As 12 Institutions Become 1, Rankings Indicate Connecticut's Previous Community College System & Individual Schools Were Among Best in the U.S.

When the national personal finance website WalletHub released its report on 2023’s Best & Worst Community Colleges, three of the top 10 were colleges that no longer exist – Manchester Community College at number 8, Asnuntuck Community College at number 9 and Three Rivers Community College at number 20. 

Two additional community colleges were ranked in the top 30 nationwide – Capital Community College at number 21 and Northwestern Connecticut Community College at number 25.  Four more Connecticut Community Colleges were ranked in the top 100. A total of 668 colleges were ranked in the overall analysis.

All were part of the Connecticut Community College system, which ceased to exist on July 1. 

That 12-college system was ranked as the second best community college system in the nation in an analysis released simultaneously by WalletHub.

In a controversial consolidation, 12 independent community colleges that were part of a statewide system in Connecticut were merged together to become a single institution as of the current academic semester, Connecticut State Community College (CT State), with 12 campuses.  

CT State, with more than 60,000 students the largest community college in New England, will be “serving the residents of 169 towns, as well as neighbors from Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island,” according to the institution’s website. 

“Returning students are moving into aligned programs across CT State’s six areas of study including Arts & Humanities, Engineering & Technology, Nursing & Health Careers, Business & Hospitality, Science & Mathematics, and Social & Behavioral Sciences,” the website explains.  Incoming students can choose from more than 300 degree and certificate credit programs, plus additional non-credit training, the website notes.      

The new structure is being tried for the first time in state history as the new academic year gets underway, and already concerns – old and new – are being voiced, some more visibly than others.  This summer, a union protest said that reduced funding at the Capitol campus will eliminate cafeteria services, cut library hours, remove on-campus access to career and job placement support services, erase administrative office support for the advising and workforce development departments and others, and reduce tutoring, disability and English as a second language services for students, the Hartford Courant reported.

Across the CT State campuses, 177 full and part-time employees saw their contracts expire, according to the union. In addition, there appears to be some uncertainty regarding the reporting structure across the campuses, particularly with changes in personnel as the singular CT State gets underway.

The leadership team of CT State is extensive. John Maduko is the inaugural President of Connecticut State Community College, and, as the website describes it, “The President is supported by a cabinet comprising the Executive Vice President, Vice Presidents and the Chief of Staff; a team comprising Presidents and Chief Executive Officers of the 12 campuses; and a leadership council comprising the heads of the college’s functional areas.”

As of mid-October, the CT State website indicates a total of 45 open positions (full-time and part-time) at the 12 campuses, ranging from program directors to part-time lecturers, and including a Dean and information technology staff.

The leadership team (at the start of the semester) includes Levy Brown, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs; John-Paul Chaisson-Cardenas, Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Thomas Coley, Executive Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Enterprise Performance; Cheryl DeVonish, CEO of the Norwalk Campus and Chief Labor Relations Officer; Ann Harrison, Associate Vice President of Communications & Strategic Marketing and Chief of Staff; Karen Hynick, CEO of the Quinebaug Valley campuses and Executive Director; Kerry Kelley, VP of Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer.