Office of the President
Welcome to Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®)! We're glad you're here.
Tri-C is Ohio's oldest and largest community college, with nearly 3,000 faculty and staff ready to help you reach your goals.
Whether you've come to find out more about who we are, explore the services we offer, or take the next step and enroll, you'll find everything you need to start your educational journey. And that is exactly what thousands of Northeast Ohioans do at Tri-C each year.
Serving a largely urban population — with 85% of our graduates living and working in the region — Tri-C creates generational opportunities for advancement and plays a significant role in the region's economic viability through exceptional classroom education, hands-on learning and partnerships with area businesses, community organizations and other colleges and universities.
Tri-C is a place where opportunities abound, connections are made, knowledge is gained, and tomorrow's stories are written. It's truly the place where futures begin.
Thank you for visiting, and don't hesitate to contact us. Connect with our Customer Service department at 216-987-6000 for information about the College or any of our academic, workforce and university transfer programs.
Sincerely,
Michael A. Baston, J.D., Ed.D.
President
About Michael A. Baston
A President With Purpose and Proven Impact
Michael A. Baston, J.D., Ed.D., leads Tri-C with a clear mission: To turn potential into progress and ensure every student — regardless of background — has the tools to build a better life. As president of Ohio's oldest and largest community college, serving nearly 40,000 students annually, Baston has delivered results that resonate beyond the classroom and into the fabric of Northeast Ohio.
Transforming Lives Through Student Success
In just three years under Baston's leadership, more than 10,000 students have graduated from credit and noncredit programs — a 10.4% increase in completions. His student-centered approach has propelled Tri-C's credit enrollment up by 13.2%, defying national trends of declining community college enrollment. Today, Tri-C boasts a 50% increase in delayed-entry students and an 18.7% rise in College Credit Plus enrollment — clear indicators of Baston's success in re-engaging adult learners and building momentum for high school students alike.
Guiding Students From Access to Achievement
Baston has championed pathways that bridge education and employment — a strategy that's paying off. Within a year of completing their programs, 93.8% of credit students and 98.1% of noncredit students had either entered the workforce, continued their education, or pursued advanced credentials. These graduates are entering high-opportunity fields such as health care, IT and skilled trades, demonstrating Tri-C's powerful return on mission and investment.
Building a College That Builds the Economy
A tireless innovator, Baston has overseen the development of 24 new employer-aligned programs since 2022 in high-growth sectors, such as advanced manufacturing, clean energy, health care and AI. Through extensive partnerships with local businesses and public agencies, Tri-C is powering the region's talent pipeline and positioning itself as a hub for 21st-century workforce development.
Mobilizing Investment in Education
Under his leadership, Tri-C has raised a record-breaking $65.5 million in philanthropic and public investment in just three years. These funds have supported program expansion, scholarships and essential wraparound services that keep students on track to succeed. With a 20% growth in endowed assets and 16 new endowment funds created, Baston has secured lasting resources to support Tri-C's mission.
Innovating for Impact
Before joining Tri-C, Baston served as the president of Rockland Community College in New York during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid national uncertainty, he provided steady leadership, prioritizing access, safety and recovery. He led the College's pivot to remote learning, sustained enrollment and continued serving one of the region's most diverse student populations. His tenure was marked by resilience, innovation and a deep commitment to keeping students on track despite extraordinary challenges.
Originally trained as an attorney representing educational and nonprofit organizations, Baston discovered his true calling in higher education leadership. At LaGuardia Community College, where he served as the vice president for Student Affairs and associate provost, he helped create programs that removed obstacles and improved student outcomes.
National Leadership With Local Commitment
Baston is a respected national voice in community college reform, serving on the boards of the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) and the League for Innovation in the Community College and as a fellow with Complete College America. Locally, he serves on more than a dozen boards, including the Greater Cleveland Partnership, United Way of Greater Cleveland, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Team NEO, Playhouse Square, Downtown Cleveland Alliance, Downtown Cleveland Inc., Unify Jobs/Unify Labs, the American Red Cross of Northern Ohio, and Bluecoats Inc. He is also a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland's Community Advisory Council and a graduate of the Cleveland Leadership Center's Leadership Cleveland Class of 2024, contributing to the civic and economic vitality of the region.
Recognized Leader, Relentless Advocate
Baston has been honored by Crain's Cleveland Business, the NAACP and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, among others. But his true reward is impact. When students succeed, communities grow. That is the future Baston is working to build — one student, one credential and one opportunity at a time.
Personal and Educational Background
Baston earned his B.A. from Iona University, his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School and his Ed.D. in Executive Leadership from St. John Fisher University. He is married to Dr. Tasha S. Baston.
Baston's Additional Work and 'In the News' Features
- cleveland.com: Expanded Collaboration at CWRU, CSU, Tri-C a Recipe To Address Brain Drain, Bolster region, New Leaders Say
- Back2Basics Podcast: Dr. Michael Baston – Take Charge of Your Tomorrow
- Community College Daily, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education: Steps Beyond Statements: Presidential Leadership in Building a Case for Inclusive Excellence
- Community College Daily: What Higher Ed Can Learn About Unchallenged Narratives From 'The Bachelor'
- Council of Industry's HV Mfg: High Hopes: Reimagining Hudson Valley's Opportunity Ecosystem
- Hudson Valley News: Dr. Baston, RCC President, Chosen as National Designer in Residence To Reimagine the Role of Higher Education in Closing Racial and Economic Opportunity Gaps
- University Business: Hard Realities, High Hopes: Reimagining the Higher Education Ecosystem
- Community College Daily — Earning Credit for Non-Credit Courses
Michael A. Baston has been featured in many published works, including, but not limited to, the following: