In support of a legislative examination of the governance, role, and mission of Colorado's institutions of higher education, this paper presents the position of the Colorado State Board for Community Colleges on postsecondary coordination and governance. Of the several approaches toward statewide coordination or governance that have been attempted in various states, Colorado selected the coordination approach in 1965 when the General Assembly created the Colorado Commission on Higher Education as a planning and coordinating agency. Since then the governance structure in postsecondary education has changed, but the Commission remains active in student financial aid and outreach instruction. Another significant event occurred in 1967 when the State Board for Community College and Occupational Education and the state system for community colleges (wherein each institution has a College Council serving as an interface between the State Board and the local community) were established. The advantages of this system have been revealed in numerous studies. They lie in its increased flexibility, adaptability, and effectiveness; in the ability of the coordinating agencies to act as an umbrella under which the various constituencies can be placed; and in the provision of a balanced view of local and state needs and resources. An appendix contains role and mission statements from Colorado's community and junior colleges. (AYC)