Virginia Community College System

The Virginia Community College System was established in 1966 by an enabling act of the Virginia General Assembly. The System includes the State Board for Community Colleges, the Virginia Department of Community Colleges, and 23 community colleges located throughout the Commonwealth. The System was founded for the purpose of broadening the base of higher education in Virginia and providing a much wider variety of post-high school education and technical training opportunities than previously had been available. Governing arm of the System is the State Board for Community Colleges which follows higher education policy guidelines established by the State Council of Higher Education. The operating and administrative arm is headed by the Chancellor who is selected by the State Board and who is empowered to administer the policies, procedures, and regulations of the State Board. Existing two-year branches of state-supported four-year universities were transferred into the Community College System in accordance with the Virginia General Assembly act, along with the post-high school programs of area vocational-technical schools formerly operated under the State Department of Technical Education, forerunner of the present system. The System is under the Governor's Secretary of Education, and it operates under guidelines set out in the Federal Vocational Act of 1963 and the Higher Education Facilities Act.

The State Board is responsible for: preparation and administration of a plan with standards for establishment, development and implementation of a comprehensive Community College System; control and expenditure of funds appropriated for use in the System; acceptance of grants and contributions with the Governor's approval; conference of associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates; establishment of policies for creation of a local community college board for each institution; and adherence to policies of the State Council of Higher Education for the coordination of higher education.