing Education Program. The name of the College District was changed to San Antonio Community College District in 1978 and in 1982 the District was renamed the Alamo Community College District.

In support of the mission of the Alamo Colleges, San Antonio College responds to Bexar County’s diverse community by providing high quality general education, liberal arts and sciences, career education, continuing education, and developmental education. The college has an average semester enrollment of 22,000 credit students and an average annual enrollment of 16,000 other-than-credit students. San Antonio College is the largest single-campus community college in Texas and one of the largest in the United States.

Our Vision

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San Antonio College will be nationally recognized for student success and best practices.

Our Mission

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San Antonio College will provide responsive education through excellence, accessibility, and diversity. San Antonio College is a public community college that provides and supports the educational and lifelong learning needs of a multicultural community. As a leader in education, San Antonio College is committed to excellence in helping students reach their full potential by developing their academic competencies, critical thinking skills, communication proficiency, civic responsibility, and global awareness.

San Antonio College fulfills its mission by offering the following:

  • Transfer education designed to provide students with the first two years of the baccalaureate degree.
  • General education courses in the liberal arts and sciences to support all college degree programs.
  • Career preparation provided through a wide range of programs to prepare students for immediate employment.
  • Developmental studies for students needing to bring their basic skills to a level appropriate for college work.
  • Continuing education to offer a variety of training, licensure, and professional programs.
  • Academic support services that include a comprehensive learning resource center and basic skills activities that complement instruction.
  • Student support services to provide assessment, advising, counseling, tutoring, financial assistance, and social and cultural activities for all students, including those with special needs.
  • Promotion of cross-cultural understanding and appreciation through instructional and social activities that contribute to cultural awareness and interaction.
  • Involvement of business, industry, and professional groups in planning and revising educational programs to meet workforce needs.
  • An environment conducive to learning through an attractive physical campus and wellness-oriented programs and services.
  • Continuous assessment of programs and services and the utilization of results for improvement.
  • And, operation of the college within available fiscal resources to provide accountability to taxpayers of the Alamo Colleges.

Our Affiliations

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San Antonio College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to award associate degrees.

The college is also an active member of the American Association of Community Colleges, the Community College Consortium, Association of Texas Colleges and Universities, the National League for Nursing, the Southern Association of Junior Colleges, the Texas Junior College Association, the Texas Public Community and Junior College Association, Texas Educational Theatre Association, and the Texas Association of Music
Schools.

The Department of Nursing Education is accredited by the Board of Nurse Examiners (BNE) for the state of Texas and the National League for Nursing (NLN, Accrediting Commission, 61 Broadway, 33rd Floor, New York, NY 10006, phone: 212-363-5555, fax: 212-812-0391).

The Mortuary Science Department is accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE), 3432 Ashland Ave, Suite U, St. Joseph, MO 64506, phone: 816-233-3747, fax: 816-233-3793.

The Dental Assisting Program is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation.

The San Antonio College Medical Assisting Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) — located at 1361 Park St.; Clearwater, Florida 33756; phone number: (727) 210-2350 — on recommendation of the American Association of Medical Assistants Endowment (AAMAE). Students who graduate from the Medical Assisting Program, with the exception of the medical office administrative assistant curriculum, qualify for the certification examination conducted by the AAMAE for the certified medical assistant credential.

Students who wish to view the school’s accreditation and licensing bodies documentation, may inquire at the Learning Resource Center Reserve Desk in the Moody Learning Center.

Our Representative Bodies

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  • Adjunct Faculty Council
  • Student Affairs Council
  • Chairs Council
  • Student Government
  • College Academic Council
  • Technology Affairs Council
  • Faculty Senate
  • Staff Council

Our Governance

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  • Academic Policy Review
  • Arts and Sciences Council
  • Bookstore Committee
  • Competency Committee
  • Curriculum Review and Evaluation Committee
  • Developmental Education Council
  • Employee Development Committee
  • Enrollment Management
  • Food Services Committee
  • Institutional Effectiveness Steering Committee
  • Institutional Effectiveness Unit Review Committee
  • Instructional Innovation Center Advisory Committee
  • Medical Advisory Committee
  • Professional & Technical Education Council
  • SAC Online Advisory Committee
  • Student Activity Fee Committee
  • Student Affairs Council
  • Student Life Programs:
    1. Campus Organizations
    2. Recreation Sports
    3. Student Activities/Events
  • Student Publications Board
  • Student Success Advisory Committee
  • Technology Committee
  • Wellness Committee

Outstanding Former Student: 2008-2009

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Martha Salas 

San Antonio College has selected Martha Salas, Director of Operations for the Air Force Worldwide Family Advocacy Program, as its Outstanding Former Student for 2008-2009.

Salas graduated with San Antonio College’s first nursing class in 1969. “Had there not been a two-year associate program at San Antonio College I don’t know that I would be a nurse today,” Salas said.

Now working with the program that aims to build healthy Air Force communities, Salas is helping develop, implement and evaluate policies and programs to prevent, intervene and treat family violence.   Since 2005, Salas has overseen 77 Air Force installations under the Air Force Surgeon General’s medical operations.    

Before enrolling at SAC, Salas, a native of San Antonio, graduated from Fox Tech High School. She began SAC classes the summer of 1960, before marrying and starting her family. After a timeout with her three children, she returned to SAC in 1967 to enroll in the nursing program.

“I had some mentors when I was growing up – nurses who lived in my neighborhood. I thought I would like to do that,” she said.

Salas said SAC was confident about its fledgling nursing program, but others were not so sure. “At the hospital where we did our clinicals they said, ‘we don’t know why you are at SAC, it’s not going to last.’” (More than 30 years later, SAC’s Nursing Program is going strong.)

Nonetheless, Salas graduated from SAC’s nursing program at age 27, and began her career as a staff nurse at Southwest Texas Methodist Hospital. She later became nurse manager, before moving to establish St. Luke’s Hospital where she worked as nurse coordinator. While working part time, Salas earned her bachelor’s of science degree in nursing from Incarnate Word College. With her bachelor’s degree in hand, Salas returned to Southwest Texas Methodist Hospital as nurse coordinator.   

In the late 1980s Salas and her husband, Raul, a Department of Defense civilian employee, moved to Frankfurt, Germany.

 “When we went to Germany I had a really hard time finding a job,” she said. But after seven months, she landed a position as Army Community Health Nurse doing home visits with U.S. military families. “It was different, exciting and really scary – driving the back roads in Germany.”

Returning to the States after almost four years, Salas joined the faculty of Health Careers High School in the Northside Independent School District. She said it was a fun year when she taught a medical/surgical course to 12th graders.   

In 1993, she was named program manager for the newly launched USAF Family Advocacy Program. “There were no policies, no procedures,” she said. The next year Salas received a master of business administration in Health Care Management from Our Lady of the Lake University.

Her job with the Air Force program was to launch and sustain the program, which provides treatment, intervenes and prevents domestic abuse in military families.   Today as director of operations with offices at Port of San Antonio (formerly Kelly AFB), Salas oversees more than 500 employees at 75 medical facilities. Its $33 million budget comes through Congressional Appropriations.

Salas said the abuse rate is down among military families; and while she sees the military is a reflection of the civilian population, “we don’t have the child abuse that civilian families have. We like to think that our prevention programs are helping the services.”  

Her future goal includes sustaining the program despite budget cuts. “We have 100 registered nurses who work in our program. We have to keep them within our system. My goal is to utilize resources really well.”

The Air Force Advocacy program has been cited as model for others, in and outside of the military. Salas has traveled the world making presentations to various groups interested in applying this intervention and prevention model. At the 14th   International Congress on Child Abuse and Neglect in Denver, Colo., Salas spoke about “Preventing Family Maltreatment in Young Military Families – the New Parent Support System.”   In national conferences she has addressed Shaken Baby Syndrome and the treatment of childhood and adult trauma. 

Salas has contributed to the Air Force New Parent Support Program Manual and “The Military Family: A Practice Guide for Human Service Providers.” 

Her honors have included the 2006 Award for Meritorious Civilian Service and Salas has also received the Air Force Performance Award each year since 1994.

Although her work keeps her busy, Salas is active at her church, St. Francis of Assisi, serves on its Women’s Council and belongs to the Silver Star.

Outstanding Former Student Award Recipients

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Henry B. Gonzalez (Congressman) 1982-83
Blair Reeves (Judge) 1983-84
Albert Bustamante (Congressman) 1984-85
Dr. William Kirby (State Commissioner of Education) 1985-86
Capt. Larry Pearson (Navy test pilot, former Blue Angels Commander) 1986-87
Lisa Brown (Archaeologist) 1987-88
Edward Prado (Judge) 1987-88
Dr. Jerome Weynand (College President) 1987-88
James R. Vasquez (Public School Superintendent) 1988-89
Sarah Garrahan (Judge) 1988-89
Frank Gonzalez (Oceanographer) 1989-90
Nancy Klepper (Public School Educator) 1989-90
Diana Gonzales (Journalist) 1990-91
Bill Hayden (Founder/CEO CompuAdd) 1990-91
Jesse Treviño (Artist) 1991-92
Patsy Torres (Entertainer) 1992-93
Dr. Felix D. Almaraz (University Professor) 1993-94
William Sinkin (Banker) 1993-94
Dr. Judith Ann Loredo (College Administrator) 1994-95
Steven C. Hilbig (Bexar County District Attorney) 1994-95
Dr. Robert L. Jimenez (Psychiatrist) 1995-96
Dr. Leo Sayavedra (University Administrator) 1995-96
Francis R. Scobee (Challenger Astronaut) 1995-96
Tino Duran (Publisher of La Prensa) 1996-97
Al A. Philippus (San Antonio Chief of Police) 1996-97
Dr. Cynthia G. Broderick (Public School Educator) 1997-98
Dr. Jesse T. Zapata (University Administrator) 1997-98
Marinella Garcia-Murillo (Community Relations Specialist) 1998-99
Dr. James V. McLean (Veterinarian) 1998-99
Ciro Rodriguez (Congressman) 1999-00
Dr. Martin Basaldua (Physician) 1999-00
Oscar G. Hernandez (Community Services Administrator) 2000-01
Dr. Rudolpho Sandoval (University Administrator) 2000-01
Sara Kleban Radin (Judge) 2001-02
Albert Ortiz (San Antonio Chief of Police) 2002-03
Norma Rodriguez (San Antonio City Clerk) 2002-03
Ana de Portela (Artist) 2003-04
Dr. Tessa Pollack (University President) 2004-05
Hector M. Flores (LULAC President) 2004-05
Dr. Joe W. Neal (University Professor Emeritus) 2004-05
Dr. William Breit (University Professor Emeritus) 2005-06
Ward Allen White III (Assistant District Attorney) 2006-07
Alma L. López (Chief Justice, Texas Fourth Court of Appeals) 2007-08
Martha Salas (Director of Operations for the Air Force Worldwide Advocacy Family Program) 2008-09
   
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