Board of Regents Applauds Gov. Malloy’s Investment in ConnSCU

The Board of Regents for Higher Education (BOR) today applauded Governor Dannel P. Malloy’s call for $134.5 million in additional investment in the Connecticut State Colleges & Universities (CSCU) System. During his State of the State address, the Governor launched Transform CSCU 2020, a strategic plan to improve student experience and degree completion, expand academic and workforce training programs, and build stronger partnerships with the state’s manufacturers and business community.

It's time for us to move our state university and community college system into the 21st Century Governor Malloy

"It's time for us to move our state university and community college system into the 21st Century and help graduate as many students as possible," said Governor Malloy. "This initial investment of $134.5 million will help keep college affordable while bringing all 17 campuses into a single student-centered, technology-rich system that adapts to student needs."

Transform CSCU 2020 will unite the 17 CSCU institutions as one interdependent system that better serves students and ensures that Connecticut’s system of higher education remains accessible, affordable, and accountable. Building on the strength of current programs, Transform CSCU will attract and retain students through innovative new programs, expand online learning, and better align coursework with the strongest industry growth sectors as identified by the Department of Economic and Community Development and the Connecticut Department of Labor. 

“CSCU is truly the state’s system of higher education—with 80 percent of our graduates opting to work and live in Connecticut, we play a critical role in preparing the state’s workforce and strengthening economic competitiveness,” said Board of Regents Chairman Nicholas Donofrio. “Today, Governor Malloy made an important commitment to our system, our students, and employers across the state who need a talented workforce to grow and thrive.”

“I applaud Governor Malloy for his leadership on Transform CSCU. This investment will help Connecticut set a course towards a stronger future and ensure a high-quality education is within reach for our students and their families,” said Dr. Gregory W. Gray, President of the Board of Regents.  “Building a strong system of higher education depends upon our excellent faculty to help bring this initiative about.  It also means more resources and a better experience for our 120,000 students, and more support and opportunity when they enter the workforce. Our system colleges and universities are important contributors to the statewide workforce, and this investment will help us ensure the state has a strong jobs pipeline in the future"

A multi-year, multi-phase initiative, Transform CSCU includes $60 million in new operating funds, $60 million in new capital, and $14.5 million in new funding from existing OPM capital. The plan will:

• Establish a long-term tuition model to help plan for the cost of college.
• Improve student retention rates and increase enrollment through new initiatives like Go Back to Get Ahead, which targets residents seeking to complete degrees, and outreach to returning military personnel to evaluate experiential learning for academic credit.
• Build high-tech smart classrooms to facilitate learning.
• Improve system-wide credit transfer and course articulation to reduce time to degree completion and keep tuition costs in check.
• Expand early college programs to all the community colleges to reduce remediation, decrease degree completion time to save tuition dollars, and connect with students who might not consider college.
• Streamline core administrative processes, establish a common academic calendar and a single application, create opportunity for system-wide course registration and degree pathway management.
• Align the workforce development mission with the strongest industry growth sectors as identified by the Department of Economic and Community Development and the State Department of Labor.
• Strengthen teacher training programs and provide ongoing supports for new teachers.
• Expand advanced manufacturing programs at Housatonic, Naugatuck Valley, Asnuntuck, and Quinebaug Valley Community Colleges to increase student capacity and incumbent worker training programs.
• Build strong partnerships with business and industry to give students access to internships, externships, and a strong career network.
• Develop a system-wide academic/facilities master plan to strategically map out program expansion.
• Address deferred maintenance at all 17 institutions.

Transform CSCU is part of the BOR’s 2014 legislative agenda. The full text of the Governor’s remarks can be found here.