Coastal Bend College (CBC, formerly known as
Bee County College or BCC) is a community college which has its main campus
in Beeville, Texas, and
which operates branch campuses in Alice, Kingsville, and Pleasanton, Texas.
As defined by the Texas Legislature, the official service
area of CBC is the following:[1]
- all of Bee, Brooks, Duval, Jim Wells, Karnes, Live Oak, and McMullen Counties,
- the Pleasanton
Independent School District, located in Atascosa County, and
- the Kingsville,
Ricardo, and
Santa
Gertrudis school districts, located within Kleberg County.
About the
College
Enrollment in academic, workforce education and continuing
education classes during the spring of 2010 was 3,992. The Beeville
campus of CBC serves the educational needs of more than 1,300
students. The district serves a rural community of some 9,000
square miles (23,000 km2). It is also one of the
region's most significant economic contributors.[2]
History
The Bee County Junior College District was created at an
election on November 2, 1965. That election resulted from several
years of study and work to establish a community college for
Bee County, Texas. Support was shown in an
overwhelming five-to-one majority for the creation of the district.
The desire for a community college was demonstrated again on
December 7, 1965, when district citizens approved a tax to support
Bee County College (also known as BCC), and to issue bonds to build
the college.
The board of trustees selected Grady C. Hogue as the first BCC
President. BCC opened in September, 1967, with 790 students, 24
full-time instructors and 11 part-time teachers.
The Board of Trustees officially changed the college name from
Bee County College to Coastal Bend College effective September 1,
1998. The name change was made because the service area was
extended by an act of the Texas
Legislature in 1995.
Academic/Transfer
Programs
The campus also offers hundreds of academic courses in 27
concentration areas, relatable to "majors", which are transferable
to most four-year institutions. Curricula include pre-med, pre-pharmacy, elementary education, business administration, and
computer science.
Occupational and Vocational
Training
Vocational training is offered in occupational programs such as
accounting, airframe and power technology,
automotive technology, child development, computer information
technology, cosmetology, dental hygiene, drafting and design technology, office
management, health information technology, law
enforcement and forensic science, oil and gas technology, pharmacy
technician, professional business technology, nursing, radiologic
technology, and welding.
Dual-Credit
Program
The dual credit program at CBC enables high achieving high school students to take a college class and
have it count as both high school and college credit. Dual credit
courses may be taught at the college along with the general college
student population, or less commonly taught at the student's high
school by high school teacher qualified to teach at the college
level. The decision to grant or not grant high school credit for
college courses rests solely with each individual high school.
The requirements for dual-credit qualification are somewhat
strict: the student must apply and be accepted for admission to the
college; must receive official permission from their high school
counselor and principal in order for register a course; and a
course articulation agreement between the college and the student's
high school must be on file for each course enrolled.[3]
Branch
Campuses
Coastal Bend College has satellite campuses that operate
conjunctively with the main campus, rather than independently like
other college systems. These locations offer a fraction of the
programs that the main campus does, and students can move and
attend classes between different campuses almost effortlessly. A
class taken at any of the four CBC schools will appear on the same
transcript. CBC also offers general education classes at McConnell Prison Unit in
Beeville, Texas.
Alice
CBC Alice Campus offers academic-transfer courses and workforce
education programs in accounting, automotive technology, computer
information technology, child development, general office
management, law enforcement, nursing, professional business
technology, and welding technology. This campus has a centrally
located library with print, microfilm, video, and electronic
resources and staff to provide reference assistance to individuals
and classes.
Kingsville
CBC Kingsville Campus offers workforce education certificates
and degree programs in accounting, child development, computer
information technology, cosmetology, electronic servicing, general
office management, law enforcement, pharmacy technician,
professional business technology, and vocational nursing.
Pleasanton
CBC Pleasanton Campus offers academic transfer courses and
workforce education programs in accounting, child development,
computer information technology, cosmetology, general office
management, nursing, law enforcement, professional business
technology, and vocational nursing. This campus has a centrally
located library with print, microfilm, video, and electronic
resources and part-time staff to provide reference assistance to
individuals and classes.
Correctional Unit Classes
CBC has established courses and programs in the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice McConnell Unit near Beeville and the
Stevenson
Unit near Cuero. The classes also serve the Federal
Correctional Institution, Three Rivers near Three Rivers. Courses lead to degrees and
certificates in several major areas of study.
Athletics
In 2006, the college reinstated a portion of its athletics
program after years of absence from intramural competition. Coastal Bend College
Cougars compete in National Junior College Athletic Association
(NJCAA) Region 14 in Men's Basketball, Men's Soccer, Women's
Softball and Women's Volleyball.[4][5][6]
Campus
Organizations
CBC's campuses are host to several
student-run organizations and many non-affiliated, indirectly
related clubs.
Surrounding
Area
Bee County was organized in 1858, and Beeville, its county seat,
was created in 1860. The City of Beeville was finally incorporated
in 1908. Major segments of the economy are farming, ranching, oil,
and the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice.