The Colleges of the San Mateo County Community College District, Cañada College, College of San Mateo, and Skyline College, recognizing each individual's right to education, provide the occasions and settings which enable students to develop their minds and their skills, engage their spirits, broaden their understanding of social responsibilities, increase their cultural awareness, and realize their individual potential. The District is committed to leadership by providing quality education and promoting life-long learning in partnership with its community and its surrounding educational institutions. It actively participates in the economic, social, and cultural development of San Mateo County. In a richly diverse environment and with increasing awareness of its role in the global community, the District is dedicated to maintaining a climate of academic freedom in which a wide variety of viewpoints is cultivated and shared. The District actively participates in the continuing development of the California Community Colleges as an integral and effective component of the structure of public higher education in the State.