The College of Marin, (known as Marin Junior College, 1926–1947) is a
public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...
community college
A community college is a type of undergraduate higher education institution, generally leading to an associate degree, certificate, or diploma. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an open enr ...
in
Marin County, California
Marin County ( ) is a County (United States), county located in the northwestern part of the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 262,231. Its county seat a ...
, with two campuses, one in
Kentfield, and the second in
Novato. It is the only institution operated by the
Marin Community College District.
The College of Marin has been in operation since 1926. Each semester, about 10,000 students are enrolled in over 1,100 credit classes. Approximately 100 international students participate in the College of Marin's International Student Program. Nearly 6,000 students attend the college's
community education and
community services classes. The College of Marin is known for its theatre department, which has the highest transfer acceptance to
Juilliard
The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Founded by Frank Damrosch as the Institute of Musical Art in 1905, the school later added dance and drama programs and became the Juilliard School, named aft ...
of any two-year college in the nation.
History
The college offers seventy Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degree programs, and has established approximately 200
transfer agreements with the
University of California
The University of California (UC) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university, research university system in the U.S. state of California. Headquartered in Oakland, California, Oakland, the system is co ...
,
California State University
The California State University (Cal State or CSU) is a Public university, public university system in California, and the List of largest universities and university networks by enrollment, largest public university system in the United States ...
, and private
college
A college (Latin: ''collegium'') may be a tertiary educational institution (sometimes awarding degrees), part of a collegiate university, an institution offering vocational education, a further education institution, or a secondary sc ...
s. In addition, the college provides 35 two-year vocational and career programs, as well as providing basic skills,
English as a second language
English as a second or foreign language refers to the use of English by individuals whose native language is different, commonly among students learning to speak and write English. Variably known as English as a foreign language (EFL), Engli ...
education, and
community education classes.

Originally known as Marin Junior College when established in 1926, the college was renamed College of Marin in 1947. In 1985 College of Marin merged with Indian Valley College. This merger provided Marin residents with two campuses, the original campus located in Kentfield and the Indian Valley Campus in Novato. The two campuses serve a county population of approximately 250,000 residents.
''The Echo Times''
''The Echo Times'' is the college's monthly student-run newspaper.
Governance
The College of Marin is governed as part of the
Marin Community College District (MCCD), the
community college district serving
Marin County, California
Marin County ( ) is a County (United States), county located in the northwestern part of the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 262,231. Its county seat a ...
. MCCD is one of six
California community college districts that is considered "basic aid", or "self-supporting", and therefore receives most of its operating revenue from local property taxes rather than State apportionment (since local property tax revenues exceed apportionment figures).
The MCCD is governed by seven members of a
board of trustees
A board of directors is a governing body that supervises the activities of a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government agency.
The powers, duties, and responsibilities of a board of directors are determined by government regulatio ...
elected by-area to four-year terms. Elections are held every two years, three members chosen the year after a
presidential election and four chosen the year before. The students also elect one non-voting student trustee, who serves a one-year term and can participate in discussions and make and second motions so long as they are not related to
real estate negotiations,
personnel
Employment is a relationship between two parties regulating the provision of paid labour services. Usually based on a contract, one party, the employer, which might be a corporation, a not-for-profit organization, a co-operative, or any othe ...
or
collective bargaining
Collective bargaining is a process of negotiation between employers and a group of employees aimed at agreements to regulate working salaries, working conditions, benefits, and other aspects of workers' compensation and labour rights, rights for ...
.
Athletics
Fall
*
Soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
(men's and women's)
*
Water Polo
Water polo is a competitive sport, competitive team sport played in water between two teams of seven players each. The game consists of four quarters in which the teams attempt to score goals by throwing the water polo ball, ball into the oppo ...
*
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...
Winter
*
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
(men's and women's)
Spring
*
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
*
Swimming
Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, such as saltwater or freshwater environments, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Swimmers achieve locomotion by coordinating limb and body movements to achieve hydrody ...
and
Diving
Diving most often refers to:
* Diving (sport), the sport of jumping into deep water
* Underwater diving, human activity underwater for recreational or occupational purposes
Diving or Dive may also refer to:
Sports
* Dive (American football), ...
*
Track and Field
Track and field (or athletics in British English) is a sport that includes Competition#Sports, athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name used in North America is derived from where the sport takes place, a ru ...
*
Football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
*
Wrestling
Wrestling is a martial art, combat sport, and form of entertainment that involves grappling with an opponent and striving to obtain a position of advantage through different throws or techniques, within a given ruleset. Wrestling involves di ...
Student body association
In 1927 the students of College of Marin organized an
unincorporated association
Unincorporated association refers to a group of people in common law jurisdictions—such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand—who organize around a shared purpose without forming a corporation or similar legal entity. Unlike in some ...
named "The Associated Students of Marin Junior College". On October 8, 1932, they filed in the office of the
California Secretary of State
The secretary of state of California is the chief clerk of the U.S. state of California, overseeing a department of 500 people. The Secretary of state (U.S. state government), secretary of state is elected for four year terms, like the state's o ...
a document titled "Articles of Incorporation of The Associated Students of Marin Junior College". The filing of that document transformed The Associated Students of Marin Junior College into a
corporation
A corporation or body corporate is an individual or a group of people, such as an association or company, that has been authorized by the State (polity), state to act as a single entity (a legal entity recognized by private and public law as ...
. On March 1, 1991, the students filed a "Certificate of Amendment of Articles of Incorporation". The filing of that amendment changed the corporation's name to "Associated Students College of Marin".
California law provides that, "The governing board of each community college district shall establish, maintain, operate, and govern one or more community colleges". The Board of Trustees of Marin Community College District has authorized the students of the district to organize a "student body association". The district's governing board has recognized that Associated Students College of Marin is a student body association. The governing board has also recognized Associated Students College of Marin "as the official voice for the students in District decision-making processes".
Notable alumni
*
Jack Angel
Jack Angel (October 24, 1930 – October 18, 2021) was an American voice actor and radio personality. Angel voiced characters in shows by Hasbro and Hanna-Barbera such as '' Super Friends'', '' The Transformers'' and '' G.I. Joe'' and was involve ...
, voice actor
*
Don Barksdale, NBA Hall of Fame
*
Cabot Bigham, professional rallycross driver
*
Terry Bozzio
Terry John Bozzio (born December 27, 1950) is an American drummer best known for his work with Missing Persons, U.K., and Frank Zappa. He has been featured on nine solo or collaborative albums, 26 albums with Zappa and seven albums with Missi ...
, musician, drummer (with
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American guitarist, composer, and bandleader. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa composed Rock music, rock, Pop music, pop, jazz, jazz fusion, orchestra ...
and UK)
*
Pete Carroll
Peter Clay Carroll (born September 15, 1951) is an American professional American football, football coach who is the head coach for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as head coach for the NCAA's ...
, American football coach
*
Doug Dressler, NFL player
*
Konrad Dryden, author
*
Elwyn Dunstan, NFL player
*
Dian Fossey (business classes, 1949–50), primate research
*
David Haskell, actor
*
Leslie Hendrix, actor
*
Echo Heron, nursing, author (New York Times bestselling), activist
*
Honor Jackson, NFL player
*
Naomi Judd, nursing, singer/songwriter
*
Jim Kent, Research scientist and computer programmer
*
Young L, rapper
*
Robert Mailer Anderson, author, activist, and philanthropist
*
Erik Raven, United States Under Secretary of the Navy
*
Art Schallock, oldest living MLB player
*
Adam Steltzner (1985–87), NASA engineer at JPL; phase lead and development manager for EDL (Entry, Descent and Landing) of the
''Curiosity'' rover lander, which successfully landed on Mars on August 5, 2012
*
Roger Stillwell, NFL player
*
Scott Thunes (1976–78 music), musician, bassist for Frank Zappa
*
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951August 11, 2014) was an American actor and comedian known for his improvisational skills and the wide variety of characters he created on the spur of the moment and portrayed on film, in dramas and comedie ...
(1970–1973 theatre), actor and comedian
References
External links
Official website''Echo Times''student newspaper website
{{Coord, 37.955568, -122.548885, type:edu_region:US-CA, display=title
Marin, College of
California Community Colleges
Universities and colleges in Marin County, California
Schools accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
1926 establishments in California
Two-year colleges in the United States