Florida Association of Community Colleges

CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE FLORIDA COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM

By Dr. Harry T. Albertson, Former Chief Executive Officer, Florida Association of Community Colleges

1901

William Rainey Harper (President of the University of Chicago) suggested that the resources of the nation’s universities could be better utilized if they were not burdened with the substantial academic tasks of teaching basic learning and thinking skills taught during the freshman and sophomore years. Form these thoughts the nation’s first public junior college was formed — Joliet Junior College. However, even before the birth of Joliet Junior College, there existed several private junior colleges. These private junior colleges were formed as a result of either financial pressures or as a means to accommodate the flood of recent high school graduates.

1927

To accommodate the increase in high school graduates on the central, west coast of Florida, St. Petersburg Junior College was founded as a private, two-year college. Shortly thereafter several other private junior colleges formed in Florida including Jacksonville Junior College, Orlando Junior College, Casements Junior College and Edison Junior College. Unfortunately, all of these private junior college efforts failed except for St. Petersburg Junior College.

1933

Florida’s first public junior college, Palm Beach Junior College, was established by the legislature. From 1933 through 1947, Palm Beach Junior College remained the only public two-year college in the state.

1947

Dr. Edgar Morphet and Dr. R. L. Johns, consultants to the Florida Citizens Committee on Education, included a section on “junior colleges” in their report to the Florida Legislature. Mr. Howell Watkins, the principal of Palm Beach High School and dean of Palm Beach Junior College was charged with the junior college section of the report, and he assigned the task to a graduate student form the University of Florida, James Wattenbarger (who was also a graduate of Palm Beach Junior College). Among other things, the Report to the 1947 Legislature recommended that junior colleges should become operational components of the local school systems provided that the County Boards of Public Instruction received approval from the State Board of Education to operate a junior college. This recommendation and many other provisions of the report were included in the Minimum Foundation Program Law supported by Senator Leroy Collins and passed by the 1947 Legislature.

Upon passage of the Minimum Foundation Program in 1947, the Pinellas County Board of Public Instruction requested the State Board of Education’s approval to make St. Petersburg Junior College a public two-year college by incorporating it into its school system. In 1947, Chipola Junior College was also opened as a private two-year college.

1948

The Jackson County School Board joined by the School Boards of Calhoun, Holmes, and Washington Counties received permission to take control of Chipola Junior College. The Escambia County School Board (later joined by the Santa Rosa County School Board) requested and received authority to establish a new public junior college, Pensacola Junior College.

1949

Dr. John Leonard, who served as both the superintendent of Public Instruction in Palm Beach County and President of PBJC, met with Dr. Leon Henderson from the University of Florida to plan a series of conferences for junior college administrators. The conferences were held in January, May, July, and October 1949 and included presidents and faculty members. At the October meeting, the participants formally organized as the Florida Association of Public Junior Colleges (FAPJC), the forerunner of the Florida Association of Community Colleges (FACC).

Washington Junior College was authorized as the state’s fifth public juniorcollege in connection with Booker T. Washington High School in Pensacola.

1951

The Junior College Steering Committee of the State Advisory Council on Education presented a study by Dr. C.C. Colvert and Dr. James W. Reynolds from the University of Texas to the State Board of Education. The study recommendedthe establishment of an unspecified number of new junior colleges, a position strongly supported by former Senator and now governor Leroy Collins.

1953

The legislature authorized the Board of Control (the forerunner to the Board of Regents) to establish the Council for the Study of Higher Education. In that same year, the University of Florida Press published its first education-oriented book, A State Plan for Public Junior Colleges, by Dr. James L. Wattenbarger.

1955

Under the Direction of the Board of Control, the Council for the Study of Higher Education issued its first report to the legislature. The report called for the establishment of a separate study for junior colleges in Florida. As a result of the Council’s report, and at the urging of members of FAPJC, the 1955 Legislature created the Community College Council to “formulate along-range plan for the establishment and coordination of community colleges. ”During the same year and also at the urging of FAPJC, the legislature appropriated $4.2 million in construction funds during the 1955-57 biennium. Dr. James L. Wattenbarger was granted a leave of absence from the University of Florida to direct the study of the Community College Council.

1957

The Community College Council issued its report titled The Community Junior College in Florida’s Future. The report recommended a state plan that would provide twenty-eight junior colleges located within commuting distance of 99 percent of the state’s population. The 1957 Legislature accepted the report as the master plan for Florida’s community/junior colleges and at the same time approved six new community college districts bringing the total number of public  community colleges in Florida to ten. The six new colleges were Gulf Coast Community College, Central Florida Community College, Daytona BeachCommunity College, Manatee Junior College, North Florida Junior College, and St. Johns River Community College. The report included the most progressive articulation agreement between community colleges and state universities. The so called “General Education Agreement” established the two-plus-two system guaranteeing the transfer of all general education credits from public community colleges to the State University System. Also during 1957, the legislature approved statutory revisions that permitted the junior colleges to begin a separate existence apart from the K-12 programs. As such, the Division of Community Colleges was established within the Department of Education, and Dr. James Wattenbarger was selected as the Division Director; however, the colleges still remained under the jurisdiction of the local school boards.

1960

Brevard Community College, Broward Community College, Indian River Community College, and Miami-Dade Community College were created and funded by the legislature.

1961

Under the direction of Dr. Samuel R. Neel, President of FAPJC and President of Manatee Community College, FAPJC began to push for legislation that would make community/junior colleges separate legal entities functioning under their own boards of trustees.

1962

Edison Community College, Lake City Community College, and Lake-Sumter Community College were created and funded by the legislature.

1964

Okaloosa-Walton Community College was created and funded by the legislature.

1965

Polk Community College was created and funded by the legislature. Mid 1960's Florida faced a period of desegregation in all of education. As part of the state’s desegregation plan, the twelve district black colleges (which were attached to black high schools) were merged with the newly created community/junior college system.

1966

Florida Keys Community College, Florida Community College at Jacksonville, Santa Fe Community College, Seminole Community College, and South Florida Community College were created and funded by the legislature.

1967

Valencia Community College and Tallahassee Community College were created and funded by the legislature.

Dr. James Wattenbarger resigned as the Director of the Division of Community Colleges and Dr. Lee Henderson, Dr. Wattenbarger’s assistant, was named the new Director of the Division of Community Colleges.

1967-68

The legislature approved measures which released the colleges from the jurisdiction of local boards of public instruction and established locally autonomous district boards of trustees to govern and operate each of the state’s public community/junior colleges. During the transition, several school districts opted to keep the designation for vocational/technical education, while other school districts opted to give the designation for vocational/technical education to the community/junior college. This created a bifurcated system for the delivery of vocational/technical education in the state.

1968

Hillsborough Community College was created and funded by the legislature.

1969-70

FAPJC began a push within the legislature to make the terms “community" and “junior” college synonymous in state law. The FAPJC Assembly of Delegates also voted to change the name of the Association to the Florida Association of Community Colleges in an effort to more adequately represent the comprehensive nature of the state’s community/junior colleges. Over the next several years, many of the state’s colleges also dropped “junior” in favor of “community.”

1971

Common Course Numbering System established guaranteeing the transfer of courses with the same prefix and number between community colleges, the State University System, and some private colleges.

1972

Pasco-Hernando Community College was created and funded by the legislature. The creation of Pasco-Hernando Community College marked the completion of the Master Plan for a system of twenty-eight community colleges within commuting distance of 99 percent of the state’s population.

1979

The Community College Council was abolished by the legislature and the Community College Coordinating Board was established in an effort to answer questions regarding the management and coordination of higher education in Florida.

State Community College System AA Degree graduates guaranteed admission to the State University System at the Junior Level.

1983

The Community College Coordinating Board was abolished by the legislature and the State Board of Community Colleges was established. The State Board of Community Colleges was charged with “statewide leadership in overseeing and coordinating the individually governed public community colleges’ while ensuring that “there shall continue to be maximum local autonomy in the governance and operation of individual community colleges.” Dr. Lee Henderson retired as the Director of the Division of Community Colleges and Mr. John Blue, Chair of the Manatee Community College Board of Trustees and a member of the Community College Coordinating Board, was appointed Interim Director of the Division of Community Colleges.

1984

After an extensive national search, the newly established State Board of Community Colleges selected Mr. Clark Maxwell, Jr., a former state senator and representative, as the first Executive Director of the Community College System.

Early 1990's

Economic Development was added to the mission of Florida’s community colleges

1996

Florida’s Community College System became the first educational entity in the state to incorporate Performance-based Budgeting

1997

In a sweeping move to “level the playing field” in the area of Workforce Development the Florida Senate forces the Florida House to accept Senate Bill 1688. While not addressing the bifurcated delivery of vocational and technical education in the state which came into being when the colleges were separated from the local school boards (see 1967-68), the bill permitted all school boards and community colleges to offer “Workforce Development” programs. As a result, the state’s fourteen colleges not designated as the district “vocational/technical” centers could begin offering Adult and PSAV programs. The bill proposed a complicated and controversial “performance-based” funding model for workforce programs that promoted competition between and among the colleges and the school districts. To the dismay of the colleges, the bill included all Associate in Science Degree programs in the Workforce Development family and left dangling the question of school boards offering college credit (ASDegree) courses and programs.

SB 1688 also created a new division within the department of education which would oversee all Workforce Development Programs (including funding) in both the K-12 and community college systems which would eventually transfer the control of approximately 40 percent of community college funding to the new division. Mr. Clark Maxwell retires as the Executive Director of the Florida Community College System and Mr. David Armstrong is named Interim Executive Director.

1998

The Florida House forces the Florida Senate to pass SB 1124, which became known as the “SB 1688 Implementing Bill.” Attempting to prevent “missioncreep,” SB 1124 clearly delineates that college credit can only be awarded by a college, clarifies the role of the new Division of Workforce Development including responsibility for budgeting, funding and overseeing all Adult, PSAV(certificate) and PSV (AS Degree) programs. SB 1124 also revises the funding formula in SB 1688 to a formula based on 85% of prior year funding, with 15% held out to be awarded on performance. Finally, it safeguards AS Degree money by creating a separate pot for AS Degree funds only accessible by the colleges. The voters of Florida approve a revision to the Florida Constitution which reduces the number of elected members of the Florida Cabinet from seven to four eliminating the Commissioner of Education and Secretary of State, and combining the Comptroller and Treasurer. The revision also eliminated the role of the Cabinet as the State Board of Education effective in 2003, and designates that a new board of seven members will be appointed by the Governor to oversee education.

Mr. David Armstrong is named the Executive Director of the Florida Community College System by the State Board of Community Colleges.

1999

In response to concerns expressed by the State University System regarding the state’s production of baccalaureate degrees and other access issues, the legislature passes HB 765. The bill encourages articulation of AS Degree programs to theState University System, provides a process to foster the offering of baccalaureate degrees on community college campuses by encouraging partnerships between community colleges and the state’s public and private universities, and provides a process for PEPC to recommend to the legislature limited baccalaureate degree programs offered by community colleges in very specialized areas if a university partner cannot be found that will offer the program.

2000

The Florida Legislature passes HB 2263, the “Florida Education Governance Reorganization Act of 2000,” in response to the Constitutional revision approved by the voters of Florida in 1998. Among other things, the act Creates a “superboard”called the Florida Board of Education to oversee all of education in Florida, and provides that the FBE will appoint a Commissioner of Education. Pending the recommendation of “Transition Task Force,” the act also eliminates the State Board of Community Colleges, merges the Division of Workforce Development with the Division of Community Colleges, and provides for a Chancellor of Community Colleges and Career Preparation appointed by the Commissioner of Education.

2001

SB 1162 is passed by the legislature. The Bill abolishes the State Board of Community Colleges and the Board of Regents effective July 1, 2001, created local boards of trustees for the state university system similar to the communityc ollege system model, and centralizes all of education under one “super board” called the Florida Board of Education with the charge of to create a student centered, seamless, K-20 system of education in Florida. The Division of Workforce Developed is not merged into the community college system as was proposed in HB 2263. Language in SB 1162 renames St. Petersburg Junior College, St. Petersburg College and authorizes St. Petersburg College to offer baccalaureate degrees in education, nursing and applied science. Language in SB 1162 also provides a process for other community colleges to seek approval to offer “site-determined baccalaureate degrees.”

In May of 2001, the State Board of Community Colleges holds its last meeting at Indian River Community College in Ft. Pierce, Florida. Mr. David Armstrong is named interim Chancellor of the Florida Community College System.

2002

Miami-Dade Community College, Edison Community College, and Chipola Junior College seek permission to offer baccalaureate degrees from CEPRI and the Florida Board of Education. Despite a negative recommendation from CEPRI, the Florida Board of Education approves baccalaureate degrees for Miami-Dade Community College and Chipola Junior College in the field of education. Mr. David Armstrong is named the first Chancellor of the Florida Community College System.

FACC: updated 6/30/00

updated 9/24/02