Contributions to Workforce Development by the Connecticut State University

Dennis R. DeLong, Dean, University College, Chapman University
formerly Deputy Chief Academic Officer, CT State University System

January 2001

CSU institutions make a profound commitment to the development, maintenance, enhancement and expansion of Connecticut's workforce. The specific contributions are too numerous to delineate but generally fall into four categories: workforce readiness, career-related degree programs, continuing education or training activities and special service-oriented entities.
 
 

Workforce Readiness - In recent years CSU has graduated thousands of Connecticut residents from its undergraduate and graduate programs. Many of these graduates were full-time students seeking to enter the workforce after completion of their studies. Many others were part-time students, already working full time in many cases. and seeking to solidify or enhance their employment though earning a college degree.

A CSU education enriches the lives of its students and strengthens the communities in which these students live or will live through high-quality programs in which students are exposed to the human experience as reflected in science, history, literature and the arts.

As a result, Connecticut is a far better place to live and to do business.

A CSU education also contributes directly to workforce development. Through the standards of excellence CSU demands of its students, the readiness of Connecticut's workforce is enhanced significantly. Over the next two years, as part of its implementation of Performance (Accountability) Indicators, CSU will be documenting both the skills provided to its graduates and employer concurrence in the job readiness of CSU graduates. Anecdotal and informal feedback from employers and student/alumni surveys verify that a CSU education prepares a person well for meaningful employment. CSU graduates evidence solid writing, quantitative, computer and analytical skills. The following information supports the aforementioned points.

CSU Graduates in 2000 [40 % 0f CSU UGs & 60 % of GRADs are part- time]
 
University UG GRAD Total 
CCSU
1279
330
1609
ECSU
772
60
832
SCSU
1061
1069
2130
WCSU
547
153
700
Total
3659
1612
5271

Student Perception of CSU Preparation for Employment Generally and in Specific Skills (writing, quantitative, etc.) - 1999 Survey of Graduates

Question Percent "Agree" or "Strongly Agree"

Degree Was Helpful in Getting Current Job 84%

Major Program Prepared Me Well for Occupation 80%

Percent "Greatly" or "Moderately Enhanced"

Gain in-depth knowledge in field of study 88%

Think Analytically or Logically 80%

Write Effectively 78%

Communicate Well Orally 74%

Use Quantitative Skills 68%

Major Points on Workforce Readiness:

Career-Related Degree Programs - although all CSU students are ready to enter or continue in the workforce upon graduation, increasingly CSU graduates have completed professional programs which aim at enhancing access to particular careers. Historically, CSU has been heavily involved in K-12 teacher preparation programs which continues. CSU institutions offer a number of additional professional, applied programs, especially in the College of Technology at CCSU. Programs are offered at both the baccalaureate and graduate levels. Illustrative of these programs are: MBAs at CCSU, SCSU and WCSU; BSW and MSW at SCSU; a BS in Hospitality and Tourism at CCSU; BS and MS in Nursing at SCSU and WCSU; BS in Medical Technology at CCSU and WCSU, and BS and MS in Public health at SCSU. All four universities offer UG degrees in computer science and CCSU has launched an innovative, interdisciplinary MS in Computer Information Technology which already had attracted over 100 matriculates. In the past year, CSU institutions have sought and attained approval to offer a number of new programs or to modify programs with specializations which are directly work force related. The table below summarizes these programs and the careers that are enhanced by the programs.
Program Institution  Careers Approval by BOG
BS Athletic Training CCSU training athletes & persons seeking health improvement  April 2000
BA in Graphics/Information Design CCSU computer-assisted graphic art and design  April 2000
BA in Media Arts CCSU computer-assisted media  December 2000
BS in Network Technology CCSU wide-area network development Expected February 2000
BS in Technology Management CCSU managing technology  Expected March 2000
BS Early Childhood Education SCSU managing child care operations January 2000
MS Library Science Online SCSU library management September 2000
BS in Community Health WCSU managing community health organizations April 2000

CSU institutions also have a number of work force related new programs under development for which approval is likely to be sought in 2001. These are listed in the table below:


Program  Institution Career Action by CSU Board Likely in 
MS in Data Mining online  CCSU  electronic data searches and retrieval  May 2001
MBA in International Business (partially online) CCSU managing businesses in the international market May 2001
MS in Accounting online ECSU professional accounting May 2001
MS in Educational Technology ECSU developing and applying learning technologies May 2001
MS in Computer Science SCSU utilization of computer hardware and software done by CSU Bd. in April 2000; to BOG in Feb. 2000
BA/BS in English or Elem./Second. with specialization in Professional Writing  WCSU positions with professional writing expectations April 2001 

Major points on Career-Related Degree Programs:


Continuing Education/Training Activities - CSU evidences increasing activity in offerings that are for non-credit and/or training purposes. All four universities have increased emphases in this area. ECSU has appointed a Dean of Continuing Education and the three other universities are managing continuing education at the Director level. ECSU's Dean in cooperation with the SO is leading a system-wide effort to increase workforce related activity. Consideration is underway for the development of credit bearing, certificate programs. CCSU is developing an online certificate program in Data Mining. Some examples of recent non-credit program activity by the universities are as follows:

CCSU: Care/Case Management, Hospice Care, Community Health, Computer Information Technology & Internal Family Systems

ECSU: A+ Programming, Computer Foundations, Corporate Travel, Day Care, Graphic Design, Microsoft System Engineer & Web Design

SCSU - no reported non-credit activity but heavily involved in Certificate program for School Superintendents

WCSU - Conflict Management, Direct Marketing & Supervisory Management
 
 

Major Points on Continuing Education

Special Service-Oriented Entities - All four CSU institutions are active community players and provide services to a variety of community organizations via formal relationships as well as the individual, voluntary actions by students, staff and faculty. Among the more prominent formal entities are the following:

The School of Technology at CCSU has created the Institute for Industrial and Engineering Technology (IIET), which provides technical advice on economic development to the business community. The Institute is positioned ideally to harness learning technologies and assess outcomes for its clients.

CCSU, in its School of Education and Professional Studies has attracted faculty with expertise in instructional technology and the ability to provide students and persons from the community with valuable learning in this area. Also housed here is the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Technology, which provides the opportunity for students, faculty and members of the community to create learning outcomes through the use of multi-media, computer-based instruction and other technological delivery systems.

At SCSU, the Center for School Action Research assesses the contemporary outcomes-based needs of urban school districts. SCSU also has developed an Adaptive Technology Lab which provides physically, visually and learning disabled students equal access to computer technology, through assessments and training. This service also is available to the community.

An organization at WCSU is rooted in a partnership with IBM in which, for the past ten years, the faculty of Western Connecticut State University have utilized an advanced technology classroom as an experimental laboratory for piloting and evaluating innovative technology applications and to identify "best practices." The Center for Technological Research and Productivity was created at WCSU to encourage and support faculty research on emerging technologies, to serve as a "showcase" on innovative instructional technologies to schools, businesses and other agencies and to evidence a commitment to technological innovation and instructional excellence to parents and prospective students. A noteworthy example of WCSU’s success in piloting instructional applications of technology is its current effort, again in partnership with IBM, in the area of "voice recognition" technology.

Several new centers or institutes have been established in the past year which will impact workforce issues. CCSU has established the Hospitality and Tourism Institute to support its BS in this field mentioned earlier and the industry in Connecticut. CCSU also has established a Caribbean/Latin American Center to assist Connecticut businesses with Caribbean and Latin American interests. ECSU has established a Center for Sustainable Energy Studies Center and an Energy Institute to enable the university to focus research and other resources to assist energy companies in the State.

Major Points in Special Entities