The Connecticut State Colleges and University Board of Regents has approved a resolution to consolidate the state’s 12 community colleges into into one system.
Mark Ojakian, president of the CSCU, says the plan would cut 190 administrative jobs and save $28 million dollars a year in overhead costs.
Ojakian says it’s aimed at helping students in anticipation of future budget cuts.
“I think it’s important to note that everything we have tried to do whether on the administrative front or on the community college consolidation piece has been meant to benefit students.To make it easier for students to stay in school and complete their education.”
But many of the faculty members in the system oppose the move. Lois Aime, director of educational technology at Norwalk Community College, says it would destroy the autonomy of the campuses.
“It removes the individual campus’s, college’s ability to make curricular decisions and other decisions that would directly affect our communities. And it puts that decision-making process in the hands of a group of individuals who are probably going to be located in Hartford or some other place that has no connection to our specific areas.”
The plan is expected to go into effect by July 2019.
