Office of the President
Welcome to Tri-C! We’re glad you’re here.
Cuyahoga Community College 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 Dr. Baston
Michael A. Baston, J.D., Ed.D., became Cuyahoga Community College’s fifth president on July 1, 2022. An experienced instructor and administrator, Baston has championed many initiatives and served on numerous boards and organizations in a decades-long career in higher education.
As a national Guided Pathways and Equity Transfer Initiative coach for the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), Baston is noted for his work with two- and four-year college leadership teams across the nation, helping them integrate student success initiatives to advance college completion and labor market entry success.
Among many other professional honors and activities, Baston received the National Council on Student Development's Terry O'Banion Gold Prize in 2015 and the NAACP Community Leadership Award in 2010.
Baston has garnered numerous awards and recognitions for his achievements. They include Crain’s Cleveland Business Power 150 list, the Blacks in Management Excellence in Leadership Award and the Who’s Who in Black Cleveland Award. The Cleveland Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference also honored him with the 2023 Educator of the Year award.
An attorney prior to entering higher education, Baston holds a B.A. from Iona College, a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School, and an Ed.D. from St. John Fisher College.
Prior to moving to Cleveland, Baston and his wife, Tasha, lived in Suffern, New York, where he served as president of Rockland Community College from 2017 to 2022. Read more about Dr. Baston.
Download a headshot of Dr. Baston
Dr. 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’
- Consulting Unplugged Podcast: Baston with Host Andrew Pek (Episode 19)
- 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”
Dr. Michael A. Baston has been featured in many published works including, but not limited to, the following: