About CCAC

History of CCAC

In 1963, Pennsylvania passed the Community College Act, providing the legal framework for the establishment of community colleges in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Allegheny County Board of School Directors voted to ask Allegheny County to be the local sponsor, and a plan was submitted to the state. In May 1965, the “People’s Bond Issue,” requesting Allegheny County residents to approve funding for a community college, passed with 66% of the vote. Six months later, the Pennsylvania State Board of Education unanimously approved Allegheny County’s application for the founding of a community college.

In December 1965, the first 15-member college board of trustees was sworn into office. The college’s first president was named; the first two college locations, CCAC-Boyce Campus in Monroeville and CCAC-Allegheny Campus on Pittsburgh’s North Shore, were chosen; and vice presidents were hired for those campuses. In September 1966, classes began at the new Community College of Allegheny County with 59 full- and 16 part-time faculty members serving 1,505 students.

CCAC-South Campus was established in 1967, followed by CCAC-North Campus in 1972. There are three neighborhood centers: Braddock Hills, Homewood-Brushton and West Hills Center in Oakdale. The college also maintains an ever-growing online learning presence.

Today, CCAC offers more than 130 programs of study across ten diverse career paths. CCAC’s quality programs have enabled students to transfer credits to more than 500 different colleges and universities to continue their education. The college supports regional workforce needs with accessible instruction available day, evening, weekend and online in Allegheny County and beyond. Courses are taught using different modalities, including in-person (face-to-face), online, remote (via Zoom) and hybrid, with with a focus on enabling students to enter or reenter the workforce in two years or less.

The legacy continues.

Campuses, Centers and Additional Locations

Maps and directions to our campuses, centers and additional locations

Campuses

College Centers

Braddock Hills Center
250 Yost Boulevard
Braddock Hills, PA 15221

Homewood-Brushton Center
701 N. Homewood Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15208

West Hills Center
1000 McKee Road
Oakdale, PA 15071

Additional Locations

College Governance

The Community College of Allegheny County (the College) is a locally sponsored public college duly organized, approved and established under the Community College Act of 1963. The Board of Trustees constitutes the governing body of the College, and is empowered to govern, operate and maintain the College under and in accordance with the Act and the policies, standards, rules and regulations which may be adopted, from time to time, by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The specific powers and duties of the Board are set forth in the Act, the Board Policy Manual, and the Board Bylaws. Members of the Board of Trustees are recommended by the Allegheny County Chief Executive and appointed by the Allegheny County Council, the College’s local sponsor.

In accordance with the authority granted to it under the Act, the Board has delegated authority to the College president to manage the operations of the College. This authority includes the development and implementation of administrative regulations and procedures as may be necessary to implement and carry out the objectives of Board Policy. The College also utilizes a shared governance process, through which members of the administration and faculty review, develop and recommend new or revised academic policies, procedures and programs and other matters pertaining to the teaching-learning mission of the College.