Tarrant County College District or TCCD is a public community college located in Tarrant County, Texas. It is one of the largest community colleges in Texas, and it also has the most significant student enrollment for 98,000 credit hours. This institution offers different degrees such as Associate of Arts, Associate of Arts in Teaching, Associate of Science, and Associate of Applied Science. In this article, we are going to learn more about Tarrant County College.
History
During a bond election that happened on July 31, 1965, Tarrant County voters decided to form the Tarrant County Junior College District. The district boundaries are parallel with those of Tarrant County, and it is enclosed in 900 square miles of land. In September 1967, the first campus, known as the South Campus, was opened in the district. It is an $11 million facility that stands on a 158-acre tract. During its opening, about 4,194 students got enrolled in credit classes. After a year, the $10 million Northeast Campus, located in Hurst, began construction on 188 acres of land. By the fall of 1975, the Northwest Campus started its operations, and it attracted about 19,495 enrollees. On the other hand, the $12 million Northwest Campus, located on 150 acres of land just on the north edge of Marine Creek Lake, was constructed. This increased the total enrollment of the district to 27,109 in 1989.
The district is governed by a seven-member board of trustees that was elected by the residents of Tarrant County. Between 1972 and 1975, there were several additions to the South and Northeast campuses. In 1983, the May Owen Center was built, and it is where the district offices in downtown Fort Worth was built. By 1987, about half of the college’s funding came from the state, and the other half comes from tuition, local taxes, and fees. Aside from that, Tarrant County College District also received private foundation grants for different student financial-aid programs and federal financial aid.
In 1989, a foundation named Friends of Tarrant County Junior College was established in order to raise funds for different enrichment programs and faculty development. In 1996, Tarrant County College District added the Southeast Campus, which received the initial enrollment of 3,700, which is about half as many as the institution expected.
The Tarrant County College District is approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Texas Education Agency. It is also accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and a member of the American Association of Community Colleges. The college operates under the administration of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
The South Campus focuses on industrial technology programs, nursing, and automotive technology. While the Northeast Campus focuses on most of the courses related to health sciences. On the other hand, the Northwest Campus uses the adjacent Marine Creek Lake for canoeing and sailing classes. Aside from these programs, the Tarrant County College District also offers different degree programs related to fire investigation technology, postal service administration, horticulture, fire protection technology, aviation maintenance technology, airframe maintenance, and electronics technology well as interpreting for the deaf. Tarrant County College District also offers unique programs for underprivileged youth, gifted, and senior citizens.
All of the campuses have a library, and aside from that, the district also has a television station located on the South Campus. The campus also has a weekly student newspaper publication named the Collegian. Ever since its founding, the college aims to give lifelong educational opportunities for county citizens.
