Thomas Coley, who began work in June as one of the Connecticut System of Colleges and Universities”™ three regional presidents, is undergoing something of a trial by fire.
“I”™m still absorbing a lot,” Coley — president of CSCU”™s Region Three, Shoreline-West, which consists of Gateway Community College in New Haven, Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport, and Norwalk Community College ”“ told the Business Journal.
Indeed he is ”“ and not all of it is good. Prior to his new appointment, Coley was Chancellor of the North Central Region for Indiana”™s Ivy Tech Community College system, where he oversaw three campuses totaling about 9,100 students.
Not only does his new post involve overseeing some 25,000 students, but CSCU”™s introduction of three regional presidents is part of its “Students First” plan to consolidate all 12 of its community colleges into one centrally-managed system by 2023 has proven to be controversial on a number of fronts. The proposal ”“ which CSCU President Mark Ojakian has said will save $17-23 million per year ”” failed to pass muster with accrediting agency the New England Association of Schools and Colleges last year.
While the organization continues working on a revised proposal, Coley acknowledged that there is no small amount of heat being brought to bear upon CSCU by faculty and students alike.
“There is always going to be a reaction to substantial change,” Coley said, “which is what you”™re witnessing now. It takes time and conversation.”
Those conversations have often been barbed. The Connecticut State University Faculty Leadership Group ”” which includes faculty leaders from the four state universities in the CSCU ”” has vociferously objected to the plan; the Faculty Senate at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain has called for Ojakian to resign; and, this past May, a large swath of faculty and staff across the state cast a “no confidence” vote in Ojakian, Students First and the CSCU”™s Board of Regents.
And over the past few weeks, a group of 24 “community college supporters” — including Lois Aime, director of educational technology at Norwalk Community College; Patricia O”™Neill, a professor at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury; and a number of staffers at Coley”™s Gateway ”“ has published open letters criticizing both the plan and Ojakian.
Among the group”™s objections:
- Ojakian “has increased system office expenditures by over 50% in the past three years. He has added over $16 million to his own budget, while cutting funding to community colleges and raising tuition and student fees. This does not put students first.”
- “Experience from other states”” especially highly publicized mergers in Georgia, for example ””have shown that consolidations like this are complex, problematic, and generally save little or no money.”
- “Perhaps most importantly, the proposed Connecticut consolidation plan works against the better judgment of the majority the professionals in the state who are experts in the field of teaching and learning.”
With Ojakian unavailable for comment, Coley said, “We are in the process of slowly gaining more of (the objectors”™) trust and understanding of what we want to accomplish. It”™s not an easy process, to be clear.”
Meanwhile, in April CSCU presented its first updated Students First plan to the accrediting agency, now called the New England Commission of Higher Education. Last month NECHE responded in July with a letter asking CSCU back for a presentation in April 2020, and providing guidance as well as requests for further information involving specifics on organization and governance; details on how academic programs will achieve consistency across campuses; and particulars on how institutional resources will be utilized to better serve students while at the same time tackling systemic financial concerns.
“We are encouraged that NECHE”™s letter charted a roadmap toward our ultimate accreditation as one college,” Ojakian said in a statement. “Rest assured that CSCU ”“ in an open and collaborative process driven by faculty, staff, and students ”“ is already developing concrete plans to address the areas where NECHE requested more information.
“As just one example,” he added, “the strategic hiring of regional presidents is helping campus leaders manage scarce resources while serving student needs. The momentum continues in our efforts toward community college unification.”
Coley insisted that even with consolidation, each individual college will retain its own identity ”“ another concern that has been voiced by opponents.
In addition, he said, “branding and marketing our collaborative strengths” will aid CSCU”™s efforts to work with employers for placing students in jobs, as well as with the state and various other stakeholders in addressing housing and food shortages. A study published last summer by the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness on behalf of CSCU found that 17.5% of CSCU students surveyed reported housing instability or homelessness.
As for the new semester ”“ classes began on Aug. 27 ”“ Coley said enrollment was essentially flat, with CSCU”™s 17 schools accommodating a total of about 85,000 students. However, he said, “We expect the floodgates to open with late registration, which is often what happens at the community college level.”
