History of Community Colleges

  • Passage of the Morrill Act

    Passage of the Morrill Act
    Passage of the Morrill Act. With its emphasis on agriculture and the mechanical arts, the Morrill Act of 1862, often referred to as the Land Grant Act, expanded access to public higher education, teaching both courses and students previously excluded from higher education.
  • Passage of the second Morrill Act.

    Passage of the second Morrill Act. This act withheld funds from any state that refused admission to the land grant colleges based on race unless the states provided separate institutions for minorities. Expanded public higher education to include many blacks who previously were unable to attend college.
  • Founding of Joliet Junior College

    The founding of Joliet Junior College in Illinois. Founded under the influence of William Rainey Harper, president of the University of Chicago, Joliet Junior College is the oldest public junior college in the nation.
  • Creation of the "Wisconsin Idea"

    The "Wisconsin Idea." The University of Wisconsin emphasized that the university was to assist the general public through extension services and assistance to the state government. The university declared the boundaries of the state to be its campus. Today, most community college leaders view the college's service region as its campus.
  • California creates legislation 1907-1917

    California legislation. California passed legislation that authorized high schools to offer postgraduate courses, provided state and county support for junior college students, and provided for independent junior college districts that had their own boards, budgets and procedures.
  • Founding of the American Association of Junior Colleges 1920-1921

    Founding of the American Association of Junior Colleges. Meetings held in St. Louis (June 30-July 1, 1920) and Chicago (February 1921) resulted in the founding of the American Association of Junior Colleges. The association, currently named the American Association of Community Colleges, continues to provide a national focus and national leadership for the nation's community, junior, and technical colleges. In 1930, the association began publishing its own journal, known today as the Community C
  • Phoenix Junior College was created

    It is now called Phoenix College.
  • Creation of "The Junior College Movement"

    Creation of "The Junior College Movement"
    "The Junior College Movement." This work, written by Leonard Koos, described the development of the public junior college, with emphasis on the types of junior colleges, their geographic distribution, enrollments and programs of study.
  • The book "The Junior College" is published

    "The Junior College." This book by Walter Crosby Eells documented the growth and curriculum of the public junior college, as well as its role in increasing access to higher education. Eells' book is a very important text on the early development of the public junior college.
  • The GI Bill of Rights passes

    Passage of the GI Bill of Rights. In 1944 Congress passed the Servicemen's Readjustment Act. Popularly known as the GI Bill, this act provided financial assistance for veterans of World War II who wished to pursue higher education. The GI Bill was a milestone in the federal funding for education of individuals and did much to break down the economic and social barriers to allow millions of Americans to attend college. Indeed, more than 2.2 million veterans, including more than 60,000 women and a
  • Bogue enters the community college scene

    Bogue enters the community college scene
    Jesse R Bogue. In 1946 Bogue became the executive secretary of the American Association of Junior Colleges, a position he held until 1958. As post-war spokesman, Bogue did much to popularize the term "community college" in his 1950 book titled "The Community College."
  • The Publication of Higher Education commission report comes out

    Publication of Higher Education for American Democracy by the President's Commission on Higher Education. The commission report, popularly know as The Truman Commission Report, called for, among other things, the establishment of a network of public community colleges that would charge little or no tuition, serve as cultural centers, be comprehensive in their program offerings with emphasis on civic responsibilities, and would serve the area in which they were located. The commission popularized
  • Gleazer enters the scene

    Edmund J.Gleazer Jr. In l958, Gleazer succeeded Bogue as the executive director (The title replaced that of executive secretary, and in 1972 the title was changed to president.) of the American Association of Junior Colleges. He remained in the position until 1981, working tirelessly to promote the nation's community and junior colleges.
  • Creation of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation

    The W.K. Kellogg Foundation. In 1960 the Kellogg Foundation announced a series of grants to be used to establish university centers for training two-year college leaders. In all, 12 universities established junior college leadership programs. Hundreds of future deans and presidents were graduates of the Kellogg Junior College Leadership Programs.
  • Medsker writes a very important book

    "The Junior College: Progress and Prospect." Written by Leland L. Medsker, this volume discusses the public community college in detail, outlining both its strengths and weaknesses. The author provides data on the academic performance of students and the success of transfer students in selected states.
  • The Maricopa County Junior College District was created

    This was approved by County voters and included Phoenix Junior College.
  • Maricopa Skill Center is established

    Maricopa Skill Center is established
    It is now called GateWay Community College.
  • Phoenix Junior College expands

    Expands to Glendale and Mesa.
  • The Act of 1965 from 1965-1992

    Student aid legislation. Beginning with the Higher Education Act of 1965, the 1972 amendments to the act, and subsequent amendments and reauthorizations (including the 1992 higher education amendments), the federal government made it possible for practically every American to attend college. Included in current legislation is the federal Pell Grant program.
  • Maricopa Technical College was established

    It is now also part of GateWay Community College.
  • Scottsdale Community College is established

  • "Junior College" is changed to "Community College"

  • Rio Salado Community College is established

  • South Mountain Community College is established

  • Parnell is a new player

    Dale Parnell. In 1981, Dale Parnell succeeded Gleazer as president of the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges. He served as president of the Association until June 30, 1991. Parnell was the first president of the association to have served as the president of a public community college. During his tenure, the association established a press and issued a newspaper, the Community College Times.
  • Northeast Valley Education Center is established

    This is now called Paradise Valley Community College.
  • The Chandler/Gilbert Education Center opens

    It is now called Chandler/Gilbert Coummunity College.
  • Commission on the Future of Community Colleges comes out

    Report of the Commission on the Future of Community Colleges. In 1988, the Commission issued the report Building Communities: A Vision for a New Century. The report defined community not only as a region to be served, but as a climate to be created. Community colleges should play an important role in creating the climate and serving the region.
  • Estrella Mountain Community College is established

  • Pierce is the new President in the community college world

    David Pierce. On July 1, 1991, David Pierce succeeded Dale Parnell as president of the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges. Pierce, the first president of the Association to have graduated from a public community college, places major emphasis on working with the federal government, especially the departments of education and labor, and on interpreting the mission of the community college to both national and international audiences.
  • Creation of the AACC

    AACC. By majority vote of the membership, AACJC drops the junior and changes its name to the American Association of Community Colleges.
  • The Centennial of community colleges

    Centennial. Community colleges celebrate a 100 years of service. Joliet Junior College was the first community college, established in 1901.
  • The Red Mountain Campus is created

    This is part of Mesa Community College.
  • Glendale Community College North is established

  • Black Mountain Campus is established

    This is at Paradise Valley Community College.