1. RECRUITMENT
Grade 10-11-12 Recruitment Process Modifications
 Cultivate or expand interaction with faculty from local high schools, especially concerning
expectations for college readiness.
o Send emails to all teachers in districts within a 35-mile radius of CCSU with
information about our programs at strategic times throughout the year.
 Enhance relationships with school counselors (e.g., campus events, electronic mailings)
 Encourage and facilitate dual enrollment of qualified high school juniors and seniors at
CCSU as non-matriculated students; award CCSU college credit through high schools like
UCONN and the community colleges do.
 Expand opportunities for high school students to participate in events on CCSU campus
o Initiate a recruiting program through the New Britain Boys & Girls Club that would
bring their students to campus periodically,
o Host an “accepted student’s day” prior to May 1 to showcase campus, as well as our
programs and services that will encourage accepted students to confirm.
o Work with area high schools that might have a capstone or internship opportunity
and encourage the students to complete their experience here on campus. This
could include students coming to observe in our athletic training room, strength and
conditioning room, or observe our pedagogy classes in the gym.
o Host more state-wide academic competitions, high school and college.
 Cultivate mentoring relationships with high school students who identify interest in specific
majors or careers
 Expand outreach to parents of students at area high schools.
 Expand faculty involvement in recruitment process—not just open house but also engaged
in various activities within the funnel process; educate faculty as to the value of their
participation
o Involve faculty in scheduled visits to schools in target districts to meet with teachers
about our programs, admission/application process, and other relevant
information. Allow on-the-spot application.
o Professors guest speak to high school students
 Increase CCSU student involvement in recruitment activities
o Have student ambassadors make recruitment visits to the high schools where they
graduated
o The Office of Admissions might bring students from particular majors with them to
information sessions at local high schools.
Recruiting Specific Student Populations
 Develop discipline specific recruitment strategies that utilize professionals from advisory
boards
o Encourage departments to develop a Marketing/Recruitment Committee (MIS has
one) with the charge of developing a Marketing /Recruitment plan and campaign.
 Develop communications and strategies to recruit specific populations:
o Institute personalized messaging to specific student populations
o Post-admit communication to increase yield of all student types
o Follow up by phone call and/or email students whose applications are incomplete.
o Survey applicants who did not complete the admission process
 Use targeted marketing of degree programs that are struggling with enrollment issues at
both the undergraduate and graduate levels
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Increase programs aimed specifically at prospective commuter students
Audit internal practices for dealing with adult students.
o Create a focus group of current undergraduate and graduate adult students and ask
them how the institution could better serve them
Design and fund a comprehensive recruitment plan to attract more international students
to CCSU at both the undergraduate and graduate levels
o Position the IELP as both a CCSU campus and ConnSCU system-wide resource for
international applicants needing English language support prior to full admission
Develop a recruitment program to target veterans
Create several short (60-90 second) promotional videos pieces to showcase outstanding
learning in specific graduate programs.
Develop online Graduate Admissions information webinar
Recruit CCSU undergraduate students for our graduate programs (e.g., Six-in-Five Program
Opportunities or Undergraduate to Graduate Pathway Program for CCSU undergraduates)
Suggestions for Improving Recruitment
 Redesign department websites to attract and respond to inquiries promptly, including
follow up; celebrate student success on departmental websites; develop weblog or
Facebook page for the department
 Post videotaped diaries of college student life on CCSU website
 Utilize the alumni network in the recruitment process.
 Promote departmental outreach to the business community of the greater Hartford area
2. FINANCIAL AID
 Establish a Strategic Scholarship Coordinating Committee
 Institute scholarship awards based on admissions criteria (i.e. class rank, SAT/ACT scores,
first generation, etc.)
 Coordinate financial aid awards with departments’ recruitment of high-ability students
 Reduce aid stacking; align awards to amount of need
 Consider awarding new or continuing student scholarship awards to transfer students.
 Increase grad assistantships
 Explore Minority Fellowship scholarship programs
 Provide greater assistance in covering unmet need (up to an including the cost of textbooks)
 Key aid to year-to-year tuition increases
 Improve communication to students about available sources of aid, as well as assistance in
completing applications
 Explore feasibility of merit-based scholarships for international students
 Increase scholarship and financial aid resources dedicated to study abroad
3. TRANSFER
 Expand program-specific recruitment at community colleges
 Further refine pipeline programs for community college students planning to transfer to
CCSU
o Finalize implementation and marketing of CCSU-community college customized
pathways in mechanical engineering and advanced manufacturing/Robotics and
Mechatronics
 Institute processes to minimize the number of transfer courses accepted as electives.
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Promote increased interaction between disciplinary colleagues at CCSU and community
colleges
Investigate international student enrollment at other community colleges and develop
community college-to-four year-degree marketing plants that highlight existing transfer
and articulation policies
Consider offering CCSU housing to international students who attend community colleges,
with the goal of encouraging them to matriculate at CCSU.
Explore feasibility of offering selected CCSU courses on community college campuses
Develop an Orientation program for Transfer students.
Invite faculty and students at community colleges to events on campus related to their area
of interest.
Promote Dual Admission program; consider guaranteed availability of courses needed to
complete program after transfer.
4. RETENTION
Reconsider Funding of All Student Support Programs, Especially for New Students: FYE,
CACE, Pre-College, etc.
EOP/ConnCAS/Cultural Centers:
 Based on academic ability—not race
 One-week summer orientation/student success academy before first year
 All students participate in Bridges program in math and English
 Students participate in three-course learning community first year—
comp/math/information literacy
 Required monthly plenary meetings/events
 Students assigned staff mentor for first two years
 One-week summer orientation/student success academy before second year
 Students assigned trained peer mentor in third and fourth years in their major, as well
as faculty advisor
 Centers provide drop-in tutoring and mentoring; tutors and mentors are trained by
Learning Center and paid; centers managed by UAs; report to AVP
 Scholarships/financial aid tied to students’ academic progress
Student Success
 Required one-credit FYE online course on student success strategies
 Required financial literacy online course
 Invest in Degree Compass software to assist students in planning curriculum
 Invest in course redesign/tutoring/supplementary instruction for all high DFW courses,
as well as gateway introductory courses
 Invest in “peer ally” model for students with academic deficiencies, coordinated through
school-based advising centers
 Invest in and track student participation in high-impact practices (undergraduate
research, service learning, international education, experiential learning)
 Create a comprehensive “Plan B” advising program for students who do not get
accepted into their first choice major; clarify and simplify pathways to alternative CCSU
majors
 Provide support for faculty to develop online instructional modules and tutorials to
support student learning of concepts
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Explore further options for increasing personal interactions with incoming students
Expand online advising, including Skype
Revise criteria for the Fresh Start program to increase student eligibility
Automate change of major
Support and reward high-quality faculty advising
Support pedagogies that individualize students’ learning experiences
Explore feasibility of a comprehensive, two-day, overnight Orientation program for all
new incoming first-time students.
Create a guaranteed 4-year degree program – contract with student to graduate within
4 years if student stays on target
Pursue Faculty Senate requirement to post mid-semester grades.
Schedule interviews with every student in good standing who wants to withdraw
Encourage the use of CLEP for students who fall behind as a low cost, efficient way to
catch up.
Career Exploration and Planning
 Undeclared students identify areas of interest and are assigned exploratory curriculum
focused on that area
 Students receive information about careers associated with those majors and interest
areas, about possible career paths, and about skills associated with those careers
 CACE publishes information about workforce needs, employment prospects, and income
projections
 Alumni employed in majors and “areas of interest” meet annually with students
 Required online course on job search/workplace behaviors/culture
 Career planning website
 Increase opportunities for internships in all majors or associated with areas of interest
 Senior year capstone transition to workplace experience
Accountability
 All student support units set annual measurable goals keyed to student success, persistence,
and graduation
 All units provide annual report of progress toward goals
 Funding of units tied to outcomes
Innovation
 Establish Innovation Fund to pilot innovative approaches to student success
 Continued funding will be contingent on measurable success
Incentivize Recruitment/Graduation Rates by Major
 Provide incentives for departments that improve retention and graduation rates, including
minority student retention and graduation rates
 Support department-based initiatives to build community among majors
o Early fall –an activity to introduce new students to faculty and students who are
already established in the major – could be as simple as an ice cream social
o Major Day – alert students to the variety of majors that are available; this should
involve staff from CACE, School Based Advising Centers and faculty
o Spring – Dogs (hot dogs) with the Deans/Chairs
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Inform program coordinators and chairs about students who need additional support.
Create an appropriate “watch list” for programs.
o Consider assessment variables other than GPA
o Intervene with any student whose GPA declines for two consecutive semesters, even
those in “good standing”
Offer PD for students in programs (i.e., calibration for SEED; mock interviewees; networking
reception for students)
5. STUDENT QUALITY OF LIFE
Student Life Enhancements for Residential & Commuter Students
 Create areas within buildings close to departments where students can socialize with one
another between classes or work together on special department projects
 Cultivate deeper relations with parents of CCSU students
 Organize Freshman Convocation at the start of the year to welcome new students and to
convey seriousness of transition to college
 Provide access to refrigerator/microwave for students taking evening classes
 Consider making meal plan purchase optional for residential students
 Continue to improve fitness and recreation facilities.
Improve Quality of Residence & Dining Facilities
 More and healthier food options available every day of the year and more hours of the day,
particularly for commuters
 Expand residence hall theme approach; overnight orientation sessions; new residence hall
will create opportunities for summer programming residence
Improve Transportation, Parking, Child-Care, Scheduling accessibility, etc.
 Examine possibilities for child-care in ELP on campus
 Adjust operating hours for facilities based on when students should expect to be able to use
facility. Model best practices at residential universities that have high engagement and
retention.
 Schedule evening administrator at ITBD
 Provide shuttle service between Tunxis Community College and CCSU and between ITBD
and CCSU.
 Offer more courses in time blocks that include Fridays.
 Allow greater flexibility for undeclared majors to enroll in exploratory courses in different
disciplines (social work, nursing, computer science, biology, etc.)
 Fewer lecture-based courses for first year students.
Improve IT Services (wireless, course delivery, etc.)
 Continue to expand delivery of online and hybrid courses. Identify programs which could be
delivered entirely online or with hybrid courses
 Share BANNER information with all CONNSCU schools.
 Integrate information literacy competencies into the general education curriculum.
 Build strong relationships with students and faculty through modes of engagement such as
embedded and personal librarians as well as other personalized library services
 Develop fully online Master’s degrees in selected areas such as technology management
 Develop a centralized IT operation with semi-autonomous School operation.
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Leverage technology to: improve retention management, build success partnerships across
campus, create a timely and strategic information flow, and target our resources to the
students who need them. Develop robust analytics based on our own student experiences
to predict risk factors and ensure that actions are directed and appropriate for CCSU
student success.
6. PROGRAMMATIC EXPANSION
Reallocate Resources to Areas of Specific Demand with Enrollment Targets
 Remove caps on programs with excess student demand (counseling, criminology, design)
 Complete development of General Studies major
 Develop niche MBA
 Complete approval process for the Early Childhood BS program
 Develop a business concentration to address shortage of credit analysts
 Develop and offer programs, via Continuing Education and ITBD that will serve as a conduit
for University enrollments. In addition, make ITBD and IMRP better aware of University
programs
 Explore options for new programs in education:
o OCP in Instructional Coaching, which can be used towards a masters in educational
leadership. This would be a 15 or 18 credit program. Our students could then
complete 12 credit hours in a discipline. This would meet the CSDE requirement for
masters.
o Masters and teaching certificate combination program for graduate students who
are either part-timers or in non-shortage areas (don't qualify
o Special Education Teacher Certification program to specifically targeting current
paraprofessionals working in special education
o Urban focused Sixth Year program and Superintendent program
o Yearlong (15 credit) superintendent program that can compete with UCONN
(Summer to summer)
 Identify high demand professional programs (e.g., nursing) and develop alternative delivery
models. Incentivize selected faculty to develop weekend programs.
 Consider new baccalaureate or master’s programs that align with areas where we have
faculty with expertise and where there is anticipated job growth in Connecticut
o STEM majors that are not offered by another CSU
o Allied health areas and gerontology
 Increase the number of programs offered through the cohort models with on-site, hybrid,
on campus course delivery for working professionals.