Shared governance within the community college fosters a sense of empowerment and equal partnership in the members of the organization. Accountability is multi-directional, not hierarchical, as in the case of the traditional pyramidal organization. In California, community college governance underwent a tremendous change in 1988 with the passage of Assembly Bill (AB) 1725, a community college reform proposal that strengthened the role of faculty, particularly academic senates. In 1992, Compton Community College (CCC) adopted local AB 1725 policies and procedures, documenting the shared responsibility between the Board of Trustees, the district administration, faculty, staff, and students. The Budget and Planning Committee was established as the primary vehicle to implement the concept of shared governance through increased communication, developing plans and budgets through meetings held among faculty, staff, students, administrators, and members of the Board of Trustees. The successful future of shared governance at CCC relies on communication and a collaborative process, especially in the current period of retrenchment. In addition, the college should evaluate the needs of the community. The involvement of all constituencies in goal identification, program planning, and evaluation will bring together the objectives of the institution in a manner that results in minimal conflict. Contains 16 references. (TGI)