Typology of State-level Community College Governance Structures

Despite having a well-documented history about community colleges across the United States, relatively few discussions have covered state-level governance structures. To understand the typology of state community college governance structures, it must first be recognized that community college governance is characterized as a complex web of relationships and arrangements that have evolved over time. There is a myriad of ways in which states can structure their higher education systems. Changes, emerging issues, and taxonomies that currently exist in the literature are becoming out-of-date and less precise. The purpose of this study was to develop a national landscape of state-level community college governance structures and to provide an updated categorization of state-level community college governance structures. This study identified common themes, patterns, and emerging developments regarding state-level community college governance. The results of this study about state-level community college governance structures is beneficial for state-level community college governance leaders across the country to stay current and informed on changes and trends, and an opportunity to gain a better understanding about other states’ power-structures, governance, and administration over community colleges.