When and how did it all begin?

On April 2, 1968, the SGA President of Western Piedmont Community College, Charles Taylor, sent a letter to all community colleges in North Carolina with the hope of forming an association of North Carolina Community College Student Governments. However, the response was not enough to get an organization started.

Then in the summer of 1969, Joseph Woodell, the SGA President at Western Piedmont Community College, discussed with Ray Jefferies the possibility of organizing a statewide organization to represent the students of the community colleges of North Carolina. Mr. Jefferies agreed to help Mr. Woodell with his organization. He agreed with the plans and to help with the mailing costs involved with the organization. This was a great contribution to the efforts, but still a lot was needed. Mr. Woodell knew he couldn’t do it on his own, so he recruited the students of Western Piedmont Community College to help. With their drive and determination, Mr. Woodell and the students of Western Piedmont Community College succeeded in their goal. The organization was formed and called the North Carolina Community College Student Government Association.

The First Meetings

During the later part of the summer of 1969, Mr. Woodell sent out announcements to the SGA Presidents of the 13 community colleges existing at that time regarding a proposed meeting on October 25, 1969. Six community colleges sent representatives to the first meeting. Discussions centered on the feasibility of a statewide organization and its purpose. It was agreed that such an organization was feasible and was desired by the six colleges at the meeting. After lengthy discussion, the purpose of the organization, as stated in the minutes, would be:

“…to serve the participating colleges as a “commonorgbond” whereby the colleges as a unit could present their common problems and work together for practical solutions, to promote fellowship, and to exchange ideas for the achievement of your educational institutes.”

The organization has maintained and built upon this purpose throughout its more than 40 years of existence. At the first meeting, on October 25, 1969, a major motion was made to accept only the 13 community colleges, in existence at that time, into the organization. Consideration for technical institute memberships would be discussed after more definite decisions are made on the organization structure and organizational finances. The motion passed.

The second meeting was held at Sandhills Community College in February 1970. At this meeting, the colleges present decided on the official name of the organization to be The North Carolina Community College Student Government Association. Ray Jefferies spoke to the group on the purpose of the organization and pressed for admission of technical institute membership.

The third meeting was held at the Holiday Inn of Elizabeth City, NC. College of the Albemarle was the host school and Mr. Woodell presided over the meeting. Some matters of discussion were regular meeting times, membership fees, establishing financial procedures, election of the first officers of the association, and adding the word “comprehensive” to the name of the association. After this meeting the name was officially changed to The North Carolina Comprehensive Community College Student Government Association or N4CSGA.

At the fourth meeting, the following officers were elected as the first officers of the N4CSGA:

• Bryan Pugh, President
• Jim Kneas, Vice President
• Anestine Wyte, Secretary
• Albert Yoder, Treasurer

The organization now had a name, a purpose, officers and the support of the North Carolina community colleges. These intangible riches helped form an awesome organization that will be celebrating its 40th Anniversary in the Spring of 2009.

What does it “stand” for?

As stated in the Preamble of the North Carolina Comprehensive Community College Student Government Association Constitution: “…in order to promote better student government; to promote better academic achievement; to serve the participating institutions as a common bond, whereby the institutions, in unity, present their common problems and practical solutions; to promote fellowship and the exchange of ideas for the advancement of our educational institutions; and to provide leadership training in the environment which permits the evaluation of wide range of problems and activities; we do ordain and establish this Constitution for the North Carolina Comprehensive Community College Student Government Association.”

Who is the N4CSGA?

The N4CSGA is a student based and student run organization. It is made up of three parts, the General Delegation, the Executive Board, and the Advisory Council.

General Delegation

The General Delegation is comprised of delegates “students” from each of the 58 community colleges currently registered with the N4CSGA. It is meant to be a networking and brainstorming group. The full General Delegation convenes twice a year, once in the fall at Fall Conference and once in the spring at Spring Conference.

Executive Board

The Executive Board is the governing body of the N4CSGA. It is made up of eleven (11) elected officers and three (3) divisional representatives.

Those eleven (11) elected officers are as follows:

• President
• Vice President
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Assistant Treasurer
• Parliamentarian
• Public Information Officer
• Assistant Public Information Officer 
• Intercollegiate Athletics Committee Chair
• Local Interactions Committee Chair
• Special Populations Committee Chair

The three (3) divisional representatives are:

• Eastern Division Representative
• Central Division Representative
• Western Division Representative

The Executive Board meets monthly to conduct the business of the N4CSGA. Duties and responsibilities for each officer are stated in the Constitution and Operational Guidelines.

Advisory Council

The Advisory Council is a group of advisors from different regions and community colleges in North Carolina. This group consists of three (3) professional staff members, chosen through the Advisory Committee, and a representative from the North Carolina Community College System titled the Trustee.

The main role of the Advisory Council is to advise the leadership, the Executive Board, of the organization in all decision making processes. The Senior Advisor is responsible for overseeing and guiding the Local Interactions Committee through the issue/project process.

The Advisory Committee is made up of one (1) advisor from each community college registered with the N4CSGA.