The Florida College System, previously the Florida Community College System, is a

system A system is a group of interacting or interrelated elements that act according to a set of rules to form a unified whole. A system, surrounded and influenced by its open system (systems theory), environment, is described by its boundaries, str ...

of 28

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 colleges 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 en ...

and state colleges in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

. In 2020–2021, enrollment consisted of 640,183 students. Together with the

State University System of Florida The State University System of Florida (SUSF or SUS) is a system of twelve public universities in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2018, over 341,000 students were enrolled in Florida's state universities. Together with the Florida College Sy ...

, which consists of Florida's twelve public

universities A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...

, the two systems control all public

higher education Tertiary education (higher education, or post-secondary education) is the educational level following the completion of secondary education. The World Bank defines tertiary education as including universities, colleges, and vocational schools ...

in the state of Florida. While governed by local boards of trustees, the colleges are coordinated under the jurisdiction of Florida's State Board of Education. Administratively, the chancellor of the Florida College System is the chief executive officer of the system, reporting to the commissioner of Education who serves as the chief executive officer of Florida's public education system. In 2009, the Florida Legislature changed the name from the "Florida Community College System" to the "Florida College System," reflecting the fact that some of its member institutions now offer four-year

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...

s. As of 2024, Hillsborough Community College is the last remaining member institution to use "community" in its official name.

Mission and offerings

Section (s.) 1004.65, Florida Statutes (F.S.), establishes the primary mission and responsibility of Florida College System institutions as responding to community needs for post secondary academic education and career degree education. This mission and responsibility includes: :(a) Providing lower level undergraduate instruction and awarding associate degrees. :(b) Preparing students directly for careers requiring less than baccalaureate degrees. This may include preparing for job entry, supplementing of skills and knowledge, and responding to needs in new areas of technology. Career education in a Florida College System institution shall consist of career certificates, credit courses leading to associate in science degrees and associate in applied science degrees, and other programs in fields requiring substantial academic work, background, or qualifications. A Florida College System institution may offer career education programs in fields having lesser academic or technical requirements. :(c) Providing student development services, including assessment, student tracking, support for disabled students, advisement, counseling, financial aid, career development, and remedial and tutorial services, to ensure student success. :(d) Promoting economic development for the state within each Florida College System institution district through the provision of special programs, including, but not limited to: ::1. Enterprise Florida-related programs. ::2. Technology transfer centers. ::3. Economic development centers. ::4. Workforce literacy programs. :(e) Providing dual enrollment instruction. :(f) Providing upper level instruction and awarding baccalaureate degrees as specifically authorized by law. A separate and secondary role for Florida College System institutions includes the offering of programs in: :(a) Community services that are not directly related to academic or occupational advancement. :(b) Adult education services, including adult basic education, adult general education, adult secondary education, and General Educational Development test instruction. :(c) Recreational and leisure services. In addition, s. 1007.33(2), F.S., requires that any Florida College System institution that offers one or more baccalaureate degree programs: :(a) Maintain as its primary mission: ::1. Responsibility for responding to community needs for post secondary academic education and career degree education as prescribed in s. 1004.65(5), F.S. ::2. The provision of associate degrees that provide access to a university. :(b) Maintain an open-door admission policy for associate-level degree programs and workforce education programs. :(c) Continue to provide outreach to underserved populations. :(d) Continue to provide remedial education. :(e) Comply with all provisions of the statewide articulation agreement which relate to 2-year and 4-year public degree-granting institutions as adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to s. 1007.23, F.S. In 2023, the presidents of the system's member institutions issued a joint statement against

Diversity, equity, and inclusion In the United States, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are organizational frameworks that seek to promote the fair treatment and full participation of all people, particularly groups who have historically been underrepresented or subject ...

initiatives and stated that they "will not fund or support any institutional practice, policy, or academic requirement that compels belief in

critical race theory Critical race theory (CRT) is an academic field focused on the relationships between Social constructionism, social conceptions of Race and ethnicity in the United States census, race and ethnicity, Law in the United States, social and political ...

or related concepts such as intersectionality".

Member institutions

Student profile

Athletics

The schools athletic teams are governed by the Florida State College Activities Association (FSCAA) and compete in the

National Junior College Athletic Association The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) is the governing association of community college, state college, and junior college athletics throughout the United States. Currently the NJCAA holds 24 separate regions across 24 states ...

Region 8.

Chancellors and directors

Timeline

James L. Wattenbarger, distinguished service professor emeritus, University of Florida and Harry T. Albertson, former chief executive officer, Florida Association of Community Colleges, outlined the history of the Florida College System through 2009.

References

External links

*
Florida College System Foundation
{{authority control State agencies of Florida 1933 establishments in Florida Public university systems in the United States Universities and colleges established in 1933