Connecticut State Colleges and Universities President Mark Ojakian presented a new consolidation plan to the Board of Regents this morning and the board has unanimously endorsed it.
The “Students First” plan calls for consolidating all 12 community colleges in Connecticut into one accredited institution by 2023. Each of the 12 campuses would remain open and the plan is expected to save $17 million when fully implemented.
Ojakian's last plan drew sharp criticism from faculty members and students and was most recently rejected by the Regional Accreditation Commission in April.
Ojakian said the biggest difference with the new plan is the extended timeline. He wants to slowly phase in the changes over the next five years, with the goal of having one single accredited institution by 2023.
"What we're trying to do is lay the foundation and act like one college before we actually become one college in 2023," Ojakian said.
CCSU officials said the plan will move forward immediately.
The first change students would see is through the application process.
It will be one application for all 12 community colleges, as well as one website. It will be the same process for any student enrolling in classes or applying for financial aid. Ojakian said students will have the same experience, if not better when they need help.
“We’ll be able to devote more resources to things like student advisors, student success centers, student tutoring centers that will allow students to not only enroll in school, but stay in school and complete in a timely way,” said Ojakian.
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Under the new plan, CSCU would hire three regional presidents in spring 2019 and keep the department chairs in place instead of eliminating them.
Over the next five years, committee approval would be needed for the new academic curriculum and any new positions that are created.
Tunxis and Asnuntuck Community Colleges are testing the waters by consolidating leadership and back office operations.
“Everything that I see in having lived it for a year now between two institutions and saving nearly a million dollars in already shared services between my two schools, I see it as a positive,” James Lombella, president of Tunxis and Asnuntuck Community College, said.
President Ojakian said they would move forward with the consolidation plan and revisit the single accreditation proposal with the Regional Accreditation Commission closer to 2023.
