Maricopa County Community College District

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The Maricopa County Community College District, in Maricopa County, Arizona, is one of the largest community college districts in the world.[citation needed] The district serves Maricopa County, the county that includes and surrounds Phoenix and is the most populous of the state's counties. The district's administrative headquarters are located in Tempe, Arizona (east suburban Phoenix).

Contents

[edit] Colleges

[edit] Skill Centers

[edit] History

The Phoenix Union High School District established Phoenix Junior College (now Phoenix College) in 1920; it was the first community college in the state of Arizona. In 1960, the state legislature provided for junior college districts in Arizona. The Maricopa County Junior College District was established in 1962 by the approval of county voters, with the new system acquiring Phoenix Junior College.

The system established branch campuses of Phoenix Junior College in the nearby suburbs of Glendale and Mesa; these would become independent campuses within the system by the end of the decade. Other campuses were established in the following years:

In 1971 the "junior college" portion of the name was changed to "community college".

The State Board of Directors for Community Colleges of Arizona presided over the entire statewide community college system until June 2002, when the Arizona Legislature reduced its powers and duties and transferred most oversight to individual community college districts.

[edit] Mission

The Maricopa Community Colleges provide access to higher education for diverse students and communities. We focus on learning through:

  • University Transfer Education
  • General Education
  • Developmental Education
  • Workforce Development
  • Student Development Services
  • Continuing Education
  • Community Education
  • Civic Responsibility
  • Global Engagement

[edit] Chancellors

Rufus Glasper, Ph.D. is Chancellor of the Maricopa Community Colleges, one of the nation’s largest multi-college systems. He has served in that role for five years, and previously held District leadership positions for more than two decades.

As the CEO, Dr. Glasper oversees all educational and administrative operations. He also provides leadership in matters of system-wide strategic planning, bringing all ten colleges and many learning centers into alignment with common goals and methodologies.

A staunch advocate for educational access and opportunity, Dr. Glasper has clearly established “inclusiveness, engagement and respect” as the guiding principles of his administration.

He was appointed by Gov. Janet Napolitano to be co-chair of her P-20 Council, a group charged with improving education in Arizona and ensuring that more students graduate from high school, succeed in college, and are ready for the modern workforce.

An adjunct professor at Arizona State University, Dr. Glasper shapes future educational leaders through his graduate course in Higher Education Finance and Budget.

Dr. Glasper is an active community member, serving on the boards of the Greater Phoenix Leadership, Greater Phoenix Economic Council, the Valley of the Sun United Way and the Scottsdale Healthcare Board of Directors. He is a long-standing member of the Greater Phoenix Urban League and the chairperson of the Board for Black Family Child Services.

Among his many honors, in 2009, Dr. Glasper received the Arizona Public Service, Center for Culture and Understanding at Valle del Sol, Peacemaker Award for fostering and strengthening civic engagement by promoting greater understanding of inter-group relations within Arizona and the National Council on Black American Affairs 2009 Leadership Award. Dr. Glasper received the Martin Luther King, Jr. Living the Dream Award from the Phoenix Human Relation Commission in 2008 for championing student success as part of his commitment to human relations and social justice. In May 2006, the Arizona Society of Certified Public Accountants honored Dr. Glasper by making him a life member.

Rufus Glasper earned a Bachelor’s degree in business administration from Luther College (Decorah, Iowa), and a Master’s and advanced degrees in school business administration from Northern Illinois University. He received his Doctorate of Philosophy degree in higher education finance from the University of Arizona. In May 2005 he was the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate in Political Science from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix.

[edit] Governing Board

The entire district's activities are directed by an elected governing board of five members.

Position Individual
President Ms. Colleen Clark
Secretary Mr. Randolph Lumm
Member Dr. Donald R. Campbell
Member Mrs. Debra Pearson
Member Mr. Jerry D. Walker

[edit] Name confusion

The Maricopa County Community College District, or MCCCD for short, is also known as the Maricopa Community Colleges. The MCCCD is the legal entity name of the District for legal purposes. Some confuse the Maricopa Community Colleges abbreviation for Mesa Community College, one of the ten Maricopa colleges. The District's official acronym is MCCCD, while Mesa's is MCC.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Colleges and universities in Arizona
Public institutions
Private institutions
Community/Junior Colleges
Maricopa County Community
College District
Others
Graduate, professional and
research institutions

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