ACC Center for Public Policy & Political Studies

About Us

For America’s political system to function properly, public policy should demonstrate a constructive balance between private interest and the public good. Our desire to communicate this knowledge and its practical applications led to the development of the ACC Center for Public Policy & Political Studies (CPPPS).

The CPPPS, a nonpartisan and externally funded 501(c)(3), is the first of its kind to be established at a community college. It follows ACC’s path of responsiveness to Central Texas students’ needs. The educational resources of the Center provide opportunities for faculty and students to engage in the public policy process.

The Center is organized as a nonprofit corporation under ACC’s office of External Affairs, headed by the Special Assistant to the ACC President, Linda Young. Overseeing the nonprofit is a Board of Directors, chaired by former Austin Mayor Bruce Todd. The Center’s staff members are hired and supported by the College and report to the Advisory Board for program direction.

Advisory Council members include ACC trustees, administrators, faculty, community members, the ACC SGA president, and the Executive Director of the Texas Campus Compact. There is also a Faculty Council which works with the Center's Director on operational issues.

The Leadership Team

Executive Director

W.R. “Peck” Young is the founding director of CPPPS and is an award-winning political consultant with over 30-years experience in Texas politics.

Carla L. Jackson is the Associate Director of CPPPS.

Advisory Council

The Center's Advisory Council oversees the Center's programs and activities. The Board will have up to twenty-five members, not including its administrator. Current members include:

Bruce Todd, CPPPS President
Linda Young, Special Assistant to the ACC President, Governmental and Community Relations
Two ACC Board of Trustees' members- Nan McRaven and Veronica Rivera
Two ACC administrators-Richard Armenta and Cheryl Richard
A maximum of five ACC full-time faculty members - Terry Thomas, Larry Willoughby, and Cecile Durish (Coordinator of Civic Engagement Faculty)
Three ACC adjunct faculty members - Richard Cutler, Pat Patton, Dawn Tawwater
The ACC Student Government Association President- Joshua Michael Bacak
No more than 12 Community members, including the Executive Director of Texas Campus Compact member - Pat Delgado, Gretchen Ritter, Stephen Drenner, Mary Scott Nabers, Gilberto Ocanas, Tim Taylor, Ray Martinez, Gwen Grigsby, and Patricia Paredes (Ex. Dir. of Texas Campus Compact)

The Advisory Council provides the ACC President with an annual report of the Center's mission, programs, and finances. Based on the contents of the annual report, the ACC President may request an independent review of the Center's programs and/or a financial audit.

Board of Directors

The Center is building a Board of Directors with diverse experiences in the political and public policy arena.

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee meets in order to expedite decisions for ongoing issues between Board meetings. Members of the Committee include:

Faculty Council

Faculty Council members contribute their experience and expertise to assist the Center's Director in planning and implementation of Center events, activities, research, and student participation.

Professor Richard Croxdale, ACC Economics Department (Mayor Jeffery M. Freidman Austin Video Political History Project)
Professor Lyman Grant, Dean of ACC Arts & Humanities Division (Art Contest Celebrating the Constitution, other projects)
Dr. Mariano Díaz-Miranda, ACC History Department, Director of El Centro (Immigration & Education Conference; Diez y Seis de Septiembre)
Professor Charles Miles, ACC Government Department (Mayor Jeffery M. Freidman Austin Video Political History Project)
Professor Jeffrey Millstone, ACC Government Department (Constitution Day Celebration)
Professor Paz Pena, ACC Government Department (Mayor Jeffery M. Freidman Austin Video Political History Project)
Professor Larry Willoughby, ACC History Department (Texas Straight Ticket Project; Mayor Jeffery M. Freidman Austin Video Political History Project)

MISSION:

The Center’s mission is to enable and empower ACC students to gain knowledge and experience of, and to actively participate in varied political and policy processes that govern our city, our state and our nation.

OBJECTIVE:

The Center will enable ACC’s students to develop a broad range of analytical and decision-making skills that they will use to understand issues of public concern. With these skills, students can pursue civic leadership and professional positions at public, non-profit, and private organizations.