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The demand for the availability of upper-division, baccalaureate education on community college campuses is not new. Many community and technical colleges have collaborated with four-year institutions to set up local branch campuses, inter-institutional consortia, two-plus-two partnerships, distance education programs and other services. These programs provide four-year degree training that is housed and/or supported by a community college but remains under the academic, administrative and legal control of the four-year institutions that actually grant the degrees.

One of the fastest growing models for providing baccalaureate access at the community college is with the creation of a University Center, where baccalaureate and graduate degree programs are offered on the community college campus by four-year college and university providers. Such four-year and graduate degree programs are closely aligned with the associate degree programs offered at the community college, allowing for a seamless transition for students. Most universities have coordinators and advisors on staff at the Center to deliver specialized services to community college students. Some University Centers have their own dedicated facilities on the two-year college campus. These facilities can accommodate multiple university providers and can offer varied degree programs, sometimes via distance education technology.

Proponents for the University Center model argue that these partnerships offer the ultimate in flexibility and course offerings for students. When a particular degree program fails to generate significant enrollments, it can be discontinued and resources made available to either an alternative provider or a different degree program where there is a greater need or interest.

In addition, proponents argue that partnering with multiple providers allows the community college to pick and choose academic degree programs that build on the strengths of the best university programs available. Students benefit from having a broad range of offerings located in a convenient location in their own community, which is important to students restricted by work or family obligations from traveling any distance to enroll at a university.

Such partnerships also allow the two- and four-year partner institutions to maintain their respective academic and institutional missions and avoids the significant policy issues related to accreditation and governance that arise when community colleges seek authorization to offer the baccalaureate degree.