Galveston College
Encyclopedia
Galveston College is a comprehensive community college
located on Galveston Island
in Galveston
, Texas
, United States
. GC is led by a president who answers to nine member publicly elected Board of Regents.
As defined by the Texas Legislature
, the official service area of GC is the following:
failed, as did several other attempts.
In the mid 1960s, the creation of a college district on the Galveston County mainland – which ultimately led to the opening of College of the Mainland
– motivated Galveston citizens to revive attempts at constructing a campus on the Island. After obtaining an opinion from the Texas Attorney General
that the district – though never funded – was legally still intact, in 1966 the citizens finally passed a vote for a tax rate to support the new institution. In September 1967 – almost 32 years after the district was created – Galveston College opened its doors to students.
Galveston College originally operated in a building that had formerly been occupied by an orphanage—a building that is still part of the school and houses several auditoriums in addition to the college's administrative offices. Over the past 39 years the school has expanded several times through bond issues and grants by local families and foundations. At one point in the 1980s the college was composed of two campuses, the Main campus at 41st and Avenue Q and the Fort Crockett Campus near 53rd Street and Avenue U. During the 1990s land around the main campus was purchased and additional classrooms and facilities were constructed. This allowed for the consolidation of Fort Crockett campus into the main campus.
Galveston College has taken an innovative approach towards education and has worked with many local businesses and organizations in developing specialized programs that fulfill the needs of the local economy. It has also partnered with the Galveston-based University of Texas Medical Branch
in creating specialized certificate programs and education tracks.
In the late 1990s interest was shown in creating an endowment that would encourage high school graduates in the community to attend college. This led to the creation of the Galveston College Universal Access Foundation. Students who graduate from one of the Island's two high schools (Ball High School
and O'Connell Consolidated High School) and fulfill certain requirements are eligible to have their tuition and fees paid for by the foundation.
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
located on Galveston Island
Galveston Island
Galveston Island is a barrier island on the Texas Gulf coast in the United States, about 50 miles southeast of Houston. The entire island, with the exception of Jamaica Beach, is within the city limits of the City of Galveston....
in Galveston
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. GC is led by a president who answers to nine member publicly elected Board of Regents.
As defined by the Texas Legislature
Texas Legislature
The Legislature of the state of Texas is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. The legislature is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The Legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin...
, the official service area of GC is the following:
- the Galveston Independent School DistrictGalveston Independent School DistrictGalveston Independent School District is a school district headquartered in Galveston, Texas, United States.In 2009, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency.- Catchment area :...
(therefore serving Galveston and Jamaica BeachJamaica Beach, TexasJamaica Beach is a city in Galveston County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,075.-History:Prior to its development, Jamaica Beach was a Karankawa burial ground. Johnny Goyen and Earl Galceran of the Jamaica Corporation developed Jamaica Beach as a 2,000-lot...
), - all of GalvestonGalveston County, TexasGalveston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population was 291,309. Its county seat is Galveston. League City is the largest city in Galveston County in terms of population; between...
and Chambers Counties located on the Bolivar Peninsula, including the unincorporated High IslandHigh Island, TexasHigh Island is an unincorporated area located in the Bolivar Peninsula census-designated place, Galveston County, Texas, United States. The community is located in the extreme eastern part of the county on Bolivar Peninsula, less than one mile from Chambers County and less than two miles from...
community and the High Island Independent School DistrictHigh Island Independent School DistrictHigh Island Independent School District is a public school district based in unincorporated Galveston County, Texas, United States.HIISD serves the communities of Caplen, High Island, and Gilchrist. The school district lost approximately 15% of its students in 2008 due homes and residences...
, and - the Hamshire FannettHamshire-Fannett Independent School DistrictHamshire-Fannett Independent School District is a public school district based in the Hamshire community of unincorporated Jefferson County, Texas, United States. The district was formed in 1961 by the consolidation of Hamshire-New Holland I.S.D...
and Sabine PassSabine Pass Independent School DistrictSabine Pass Independent School District is a public school district in Sabine Pass, a community in Port Arthur, Texas . The school serves sections of Port Arthur and unincorporated Jefferson County....
school districts located within Jefferson CountyJefferson County, TexasJefferson County is a county located in the state of Texas, United States. As of 2000, the population was 252,051. Its county seat is Beaumont, and it is named for the former U.S...
. Therefore Galveston College serves several unincorporated communities and southern Port ArthurPort Arthur, Texas-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 57,755 people, 21,839 households, and 14,675 families residing in the city. The population density was 696.5 people per square mile . There were 24,713 housing units at an average density of 298.0 per square mile...
.
History
On November 2, 1935 voters approved the creation of the Galveston Junior College District. However, the subsequent 1936 election to support the new district via a property taxProperty tax
A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...
failed, as did several other attempts.
In the mid 1960s, the creation of a college district on the Galveston County mainland – which ultimately led to the opening of College of the Mainland
College of the Mainland
College of the Mainland is a community college located in Texas City, Texas, United States. Its name comes from its location on the "mainland" portion of Galveston County, Texas .-History:...
– motivated Galveston citizens to revive attempts at constructing a campus on the Island. After obtaining an opinion from the Texas Attorney General
Texas Attorney General
The Texas Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of Texas.The department has offices at the William P. Clements State Office Building at 300 West 15th Street in Austin.-History:...
that the district – though never funded – was legally still intact, in 1966 the citizens finally passed a vote for a tax rate to support the new institution. In September 1967 – almost 32 years after the district was created – Galveston College opened its doors to students.
Galveston College originally operated in a building that had formerly been occupied by an orphanage—a building that is still part of the school and houses several auditoriums in addition to the college's administrative offices. Over the past 39 years the school has expanded several times through bond issues and grants by local families and foundations. At one point in the 1980s the college was composed of two campuses, the Main campus at 41st and Avenue Q and the Fort Crockett Campus near 53rd Street and Avenue U. During the 1990s land around the main campus was purchased and additional classrooms and facilities were constructed. This allowed for the consolidation of Fort Crockett campus into the main campus.
Galveston College today
The college serves an ethnically diverse population of approximately 2,400 students each semester in credit programs and nearly 8,000 individuals annually in continuing education and workforce development programs. It has a full-time staff and faculty of over 150 employees and nearly 90 reserve faculty members.Galveston College has taken an innovative approach towards education and has worked with many local businesses and organizations in developing specialized programs that fulfill the needs of the local economy. It has also partnered with the Galveston-based University of Texas Medical Branch
University of Texas Medical Branch
The University of Texas Medical Branch is a component of the University of Texas System located in Galveston, Texas, United States, about 50 miles southeast of Downtown Houston...
in creating specialized certificate programs and education tracks.
In the late 1990s interest was shown in creating an endowment that would encourage high school graduates in the community to attend college. This led to the creation of the Galveston College Universal Access Foundation. Students who graduate from one of the Island's two high schools (Ball High School
Ball High School
Ball High School is a public secondary school in Galveston, Texas, United States. Ball, which covers grades 9 through 12, is a part of Galveston Independent School District....
and O'Connell Consolidated High School) and fulfill certain requirements are eligible to have their tuition and fees paid for by the foundation.