Randall Cloke

28 March 2017
EDU 811
State Governance of North Carolina Community Colleges

North Carolina Community Colleges have oversight at the state level through the State Board of

Community Colleges. The state “has assigned the 58 public community colleges to the State

Board of Community Colleges with full authority to adopt all policies, regulations, and standards

deemed necessary for operation…” of the system (Craven Community College). Given this

statement, the state board appears to have broad oversight and governing power over the

community colleges in the state of North Carolina. The current form of the governing board was

established in 1979 (North Carolina Community Colleges).

The colleges system has a process in place for the appointments of members for the state

board. Currently, the state board is comprised by four members appointed by the state senate,

four members appointed by the state house, one member from each of the Trustee Association

Regions, of which there are six and are comprised by grouped counties (North Carolina General

Assembly), three members appointed by the governor, one member appointed by the North

Carolina Comprehensive Community College Student Government Association, and two

members are ex officio members, one is the state’s lieutenant governor and the other is the state

treasurer (North Carolina General Assembly).

My current research has not yielded any results that indicate any changes to the state’s

governance structure in reference to the community colleges in North Carolina. However, a bill

has recently passed the state house which could limit the Governor’s ability to appoint members

to the governing boards at specific community colleges (Charlotte News & Observer, 2017).
 References

Charlotte News & Observer. (2017, March 2). Gov. Roy Cooper would lose judicial, community

college appointment powers under NC House bill. Retrieved from

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/state-

politics/article136069903.html

Craven Community College. (n.d.). North Carolina community college system. Retrieved from

https://cravencc.edu/about/north-carolina-community-college-system/

North Carolina Community Colleges. (n.d.). Members of the state board of community colleges.

Retrieved March 28, 2017, from http://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/state-board-

community-colleges/members-state-board-community-colleges

North Carolina Community Colleges. (n.d.). Mission & history. Retrieved from

http://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/mission-history

North Carolina General Assembly. (n.d.). GS 115D-62. Retrieved from

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/PDF/BySection/Chapter_115D/

GS_115D-62.pdf