Lee College

Established 1934
Type Community college
Students 5,833 Full-time (Spring 2008)
Location Baytown, Texas, USA
Campus Urban
Sports Runnin' Rebels
Colors Scarlet and Gray
Nickname Runnin' Rebels
Mascot Rooty Rebel
Affiliations Region XIV Athletic Conference
Website www.lee.edu

Lee College is a comprehensive community college located in Baytown, Texas, approximately 30 miles (48 km) east of Houston, Texas.

Lee College's main campus occupies 40 acres (160,000 m2) landscaped near downtown Baytown and maintains extension campuses throughout its service area. The school has an enrollment of over 9,000 total students, with approximately 5,800 of them enrolled full time in one of over 60 academic, technical education, and non-credit continuing education programs.

As defined by the Texas Legislature, the official service area of Lee College includes territory within the following school districts:[1]

Contents

History

Established in 1934 to provide high quality education at a minimal cost, Lee College has continued that tradition for over 70 years. Originally housed on the Robert E. Lee High School campus, Lee College severed its initial integration with the Goose Creek Independent School District under the leadership of the college's first dean, Walter Rundell. In 1948, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools granted Lee College accreditation and recommended that the college develop its own campus apart from the local high school. A successful bond election in the following year allowed for the construction of Rundell Hall and the campus gymnasium. The college experienced tremendous growth after classes began in the new buildings in 1951.

By 1965, the college had added the Social Sciences building, the Library, Moler Hall, TV1 and Bonner Hall as well as an addition the gymnasium. Funding from the 1988 bond issue allowed for the construction of a new science building to replace the antiquated facilities formerly housed in the math and administration building. The renovation of the McNulty-Haddick building created additional classroom space for Allied Health and Fine Arts.

In 2000, another successful bond election led to expansion of the campus by more than 33% with the addition in 2002 of a new Advanced Technology Center. Parking was also expanded and beautification efforts including a central courtyard, covered walks, and landscaping were completed.

In 2003, Technical Vocational Building 1 received major renovations, including the construction of a Cisco Academy.

In October 2004, the College completed the renovation to the old library into a Student Center with game room, Cyber Café, Bayer Conference Center, Enterprise Gallery, Security office, and student club offices. In December 2004, the College finished renovation to the Old Gym, which now provides offices, swimming pool, weight room and other facilities.

In 2008, Lee College began construction of its showcase Performing Arts Center which will host a variety of campus and community events. It is slated to open in the Spring of 2009 and cost approximately $14 million.

Academic programs

Lee College offers roughly eighty programs including:

• Accounting Technology • ADN • Agribusiness • Alcohol & Drug Abuse Counseling • Architecture • Art • Audio Recording • Bible • Biology • Business Administration & Management • Career Pilot Technology • Chemistry • Cisco Academy • Computer Information Systems • Computer Maintenance Technology • Computer Science • Construction Engineering Technology • Cosmetology • Criminal Justice& Corrections • Drafting (CADD) Technology • Drama • Drug Abuse Counseling • Economics • Education • Electrical Technology • Engineering • English • English for Speakers of Other languages (ESOL) • Environmental Science • Foreign Language • Game Development and Design • Geology • Gerontology • Government • Health & Medical Administrative Services • Health Information Technology • History • Humanities • Instrumentation Technology • Kinesiology/Physical Education • Law Enforcement • Legal Assistant • Liberal Arts • Machine Shop • Management • Mathematics • Mechanical Engineering Technology • Medical Records Technology • Mental Health Services • Millwright • Music • Natural Sciences • Nursing • Office Technology • Paralegal Studies • Photography • Physical Education • Physics • Pilot Training • Pipefiting Technology • Political Science • Process Technology • Professional Office Technology • Professional Writing • Psychology • Safety Management Technology • Secretarial • Social Sciences • Social Work • Sociology • Spanish • Speech Communication • Theatre • Transfer • Transitional Nursing • Visual Arts • Vocational Nursing • Voice • Voice (music) • Welding

Athletics

Lee College is home to the Running Rebels Men's Basketball, Women's Volleyball, and Men's & Women's Tennis teams. The school competes in the Region XIV Athletic Conference of the NJCAA.

The College has shown its commitment to athletic excellence with the construction of new facilities over the past few years.

In 2002, a completely new tennis complex was constructed adjacent to the campus.

In 2003, the College opened a new Wellness Center and Sports Complex. The complex contains Lee College Arena, the home arena for basketball and volleyball. The arena has a capacity of 1,500 for athletic events.

In 2007, the women's tennis team won the NJCAA National Championship. This was their second national championship title with their first coming in 2001.

Administration

President: Dr. Michael Murphy
Vice President of Learning: Dr. Cathy S. Kemper
Executive Director of Information Technology & Institutional Effectiveness: Dr. Carolyn Lightfoot
Vice President of Student Services: Dr. Donnetta Suchon
Vice President of Financial Services: Steve Evans
Dean of Applied Sciences: Dr. Estelle J. Sit
Dean of Academic Services: Dr. Jeffrey Theis

Joseph Hugh Allen (1940–2008), a former member of the Texas House of Representatives graduated from Lee College and served on its board of regents.

References

  1. ^ Texas Education Code, Section 130.186, "Lee College District Service Area".

External links