Collin College: A Comprehensive Overview

Collin College, formerly known as the Collin County Community College District (CCCD or CCCC), is a public community college district located in Texas. The college rebranded itself as "Collin College" in March 2007. With a total enrollment of 35,390 students, Collin College operates on a semester-based academic year. The student-faculty ratio is 23-to-1. The highest degree offered at Collin County Community College District is an associate degree, but the college also offers bachelor's degrees in cybersecurity and nursing since 2019.

General Information and Academic Calendar

Collin College operates on a semester-based academic calendar. For the Fall 2023 semester, the total number of entering students was 13,527.

Student Demographics

In Fall 2022, the full-time enrollment was 10,758 students, while part-time enrollment stood at 24,632. The age distribution of students is as follows:

Under 18: 27%
18-24: 53%
25-64: 19%
Over 65: 0%

Open Admissions and Credit for Life Experiences

Collin College has an open admissions policy, making higher education accessible to a wide range of students. Additionally, the school offers credit for life experiences, recognizing the value of knowledge and skills gained outside of traditional academic settings.

Tuition and Fees

For the 2020-2021 academic year, the in-district tuition and fees were $1,714. In-state tuition and fees were $3,094, and out-of-state tuition and fees were $5,104. There is no application fee. For the 2022-2023 academic year, in-state tuition and fees remained at $3,094, while out-of-state tuition and fees were $5,104. Books and supplies were estimated to cost $1,860.

Financial Aid

At Collin County Community College District, 21 percent of undergraduates receive grant or scholarship aid, and the average scholarship or grant award is $4,963.

Academic Programs

Students at Collin College can earn degrees and certificates in 69 different fields. Popular programs include:

Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
General Studies
Business/Commerce, General

In addition to associate degrees, the college has bachelor's degrees in cybersecurity and nursing established in 2019, marking the first time Collin College made its own bachelor's degrees available. Previously, the college had worked with university partners to offer their bachelor's degrees at its Collin Higher Education Center.

Campus Locations and Facilities

Collin College has multiple campuses and centers spread throughout Collin County:

McKinney Campus (Central Park Campus)

The McKinney Campus opened in 1985 and features a multistory parking garage, library, classrooms, offices, and a student development center. The campus library totals 73,500 square feet (6,830 m2). In January 2016, Collin College added a 125,000-square-foot state-of-the-art Health Sciences Center named after former Collin College district president Cary A. Israel.

Plano Campus (Spring Creek Campus)

The Plano Campus opened in the fall of 1988 and is the largest by student population. It hosts the college district's fine arts and athletics programs. The campus features a 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2) art gallery, theatre center, gymnasium (Cougar Hall), and tennis facilities.

Frisco Campus (Preston Ridge Campus)

The Frisco Campus opened in July 1995. In 2014, the campus renamed their 70,000-square-foot (6,500 m2) building from "D Building" to "Lawler Hall" in honor of a $2 million gift for scholarships by Roger and Jody Lawler of Frisco. Collin College's business and high-tech programs are centered at Frisco Campus. Volleyball matches are held at the Frisco Campus.

Collin Higher Education Center (CHEC)

The district administration is located in the Collin Higher Education Center (CHEC) in McKinney. The CHEC hosts bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs from five North Texas universities: Texas A&M University-Commerce, Texas Woman's University, the University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Tech University, and the University of North Texas. Offerings vary per university.

Public Safety Training Center (PSTC)

The Public Safety Training Center (PSTC) in McKinney provides reality-based training for law enforcement and firefighter cadets and active first responders. Training elements include law enforcement and firefighter training areas with simulated retail spaces, office buildings, and living areas for reality-based scenario training, three firearms ranges, specialized gas-fired burn structures, a confined-space rescue simulator, and other training obstacles.

Wylie Campus

The Wylie Campus opened in the fall of 2020. Designed to support 7,500 students at capacity, the campus's opening allowed for the expansion of the college's veterinary medicine program.

Read also: Collin College Canvas

Farmersville Campus

The Farmersville Campus opened in March 2021.

Celina Campus

The Celina Campus opened in the fall of 2021.

Bond Proposition

The residents of Collin County approved a $600 million bond proposition in May 2017 to fund the college district's master plan. Master plan projects funded by the bond included the Technical Campus, the Wylie Campus, the Public Safety Training Center in McKinney, and safety upgrades to existing campuses.

Campus Info and Services

Collin College provides various services to support its students:

Employment services for students
Credit for life experiences
Academic/career counseling service
Placement services for completers
On-campus day care for students' children: N/A

Athletics

Collin College's athletic program offers scholarships in men and women's basketball, esports, golf, and tennis, as well as women's volleyball. All teams are known as the Cougars. They compete in the North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference in the NJCAA Region 5. Collin College Women's Basketball won NTJCAC conference championships in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2023, and 2024. The competition basketball gym and tennis facilities are located on the Plano Campus.

Controversies

Collin College has faced criticism regarding its handling of COVID-19 and issues related to free speech.

COVID-19 Response

Collin College has been repeatedly criticized for its lack of transparency regarding COVID-19 on campus and risks of in-person classes. College president Matkin overruled faculty concerns about virus protections in June 2020, stating the campus would remain open. During the Fall 2020 semester, a faculty member, a student, and a staff member all died of COVID-19. Iris Meda, a recently retired nurse, had begun teaching nursing assistant classes in August 2020 and also died from COVID-19 complications. The school's services went virtual after classes ended for the semester on December 14.

Free Speech Issues

On February 17, 2021, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) named Collin College to its 10th annual list of the "10 Worst Colleges for Free Speech: 2021" list. FIRE cited Collin College president Neil Matkin's public condemnation of a tweet sent by history professor Lora Burnett from her personal account that was critical of then Vice President Mike Pence. FIRE also referenced the senior administration's overturning of recommended contract renewals of two faculty members, Audra Heaslip and Suzanne Jones. Both professors had publicly criticized Collin College's handling of COVID-19 and were members of the Collin College chapter of the Texas Faculty Association, a non-bargaining union disliked by college administration. In January 2022, shortly after settling the lawsuit by Professor Burnett, Collin College fired history professor Michael Phillips following his suggestion that students in his classes consider wearing masks.

Accreditation

Collin County Community College District is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate and baccalaureate degrees. Collin County Community College District also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Collin College is committed to providing equal educational opportunities to all people, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected class. The college provides reasonable accommodations to afford equal educational opportunities to all people, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), Americans with Disabilities Act and Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

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