UPDATE 6: Onboarding Students

Dear Colleague:
 
This is the sixth in a series of emails about student success work at CSCU and in Connecticut overall, including the implementation of Guided Pathways.
 
In this issue, we'll look at the Recruitment Architecture team, the removal of the college application fee, the convening of the Website & Streamlined Application work group, and the addition of the new VP of Enrollment Management, Alison Buckley.
 
Previous emails are available online.


IN THIS ISSUE:
- News and Updates
  - Recruitment Architecture
  - Removal of College Application Fee
  - Website & Streamlined Application (WASA) work group
  - Alison Buckley, VP of Enrollment Management
- Individuals from Your Campus
- Get Involved
- In Our Next Issue

News and Updates

This email highlights the student onboarding and enrollment initiatives that are being led by your colleagues from around the system to achieve CSCU's Guided Pathways goals of:

  • Helping more students complete courses and, ultimately, complete credentials that lead to jobs with value in the labor market
  • Advancing equity in our colleges and in our state so all students have the education, skills, and resources necessary for economic advancement
 

Recruitment Architecture


Supporting our diverse student populations in accessing our colleges and choosing a path is pivotal to their success. The earlier students are engaged with college resources and make meaningful connections with the college the more likely they are to complete.
 
Over the past year the Recruitment Architecture team has been actively engaged in identifying barriers to access and improving the student onboarding and enrollment process.
 
This work includes strengthening student-to-college connections, reviewing our application process, addressing financial literacy, and researching tools and strategies to support students in making informed choices during onboarding and enrollment. 
 
As the Recruitment Architecture team develops and refines practices, they work collaboratively with all of the other Guided Pathways teams and related work groups. 
 
To learn more about these working groups, including the charges which detail each group's primary focus, visit http://www.ct.edu/sf.

 

Removal of College Application Fee


The first recommendation made by the Recruitment Architecture team was to eliminate the college application fee, which was identified as a barrier for many of our student populations.
 
Although the $20 fee might seem nominal, it presented a financial hardship for some students since it had to be paid up front, and even when students had the means to pay, it was an additional hurdle in the application process.
 
The Recruitment Architecture team proposed that the application fee be eliminated and reinstated as a college service fee for both credit and non-credit students, which is in alignment with the practices of many of the largest community colleges in the nation.
 
This proposal was approved by the Guided Pathways Task Force (GPTF) and the College Consolidation Implementation Committee (CCIC) last year. Recently, the Finance Committee of the Board of Regents (BOR) approved the policy sending it forth to the full committee of the BOR for a final review. If approved the policy will retroactively take effect for March 1st, 2019. The proposal can be reviewed here: http://www.ct.edu/files/pdfs/003-RA-05.pdf.
 
 

Website & Streamlined Application (WASA) work group


The Website & Streamlined Application (WASA) work group is the first specialized work group formed under the Recruitment Architecture team. The work for this group kicked off on March 27, 2019.
 
WASA is charged with developing website recommendations for the single college, creating an inquiry process for prospective students, and building a streamlined application for both credit and non-credit students.  The group will also help to review system-wide technology options to support student connection, exploration, onboarding and enrollment.
 
 

Alison Buckley, VP of Enrollment Management


Alison Buckley joined the system office on March 4th in the newly-created role of Vice President for Enrollment Management. She comes to Connecticut from Maryland where she led enrollment management for Howard Community College and several state-wide initiatives connected to student services for the Maryland Association of Community Colleges.
 
Alison is in the process of meeting the enrollment teams at each college and learning about the practices implemented across the state to support community college enrollment. She is also a member of a number of Guided Pathways teams, including Recruitment Architecture, Choice Architecture, Holistic Student Support Redesign, Website & Streamlined Application, and Alignment and Completion of Math and English.

 


Individuals from Your Campus

The membership of the Recruitment Architecture team, WASA and all of the working groups are listed here:  http://www.ct.edu/gp#groups. We've also listed the membership of the Recruitment Architecture team here:
 
Diane Bordonaro, Middlesex Community College
Victoria Bozzuto, Gateway Community College
Alison Buckley, CSCU System Office
Kevin Corcoran, CSCU System Office
Les Cropley, CSCU System Office
Tamika Davis, Tunxis Community College
Gennaro DeAngelis, Asnuntuck Community College
Rose Ellis, Housatonic Community College
Bill Gammell, CSCU System Office
Myrna Garcia-Bowen, Central Connecticut State University
Gregg Gorneault, Capital Community College
Cathy Hardy, Naugatuck Valley Community College
Duncan Harris, Capital Community College
Peter Harris, Manchester Community College
Sarah Hendrick, Quinebaug Valley Community College
Kimberly James, Tunxis Community College
Jim Lombella, Asnuntuck Community College and Tunxis Community College
Maribel Lopez, Gateway Community College
Monica Maldonado, Gateway Community College
Lesley Mara, CSCU System Office
Steve Marcelynas, Southern Connecticut State University
Steve McDowell, CSCU System Office
Kim McGinnis, Housatonic Community College
Nancy Melnicsak, CSCU System Office
Andrew Morris, CSCU System Office
Darryl Reome, Tunxis Community College
Rebecca Rodriguez, Housatonic Community College
Antonio Santiago, Naugatuck Valley Community College
Linda Stango, Naugatuck Valley Community College
Marjorie Valentin, Three Rivers Community College
Sydney Voghel-Ochs, Naugatuck Valley Community College
Sarah White, CSCU System Office
Susan Winn, Tunxis Community College
Jama Yusuf, CSCU System Office

 


Get Involved

Given the volume of work in front of us, we are regularly building teams to engage in this effort. In building these teams, we aim to include faculty, staff, and administrators with diverse perspectives and skills. If you are interested in joining one of these teams, contact successcenter@ct.edu.

 
 

In Our Next Issue:

In CSCU Student Success Update #7, which we'll email in May, we'll provide updates on the General Education proposal, the rounds of curriculum alignment currently occurring and more about the overall timeline for this curricular work and the endorsement process moving forward.