Feb 04, 2013

ConnSCU 2011-12 Degree / Certificate Completions up 5.5%

Degree and certificate completions among the 17 Connecticut State Colleges & Universities (ConnSCU) during the 2011–12 academic year rose 5.5 percent over completions during the 2010–11 academic year. In the past 10 years — from the 2001–02 academic year to the 2011–12 academic year — degree and certificate completions increased by nearly 52 percent. During the 2011–12 academic year, a record 14,879 degrees and certificates were conferred, compared to 9,806 during the 2001–02 academic year.

“While it’s true that over the past 10 years, a larger number of students in Generation Y have chosen to attend college and earn a degree, it’s also true that our institutions deserve credit for attracting these students — and perhaps more importantly — retaining them on their way toward degree or certificate attainment,” said Philip E. Austin, interim president of the Board of Regents for Higher Education. “Last year alone, our schools educated and trained nearly 15,000 students which speaks to our system’s accessibility and affordability for the thousands of Connecticut residents who choose to further their education and workforce training.”

Degree and certificate completions during the 2011–12 academic year, and during the 10-year period from the 2001–02 academic year to the 2011–12 academic year, rose across all three constituent units that constitute the ConnSCU system — the community colleges; state universities; and Charter Oak State College, Connecticut’s only public, fully-online institution.

Percentage Increase of Degree and Certificate Completions by Academic Year (AY) and Constituent Unit

Constituent Unit	2010-11 vs. 2011-12 AY	2001-02 vs. 2011-12 AY
Community Colleges	+7.3%	+70.3%
State Universities	+3.9%	+36.6%
Charter Oak State College	+4.3%	+5.6%

During the 2011–12 academic year, 20 percent of the degree and certificate completions were in liberal arts and sciences and/or general studies; thirteen percent of the completions were in healthcare-related fields; and 10 percent of the completions were in fields related to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

“Our challenge going forward will be to continue to increase the percentage of college-going students that our institutions attract and retain, and to whom we award degrees and certificates, even while the number of high school graduates in our state declines,” said Braden Hosch, director of policy & research and interim director of Academic Affairs at the Board of Regents. “We need to ensure we are positioning our schools successfully, offering the programs that students want and the workforce demands, and leveraging financial aid and other incentives effectively to attract more students. We look forward to working with the board and our campuses on these issues moving forward.”