CSCU Student Success Policy Blast! May 2019


Dear Colleague:
 
Periodically, as new student success policies are approved by the Connecticut Board of Regents (BOR), we'll send some details about those policies to you.
 
Today we'll look at two newly approved policies:
- Areas of Study
- Elimination of the Application Fee


Previous emails are available online.
 

Areas of Study: Approved by the BOR in March 2019

The Guided Pathways Choice Architecture team created a proposal that groups academic programs into six broad categories called Areas of Study. These Areas of Study give students a more manageable entry point to their college experience by helping them explore and then focus their educational and career interests early in their academic journey.
 
The six Areas of Study approved by the BOR in March 2019 are:

Social & Behavioral Sciences, Education, & Public Service; STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math); Manufacturing, Industry, & Technical Careers; Health Careers; Humanities & Creative Arts; Business & Hospitality

graphic of the 6 Areas of Study approved by the BOR

Now that the Areas of Study have been approved, all of the Guided Pathways and consolidation teams are incorporating these Areas of Study into their work. Aligned programs that are being developed for the single CSCU community college will be organized within the Areas of Study structure. The Recruitment Architecture and Holistic Student Support Redesign teams are examining how Areas of Study will be used for student onboarding and supporting students as they choose the path that's right for them. Additionally, the Campus Student Success Teams on each campus under Achieving the Dream will consider how Areas of Study can help local student success efforts.
 
The full Areas of Study policy can be found on page 55 of this BOR agenda


 

Removal of College Application Fee: Approved by the BOR in April 2019


The Recruitment Architecture team created a proposal to eliminate the $20 college application fee, which was identified as a barrier for many of our student populations, and generally an additional hurdle in the application process.
 
This application fee elimination, which is in alignment with the practices of many of the largest community colleges in the nation, was approved by the BOR in April 2019, and was made retroactive to March 1. In lieu of the application fee, the College Services fee was raised by $5 per semester.
 
The application process has been made more equitable for all students now that there isn't an application fee. This aligns with our CSCU and Guided Pathways focus on equity, and our commitment to helping all students succeed. The elimination of the application fee also simplifies and expedites the onboarding process for students, which is foundational to the work of our Recruitment Architecture team and our Website and Streamlined Application team.
 
The full 2019-20 Tuition and Fees policy, which includes the elimination of the application fee, can be found on page 39 of this BOR agenda.


 
 

More Information

As always, more details about Guided Pathways and consolidation policy proposals, working groups, and other resources can be found at www.ct.edu/sf.