# North Carolina Community College System

The North Carolina Community College System (System Office) is a statewide network of 58 public community colleges. The system enrolls nearly 600,000 students annually. 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.

## 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.
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.

## System presidents

As of 2024, the North Carolina Community College System has had 11 presidents, originally called directors of the Department of Community Colleges:
* Isaac Ready (1963–1970)
* Ben E. Fountain, Jr. (1971–1978)
** Charles R. Holloman (acting) (September 1978–July 1979)
* Larry J. Blake (1979–1982)
* Robert W. Scott (1983–1995)
* Lloyd V. Hackley (1995–1997)
* Martin Lancaster (1997–2008)
* Scott Ralls (2008–2015)
** George Fouts (interim) (2015–July 2016)
* Jimmie Williamson (2016–2017)
** Jennifer Haygood (acting) (October 2017–April 2018)
* Peter Hans (2018–2020)
** Bill Carver (interim) (Aug. 1, 2020–Jan. 11, 2021)
* Thomas Stith III (Jan. 11, 2021–Jul. 22, 2022)
** Bill Carver (interim) (Jul. 25, 2022–June 2023)
* Jeffrey A. Cox (June 2023–present)

## 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) | |
| Asheville–Buncombe Technical Community College | A-B Tech | Asheville | Buncombe Madison | 19,023 | 1959 | 1963 | Asheville-Buncombe Industrial Education Center (1959–1963) | |
| Beaufort County Community College | BCCC | Washington | Beaufort Hyde Tyrell Washington | 6,800 | 1963 | 1967 | Beaufort County Extension Unit (1963–1967) Beaufort County Technical Institute (1967–1979) | |
| Bladen Community College | BCC | Dublin | Bladen | 3,014 | 1967 | 1967 | Bladen Technical Institute (1967–1987) | " /> |
| 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) | |
| Brunswick Community College | BCC | Supply | Brunswick | 6,206 | 1979 | 1979 | Brunswick Technical College (1979–1988) | |
| Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute | CCC&TI | Hudson | Caldwell Watauga | 9,421 | 1964 | 1964 | Caldwell Technical Institute (1964–1970) | |
| 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) | |
| 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) | |
| 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) | |
| 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) | |
| 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) | |
| 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) | |
| 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) | |
| College of The Albemarle | COA | Elizabeth City | Camden Chowan Currituck Dare Gates Pasquotank Perquimans | 7,699 | 1960 | 1963 | | |
| Craven Community College | CCC | New Bern | Craven | 8,280 | 1968 | 1968 | Craven Extension Unit (1965–1968) Craven County Technical Institute (1968–1979) | |
| 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) | |
| 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) | |
| Edgecombe Community College (Edgecombe Technical Institute, until 1987) | ECC | Tarboro Rocky Mount | Edgecombe | 5,382 | 1967 | 1967 | Edgecombe Technical Institute (1967–1987) | |
| Fayetteville Technical Community College | FTCC | Fayetteville | Cumberland | 29,755 | 1961 | 1963 | Fayetteville Industrial Education Center (1961–1963) Fayetteville Technical Institute (1963–1987) | |
| 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) | |
| 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) | |
| Guilford Technical Community College | Guilford Tech, GTCC | Jamestown | Guilford | 28,233 | 1958 | 1965 | Guilford Industrial Education Center (1958–1965) Guilford Technical Institute (1965–1983) | |
| Halifax Community College | HCC | Weldon | Halifax Northampton | 3,717 | 1967 | 1967 | Halifax County Technical Institute (1967–1976) | |
| 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) | |
| 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. | |
| James Sprunt Community College | JSCC | Kenansville | Duplin | 4,394 | 1964 | 1964 | Duplin County Extension Unit (1960–1963), branch of Wayne Technical Institute to 1964 | |
| Johnston Community College (Johnston Technical College, until 1987) | JCC | Smithfield | Johnston | 12,013 | 1969 | 1969 | | |
| Lenoir Community College | LCC | Kinston | Greene Jones Lenoir | 9,828 | 1958 | 1963 | | |
| Martin Community College | MCC | Williamston | Bertie Martin | 2,508 | 1976 | 1976 | | |
| Mayland Community College (Mayland Technical College, until 1988) | MCC | Spruce Pine | Avery Mitchell Yancey | 3,228 | 1970 | 1970 | | |
| McDowell Technical Community College (McDowell Technical College, until 1988) | MTCC | Marion | McDowell | 5,285 | 1967 | 1967 | | |
| Mitchell Community College (Mitchell College, until 1973) | MCC | Statesville | Iredell | 8,607 | 1917 | 1973 | | |
| Montgomery Community College (Montgomery Technical College, until 1987) | MCC | Troy | Montgomery | 3,082 | 1967 | 1967 | | |
| Nash Community College (Nash Technical College, until 1987) | NCC | Rocky Mount | Nash | 9,165 | 1967 | 1967 | | |
| Pamlico Community College (Pamlico Technical College, until 1987) | PCC | Grantsboro | Pamlico | 1,500 | 1962 | 1963 | | |
| Piedmont Community College (Piedmont Technical College, until 1987) | PCC | Roxboro | Caswell Person | 4,402 | 1970 | 1970 | | |
| Pitt Community College (Pitt Technical Institute, until 1979) | PCC | Winterville | Pitt | 17,359 | 1961 | 1963 | | |
| Randolph Community College (Randolph Technical College, until 1988) | RCC | Asheboro | Randolph | 9,009 | 1962 | 1963 | | |
| Richmond Community College | RCC | Hamlet | Richmond Scotland | 8,076 | 1967 | 1967 | | |
| Roanoke–Chowan Community College (Roanoke-Chowan Technical College, until 1987) | R-CCC | Ahoskie | Bertie Hertford Northampton | 2,361 | 1967 | 1967 | | |
| Robeson Community College (Robeson Technical College, until 1988) | RCC | Lumberton | Robeson | 9,531 | 1965 | 1965 | | |
| Rockingham Community College | RCC | Wentworth | Rockingham | 5,296 | 1966 | 1966 | | |
| Rowan–Cabarrus Community College (Rowan Technical College, until 1988) | RCCC | Salisbury Concord | Cabarrus Rowan | 20,837 | 1963 | 1963 | | |
| Sampson Community College (Sampson Technical College, until 1987) | SCC | Clinton | Sampson | 5,967 | 1965 | 1965 | | |
| Sandhills Community College | SCC | Pinehurst | Hoke Moore | 10,699 | 1963 | 1963 | | |
| Southeastern Community College | SCC | Whiteville | Columbus | 5,543 | 1964 | 1964 | | |
| South Piedmont Community College | South Piedmont, SPCC | Polkton | Anson Union | 10,761 | 1999 | 1999 | | |
| Southwestern Community College (Southwestern Technical College, until 1988) | SCC, Southwestern | Sylva | Jackson Macon Swain | 7,465 | 1964 | 1964 | | |
| Stanly Community College | SCC | Albemarle | Stanly | 8,734 | 1971 | 1971 | | |
| Surry Community College | SCC | Dobson | Surry Yadkin | 8,802 | 1964 | 1964 | | |
| Tri-County Community College | TCCC | Murphy | Cherokee Clay Graham | 3,088 | 1964 | 1964 | | |
| Vance–Granville Community College (Vance-Granville Technical Institute, until 1976) | VGCC | Henderson | Franklin Granville Vance Warren | 8,352 | 1969 | 1969 | | |
| Wake Technical Community College (Wake Technical College, until 1987) | Wake Tech | Raleigh | Wake | 61,923 | 1958 | 1963 | | |
| Wayne Community College (Wayne Technical Institute, until 1967) | WCC | Goldsboro | Wayne | 9,029 | 1958 | 1963 | | |
| Western Piedmont Community College | WPCC | Morganton | Burke | 5,677 | 1964 | 1964 | | |
| Wilkes Community College | WCC | Wilkesboro | Alleghany Ashe Wilkes | 8,149 | 1964 | 1964 | | |
| Wilson Community College | WCC | Wilson | Wilson | 5,591 | 1958 | 1963 | | |