The California Community Colleges is the largest higher educational system in the nation comprised of 72 districts and 109 colleges with more than 2.5 million students per year. Community colleges supply workforce training and basic skills education, prepare students for transfer to four-year institutions and offer opportunities for personal enrichment and lifelong learning. The System Office provides leadership, advocacy and support under the direction of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges.
The System Office is the administrative branch of the California Community College system, and is located in Sacramento. It is also responsible for allocating state funding to the colleges and districts.
The System Office operates under the guidance of the Board of Governors, which sets policy and provides long-range planning and guidance to the Chancellor and his staff.
The System Office includes ten major divisions conducting the business of the system: Academic Affairs, College Finance and Facilities Planning; Economic Development and Workforce Planning; Governmental Relations; Human Resources; Internal Operations; Legal Affairs; Strategic Planning and Communications; Student Services and Special Programs; and Technology, Research, and Information Systems.
Both the System Office and the Board of Governors were created by legislation passed in 1967 (prior to that, the community colleges fell under the guidance of the State Board of Education). Since then, more colleges have joined the system, making it today the largest system of higher education in the world.