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:
- 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 (23,000Â km2). It is also one of the region's most significant economic contributors.
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.
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.
Extracurricular activities
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.
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.
References
External links
- Coastal Bend College Home Page