The Connecticut State Colleges and Universities Board of Regents has voted unanimously to endorse a revised plan to consolidate the state”™s 12 community colleges.
The revised “Students First” plan calls for the consolidation to take place in 2023, the hiring of three regional presidents in the spring of 2019 and the gradual elimination of 117 jobs, mostly administrative in nature.
Proponents of the new plan say it will save the system an estimated $17 million per year, compared to the $23 million originally proposed. The initial proposal ”“ which also sought the elimination of 163 positions ”“ failed to win approval from accrediting body the New England Association of Schools and Colleges in April. Among other issues, the NEASC questioned whether such an overhaul could be completed to the satisfaction of all involved by the proposed 2019 timeline.
The new version of “Students First” will be presented to the NEASC in the coming weeks. Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport and Norwalk Community College are among the 12 schools in question.
