Community-Technical College Board of Trustees (CGS 10a-71, 72)

• The board consists of 24 members, 22 appointed by the governor and two elected by students. At least six members must have expertise and experience in business, labor, or industry.

• Appointed members serve six-year terms; students serve two-year, staggered terms.

• One chamber confirms.

• The board administers the community-technical college system, develops a mission statement for the system, establishes policies for the colleges and plans for their development, approves institutions' budgets for submission to the Board of Governors of Higher Education, and appoints a chancellor for the system and the president of each college.

QUESTIONS

1. How does a board member help the community-technical colleges (CTC) achieve their mission? What have been the board's greatest challenges during your tenure and how has the board addressed them?

2. How does the board determine how to allocate resources among the 12 CTCs and among the program areas they offer?

3. How has the system responded to the state's recent budget problems? Have these problems effected the CTCs' ability to educate its students? How have they effected students' ability to attend a CTC?

4. Connecticut's CTCs rely somewhat more on part-time faculty than their peers across the nation. What do you think causes this? How does it effect students?

5. Many CTC students must take remedial math courses. Why do think this occurs and how can the number be reduced?

6. Just over 50% of CTC students return after their first year and only 12% of CTC students graduate within three years, according to the latest Department of Higher Education figures. Both figures are below the national average. What can the colleges do to retain more students and help them complete their programs?

7. What percentage of CTC graduates go on to four-year colleges? How do they perform there? What are the barriers to successful transition to and graduation from four-year institutions?

8. Many students use CTCs to learn or enhance job skills. How does a CTC education help them in the job market? Do the CTCs track students' post-college employment rates and starting salaries? What do they show?

9. What industries recruit CTC students? How do the CTCs reach out to them? Do the CTCs have career offices that can direct students to internship or job opportunities?

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