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 student. 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 presidents of each college.

QUESTIONS

1. What expertise do you bring to the board and in what areas of board activity are you most interested in working?

2. What is the mission of the community-technical college (CTC) system? What is the role of the board in helping the CTCs achieve their mission?

3. What are the greatest challenges facing the CTCs and what can the board do to address them?

4. The five CTCs offering nursing programs are at maximum capacity with over 800 students enrolled, according to the latest Department of Higher Education (DHE) figures. What can the colleges do to expand their nursing programs and address the state's critical shortage of nurses?

5. What improvements could be made to the academic programs at the CTCs?

6. The DHE reports that although the total number of graduates at the CTCs has increased by 11. 2% over the past five years, the number of graduates in science, engineering, and technology programs have decreased by 22. 3%. What can the colleges do to address this decline in graduates in technical fields and in turn support the state-wide workforce shortage areas?

7. Many students attending the CTCs are working adults with families to support. What are the particular challenges facing these students? What can the CTCs do to provide these students the maximum level of support and improve their graduation rates?

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

9. What can the CTCs do to strengthen their ties with businesses and ensure Connecticut's workforce needs are being met?

10. Many students begin their higher education at one of the CTCs and later transfer to a four-year college or university. What can the CTCs do to improve the transfer process for these students?

RP/LM: ts