The state community colleges and universities offer solid opportunities for personal growth and development, while paying very well compared to other states' college systems. Lots of autonomy in reasonably-well administered individual colleges. System is full of committed people who really believe in education as a positive force in society.
Cons
System-level management has very little idea of how education really works. Push to consolidate colleges is driven by politics and short-sighted about difficulties inherent in combining institutions while maintaining educational integrity.
System seems to be adding more and more administrators at expense of front-line, student-serving faculty and staff.
Full-time faculty jobs are increasingly hard to get; system is relying more and more on adjuncts.