Our state colleges and universities

Many of you, on a number of occasions, have asked why I agreed to another board assignment requiring attention, meetings, preparation and time. These thoughts from a book by Susan and Todd Montgomery, “What Really Matters Now,” guide me when making such a decision.

Dreaming of the mountains yet to climb

Doing the job well Playing the game with all your heart

Working and celebrating together

Staying connected Having the courage to take the next step

I was nominated and decided to serve on the Board of Regents for the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities. It is an honor and a revelation realizing the impact this institution has on our region and Connecticut.

The system came into existence in 2011 with the consolidation of the institutions mentioned above into one system. Its goal is to provide support, promote collaboration, improve transfer among the entities, and achieve administrative efficiencies and financial opportunities. It includes four Connecticut State Universities, 12 Community Colleges and Charter Oak State College, the state’s only public, online, degree-granting institution.

This equates to 118,605 credit students, 23,000 non-credit students and 10,687 employees.

This past summer, CSCU commissioned Emsi to conduct the first thorough analysis of the economic impact of these institutions on our state. Industry and employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, internal financial reports, Census data and a variety of sources related to education and social behavior were explored.

The highlights are important:

⏩ CSCU contributes $11.1 billion to Connecticut

⏩ $9.9 billion is the annual income earned by CSCU alumni

⏩ 1 of 19 jobs in Connecticut are supported by CSCU and its students

⏩ 76 percent of SCSU graduates work in Connecticut within 9 months of graduation

⏩ For every $1 invested in CSCU, the state will gain $11.70 in added revenue

Much of this material came from a CSCU publication noting its values, challenges and opportunities for the future. Watch for additional updates as we move forward.