North Carolina Community College System
NCCC System Office in Raleigh, NC
TypeCommunity college system
Established1963 (1963)
PresidentDr. Jeffrey A. Cox[1]
Undergraduates594,457 (2022–23)[2]
Location
Statewide
,
North Carolina
,
USA
Campus58 campuses
Websitewww.nccommunitycolleges.edu

The North Carolina Community College System (System Office) is a statewide network of 58 public community colleges.[3] The system enrolls nearly 600,000 students annually.[2] It also provides the North Carolina Learning Object Repository as a central location to manage, collect, contribute, and share digital learning resources for use in traditional or distance-learning environments.[4]

History

In the years following World War II, North Carolina began a rapid shift from an agricultural to an industrial economy. With that change came an awareness that a different kind of education was needed in the state. People who did not desire a four-year baccalaureate education nevertheless had the need for more than a high-school diploma.

In 1950, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction authorized a study of the need for a system of tax-supported community colleges. The resulting report, by Dr. Allan S. Hurlburt, was published in 1952. It proposed a plan for development of state supported community colleges. In 1957, the North Carolina General Assembly adopted the first Community College Act and provided funding for community colleges.

The same (1957) General Assembly also provided funding to initiate a statewide system of industrial education centers, to train adults and selected high-school students in skills needed by industry. By 1961, the five public junior colleges were emphasizing arts and sciences, and seven industrial education centers were focusing on technical and vocational education.

In 1961, North Carolina Governor Terry Sanford appointed a Governor's Commission on Education Beyond the High School with Irving E. Carlyle as its chairman. Commonly referred to as the "Carlyle Commission", the body produced a set of proposals in August 1962 aimed at increasing college enrollment in North Carolina. One of its recommendations was the consolidation of the state's "public junior colleges" and "industrial education centers" under a single system of community colleges. In May 1963, the General Assembly responded by creating a Department of Community Colleges under the State Board of Education.[5]

By 1966, 43 institutions had 28,250 full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollments. In 1969, 54 institutions had 59,329 FTEs. The system had grown very rapidly, exceeding 10% annually nearly every year until the late 1970s; in 1974–75, growth reached 33%. The system continues to grow in enrollments nearly every year, but by much more modest margins. The number of colleges has not increased since Brunswick Community College became the 58th in 1978. In 1991, the North Carolina Center for Applied Textile Technology became subject to the management of the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges. In July 2005, Gaston College, part of the North Carolina Community College System, absorbed the textile center.

The original legislation placed the community college system under the purview of the State Board of Education, and created a State Department of Community Colleges. In the early years of the system, the State Board of Education chairperson was Dallas Herring; David Bruton succeeded him in 1977.

In 1979, the General Assembly changed the state control of the system. Provision was made for a separate State Board of Community Colleges. The board was appointed and organized in 1980, and met several times with the State Board of Education. The new board assumed full responsibility for the system on January 1, 1981. The board's first chairperson was Duke Power Company executive Carl Horn. He was succeeded in 1983 by John A. Forlines, president of Bank of Granite and then by William F. Simpson in 1989. Lt. Governor Dennis A. Wicker served as chair from 1993 until 1999. Dr. G. Herman Porter, former president of Wayne Community College, served from 1999 until 2001. Businessman James J. Woody, Jr., of Roxboro served from 2001 until July 2005. Progress Energy executive Hilda Pinnix-Ragland served four terms from 2005 to 2013. She was succeeded as chair by Dr. Linwood Powell of Fayetteville in 2013. Businessman Scott Shook of Greenville served 2015–2019 as chair. The current board chair is Breeden Blackwell of Fayetteville, a retired school principal and elected city and county official. The board vice chair is Bill McBrayer, a furniture-company executive from Hickory.

In 1988, the North Carolina Community College System celebrated its 25th anniversary, recognizing that in its first quarter century of service, the system had emerged as the nation's third-largest community college network, educating millions of students during its 32-year history and employing thousands of faculty and staff.[3]

System presidents

As of 2024, the North Carolina Community College System has had 11 presidents,[3] originally called directors of the Department of Community Colleges:

Colleges

Official name
(Previous name)		 Official abbrev. Location Service Area

(Counties)

 Enrollment
Unduplicated total of curriculum and continuing education students, as of 2022–2023		 Founded Joined system Former name/predecessor institution (s) References
Alamance Community College ACC Graham Alamance 12,243 1958 1963 Alamance Industrial Education Center (1958–1963)
Technical College of Alamance (1963–1988)		 [2][16]
Asheville–Buncombe Technical Community College A-B Tech Asheville Buncombe

Madison

 19,023 1959 1963 Asheville-Buncombe Industrial Education Center (1959–1963) [2][16]
Beaufort County Community College BCCC Washington Beaufort

Hyde Tyrell Washingon

 6,800 1963 1967 Beaufort County Extension Unit (1963–1967)
Beaufort County Technical Institute (1967–1979)		 [2][16]
Bladen Community College BCC Dublin Bladen 3,014 1967 1967 Bladen Technical Institute (1967–1987) [2]" />[16]
Blue Ridge Community College BRCC East Flat Rock Henderson

Transylvania

 10,971 1969 1969 Henderson County Technical Institute (1969–1970)
Blue Ridge Technical Institute (1970–1979)
Blue Ridge Technical College (1979–1987)		 [2][16]
Brunswick Community College BCC Supply Brunswick 6,206 1979 1979 Brunswick Technical College (1979–1988) [2][16]
Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute CCC&TI Hudson Caldwell

Watauga

 9,421 1964 1964 Caldwell Technical Institute (1964–1970) [2][16]
Cape Fear Community College CFCC Wilmington New Hanover

Pender

 22,963 1958 1963 Wilmington Industrial Education Center (1958–1963)
Cape Fear Technical Institute (1963–1988)		 [2][16]
Carteret Community College CCC Morehead City Cartaret 5,636 1963 1968 Carteret Extension Unit (1963–1968)
Carteret Technical Institute (1968–1979)
Carteret Technical College (1979–1987)		 [2][16]
Catawba Valley Community College CVCC Hickory Alexander

Catawba

 12,702 1960 1964 Catawba Industrial Education Center (1960–1964)
Catawba Valley Technical Institute (1964–1979)
Catawba Valley Technical College (1979–1987)		 [2][16][17]
Central Carolina Community College CCCC Sanford
Pittsboro
Buies Creek		 Chatham

Harnett Lee

 15,818 1961 1965 Lee County Industrial Education Center (1961–1965)
Lee County Technical Institute (1965–1979)
Lee County Technical College (1979–1988)		 [2][16][18]
Central Piedmont Community College Central Piedmont (current)
CPCC (former)		 Charlotte Mecklenburg 45,215 1963 1963 Merger of the Central Industrial Education Center (1959–1963) with Mecklenburg College (1961–1963, formerly Carver College from 1949 to 1961) [2][16][19]
Cleveland Community College CCC Shelby Cleveland 9,705 1965 1967 Cleveland Extension Unit (1965–1967)
Cleveland County Technical Institute (1967–1979)
Cleveland County Technical College (1980–1987)		 [2][16][20]
Coastal Carolina Community College CCCC Jacksonville Onslow 11,183 1965 1970 Onslow County Extension Unit (1963–1965)
Onslow Industrial Education Center (1965–1967)
Onslow Technical Institute (1967–1970)		 [2][16]
College of The Albemarle COA Elizabeth City Camden

Chowan Currituck Dare Gates Pasquotank Perquimans

 7,699 1960 1963 [2][16]
Craven Community College CCC New Bern Craven 8,280 1968 1968 Craven Extension Unit (1965–1968)
Craven County Technical Institute (1968–1979)		 [2][16][21]
Davidson-Davie Community College DDCC Lexington
Mocksville
Advance		 Davidson

Davie

 11,659 1963 1965 Davidson County Industrial Education Center (1963–1965)
Davidson County Community College (1965–2021)		 [2][16]
Durham Technical Community College DTCC, Durham Tech Durham Durham

Orange

 17,369 1958 1965 Durham Industrial Education Center (1958–1965)
Durham Technical Institute (1965–1986)		 [2][16]
Edgecombe Community College
(Edgecombe Technical Institute, until 1987)		 ECC Tarboro
Rocky Mount		 Edgecombe 5,382 1967 1967 Edgecombe Technical Institute (1967–1987) [2][16]
Fayetteville Technical Community College FTCC Fayetteville Cumberland 29,755 1961 1963 Fayetteville Industrial Education Center (1961–1963)
Fayetteville Technical Institute (1963–1987)		 [2][16]
Forsyth Technical Community College Forsyth Tech Winston-Salem Forsyth

Stokes

 20,085 1959 1964 Winston-Salem Industrial Education Center (1959–1960)
Forsyth County Industrial Education Center (1960–1964)
Forsyth Technical Institute (1964–1985)
Forsyth Technical College (1985–1987)		 [2][16]
Gaston College - Dallas
Lincolnton		 Gaston

Lincoln

 16,220 1963 1965 Formed by the 1965 consolidation of Gaston College (established as a community college in 1963) with the Gastonia Industrial Education Center (established 1959) and the Gaston Technical Institute (established 1952, formerly the Morehead City Technical Institute from 1947 to 1952).
Absorbed the N.C. Center for Applied Textile Technology in 2005 (member of NCCCS from 1972, renamed in 1991 from the N.C. Vocational Textile School, which had been established in 1941)		 [2][16]
Guilford Technical Community College Guilford Tech, GTCC Jamestown Guilford 28,233 1958 1965 Guilford Industrial Education Center (1958–1965)
Guilford Technical Institute (1965–1983)		 [2][16]
Halifax Community College HCC Weldon Halifax

Northampton

 3,717 1967 1967 Halifax County Technical Institute (1967–1976) [2][16]
Haywood Community College HCC Clyde Haywood 4,163 1965 1967 Haywood Extension Unit (unit of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Institution, 1965–1967)
Haywood Technical Institute (1967–1979)
Haywood Technical College (1979–1987)		 [2][16][22]
Isothermal Community College ICC Spindale Polk

Rutherford

 5,410 1964 1964 Absorption by Isothermal Community College (established 1964) of the Rutherford Industrial Education Center (formerly the Rutherford Extension Unit established 1962) in 1965. [2][16][23]
James Sprunt Community College JSCC Kenansville Duplin 4,394 1964 1964 Duplin County Extension Unit (1960–1963), branch of Wayne Technical Institute to 1964 [2][16]
Johnston Community College
(Johnston Technical College, until 1987)		 JCC Smithfield Johnston 12,013 1969 1969 [2][16]
Lenoir Community College LCC Kinston Greene

Jones Lenoir

 9,828 1958 1963 [2][16]
Martin Community College MCC Williamston Bertie

Martin

 2,508 1976 1976 [2][16]
Mayland Community College
(Mayland Technical College, until 1988)		 MCC Spruce Pine Avery

Mitchell Yancey

 3,228 1970 1970 [2][16]
McDowell Technical Community College
(McDowell Technical College, until 1988)		 MTCC Marion McDowell 5,285 1967 1967 [2][16]
Mitchell Community College
(Mitchell College, until 1973)		 MCC Statesville Iredell 8,607 1917 1973 [2][16]
Montgomery Community College
(Montgomery Technical College, until 1987)		 MCC Troy Montgomery 3,082 1967 1967 [2][16]
Nash Community College
(Nash Technical College, until 1987)		 NCC Rocky Mount Nash 9,165 1967 1967 [2][16]
Pamlico Community College
(Pamlico Technical College, until 1987)		 PCC Grantsboro Pamlico 1,500 1962 1963 [2][16]
Piedmont Community College
(Piedmont Technical College, until 1987)		 PCC Roxboro Caswell

Person

 4,402 1970 1970 [2][16]
Pitt Community College
(Pitt Technical Institute, until 1979)		 PCC Winterville Pitt 17,359 1961 1963 [2][16]
Randolph Community College
(Randolph Technical College, until 1988)		 RCC Asheboro Randolph 9,009 1962 1963 [2][16]
Richmond Community College RCC Hamlet Richmond

Scotland

 8,076 1967 1967 [2][16]
Roanoke–Chowan Community College
(Roanoke-Chowan Technical College, until 1987)		 R-CCC Ahoskie Bertie

Hertford Northampton

 2,361 1967 1967 [2][16]
Robeson Community College
(Robeson Technical College, until 1988)		 RCC Lumberton Robeson 9,531 1965 1965 [2][16]
Rockingham Community College RCC Wentworth Rockingham 5,296 1966 1966 [2][16]
Rowan–Cabarrus Community College
(Rowan Technical College, until 1988)		 RCCC Salisbury
Concord		 Cabarrus

Rowan

 20,837 1963 1963 [2][16]
Sampson Community College
(Sampson Technical College, until 1987)		 SCC Clinton Sampson 5,967 1965 1965 [2][16]
Sandhills Community College SCC Pinehurst Hoke

Moore

 10,699 1963 1963 [2][16]
Southeastern Community College SCC Whiteville Columbus 5,543 1964 1964 [2][16]
South Piedmont Community College South Piedmont, SPCC Polkton Anson

Union

 10,761 1999 1999 [2][16]
Southwestern Community College
(Southwestern Technical College, until 1988)		 SCC, Southwestern Sylva Jackson

Macon Swain

 7,465 1964 1964 [2][16]
Stanly Community College SCC Albemarle Stanly 8,734 1971 1971 [2][16]
Surry Community College SCC Dobson Surry

Yadkin

 8,802 1964 1964 [2][16]
Tri-County Community College TCCC Murphy Cherokee

Clay Graham

 3,088 1964 1964 [2][16]
Vance–Granville Community College
(Vance-Granville Technical Institute, until 1976)		 VGCC Henderson Franklin

Granville Vance Warren

 8,352 1969 1969 [2][16]
Wake Technical Community College
(Wake Technical College, until 1987)		 Wake Tech Raleigh Wake 61,923 1958 1963 [2][16]
Wayne Community College
(Wayne Technical Institute, until 1967)		 WCC Goldsboro Wayne 9,029 1958 1963 [2][16]
Western Piedmont Community College WPCC Morganton Burke 5,677 1964 1964 [2][16]
Wilkes Community College WCC Wilkesboro Alleghany

Ashe Wilkes

 8,149 1964 1964 [2][16]
Wilson Community College WCC Wilson Wilson 5,591 1958 1963 [2][16]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 NC Community College System website: Biography of Dr. Cox
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 "Total Headcount: College Comparison of Total Enrollment". NC Community Colleges. 2023. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Mission & History". NC Community Colleges. Retrieved 2016-01-29.
  4. ↑ "About the NCLOR". NCLOR News and Information Portal. Retrieved 2019-03-16.
  5. ↑ Link 2018, pp. 415–416.
  6. ↑ Bailey, Audrey; Kapp, Chancy (2007-12-06). "Scott Ralls named as seventh president of North Carolina Community College System" (Press release). NC Community Colleges. Archived from the original on 2008-11-22.
  7. ↑ "State Board of Community Colleges Selects Dr. Jimmie Williamson as System President" (Press release). NC Community Colleges. 2016-03-30.
  8. ↑ "NC Community College System president resigns". WRAL. 2017-07-31.
  9. ↑ "President of NC Community Colleges Steps Down" (Press release). NC Community Colleges. 2017-07-31.
  10. ↑ "State Board elects Peter Hans president of NC Community College System" (Press release). NC Community Colleges. 2018-05-01. Retrieved 2018-08-23.
  11. ↑ NC Community College System Press Release: Interim President named
  12. ↑ EdNC
  13. ↑ "State Board of Community Colleges Accepts Resignation". N. C. Community Colleges. July 19, 2022. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  14. ↑ "N.C. Community College System Announces Dr. Carver's First Day as Interim President". N. C. Community Colleges. July 26, 2022. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  15. ↑ Dr. Jeff Cox, Wilkes Community College president, named new leader of North Carolina Community College System
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 "North Carolina Community College System Timeline". North Carolina Community College Archives Association. 2014. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Mission, Vision, and History". Catawba Valley Community College. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  18. ↑ "History". Central Carolina Community College. 2011. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Carver College Collection". Central Piedmont Community College. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  20. ↑ "About Us". Cleveland Community College. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  21. ↑ "History and Tradition". Craven Community College. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  22. ↑ "History". Haywood Community College. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  23. ↑ "History of Isothermal". Isothermal Community College. Retrieved February 22, 2021.

Works cited

  • Link, William A. (2018). North Carolina: Change and Tradition in a Southern State (second ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 9781118833605.

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