Pasadena City College was founded in 1924 as Pasadena Junior College. In 1954, Pasadena Junior College merged with another junior college, John Muir College, to become Pasadena City College. In 1966, voters approved the creation of the Pasadena Area Junior College District. The name was subsequently changed to the Pasadena Area Community College District. Pasadena City College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education. The school is governed by a nine-member board of trustees. Seven members are elected (each of whom represents a geographical section of the Pasadena Area Community College District); one is a student trustee who is elected by the student body; and one is the sitting college president, who is also the district superintendent. As of 2010, the president/superintendent is Mark W. Rocha, former West Los Angeles College president. Rocha assumed the role of president/superintendent on July 1, 2010, when he was chosen to replace Lisa Sugimoto. Previous presidents/superintendents include Jack Scott (1987�1995), who served as state senator from 1996 to 2008. As of 2009, Scott is Chancellor of the California Community College system; James Kossler, 1995�2007; Paulette Perfumo, who held the position from August 2007 until her abrupt resignation in 2009; and Lisa Sugimoto, who served as acting president through the end of the 2009-2010 academic year. The Shatford Library is a direct descendent of the original Pasadena High School library that originally occupied the campus. The $16.5-million Shatford Library opened in 1994, and holds 133,024 volumes in the general book collection, over 300 periodical subscriptions (plus over two thousand titles in electronic databases) 7,338 audio cassettes, 1,019 paperbacks, 661 CDs and software, 404 volumes in the Special Services collection, and 1,186 videocassettes. Walter T. Shatford II, is the attorney for whom the library was named in recognition of his four decades of service on the school's board and his donations. He was also active in the Civil Rights Movement. Pasadena City College Clocktower In 2003, voters approved a bond measure for about $150 million that improved campus facilities. A significant portion of these funds were earmarked for the construction of a new building to house the college's art and music departments. The Alumni Commons, the Aquatic Center, the Boone Sculpture Garden, and the Galloway Plaza have all replaced what were once campus parking lots. A new fourth floor parking structure (Lot 5) and a new bus parking area were completed in 2005. In 2007, many services at the school had to relocate pending demolition of their previous facilities. These included the college bookstore, Student Affairs, Associated Students, the student business services, the campus police and the offices of the school newspaper The Courier. A groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the new Industrial and Technology building, Campus Center and Bookstore took place in October 2007. The Campus Center and Bookstore opened in August 2009. The school is one of the few community colleges with its own observatory and seismograph.

The mission of Pasadena City College is to provide a high quality, academically robust learning environment that encourages, supports and facilitates student learning and success. The College provides an academically rigorous and comprehensive curriculum for students pursuing educational and career goals as well as learning opportunities designed for individual development. The College is committed to providing access to higher education for members of the diverse communities within the District service area and to offering courses, programs, and other activities to enhance the economic conditions and the quality of life in these communities.

Nicholas Martin, Associate Professor of the French department, is a two time Olympic gold medalist with the 1952 and 1956 Hungarian water polo teams Hugo Schwyzer, professor of History and women's studies. Edward Feser, professor of Philosophy.

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