COSC President and Provost on Accountability in Higher Education

[SteveFoerster]

Ed Klonoski and David Ferreira, COSC's President and Provost, wrote this op-ed for the Connecticut Mirror, so I thought I'd share.

Students, families and employers deserve accountability in higher education
https://ctmirror.org/2022/02/23/students...education/

[sanantone]

Well, that was aggressive.

[ss20ts]

Seems like they're bragging about how fabulous they are. Notice they don't tell you about transferring ACE credits and saving yourself even more $$$?

[studyingfortests]

I honestly don't get COSC.  Back when I first considered finishing my degree, they were super flexible, had lots of alt credit options, were generous with credit transfer policies. They had the reputation as the smallest of the Big 3, which meant much better, more personalized service.

Fast forward to 2021 and it's like they are intentionally putting all sorts of barriers in place that make them the least palatable of the BIg 3 (not even considering how much UMPI has changed the landscape).

There were times, when reviewing their credit transfers of my existing credits and their refusal to honor so many other things, it's just like "Why do you even exist?"  But I guess if they are simply focusing on online students not seeking alt credit or fast completion or minimal fuss and specific requirements, they're doing exactly what they should be. And maybe that's what they want.

[Kab]

Seems like they're bragging about how fabulous they are. Notice they don't tell you about transferring ACE credits and saving yourself even more $$$?

Not entirely true. Yesterday on the open house for undergrad the admissions director inform everybody that they accept transfer in from various sources and ACE was mention once, also DANTES and CLEP. They also clarify that they accept older credits always conditional that no developments in the field were done, example genetics. 
They were quite direct in the propaganda too. So...conclusion... they want more people.

---

I honestly don't get COSC.  Back when I first considered finishing my degree, they were super flexible, had lots of alt credit options, were generous with credit transfer policies. They had the reputation as the smallest of the Big 3, which meant much better, more personalized service.

Fast forward to 2021 and it's like they are intentionally putting all sorts of barriers in place that make them the least palatable of the BIg 3 (not even considering how much UMPI has changed the landscape).

There were times, when reviewing their credit transfers of my existing credits and their refusal to honor so many other things, it's just like "Why do you even exist?"  But I guess if they are simply focusing on online students not seeking alt credit or fast completion or minimal fuss and specific requirements, they're doing exactly what they should be. And maybe that's what they want.

After listening to them yesterday at the open house it look to me that they develop a very concrete model of the way they want to go and the kind of student they want. 
It did not seem flexible as in the past (when they still had the green logo in place of the blue one). 
They do not seem bad or disorganized. The contrary. They seem to have reduced their flexibility and demand that flexibility from the applicants. I got the feeling they want FAFSA and Military students with some transfer in credits but not much. What I can say is that they are organized and still approachable but quite trying to be too formal and organized. To the public they will be serving each person is a different world.
They seem a good school and an option for a first degree but for a second degree... If you did the first one with them should be ok, if not... you have to do cornerstone and capstone, reduced sources of alternate credits... it appears more complicated than other places. But let me remark the general impression, in my opinion, is a very good one but needing extra flexibility. 
Also all the people of the department of admissions was there and they were all nice and seemed helpful. I do not in the practice and what happen once you apply.

[ss20ts]

Seems like they're bragging about how fabulous they are. Notice they don't tell you about transferring ACE credits and saving yourself even more $$$?

Not entirely true. Yesterday on the open house for undergrad the admissions director inform everybody that they accept transfer in from various sources and ACE was mention once, also DANTES and CLEP. They also clarify that they accept older credits always conditional that no developments in the field were done, example genetics. 
They were quite direct in the propaganda too. So...conclusion... they want more people.

---

What happened at an open house is irrelevant. I was commenting specifically about the link posted above which has nothing to do with an open house. 
If they want more people then they should be a bit more flexible. They used to be far more flexible. Want more people? Add new programs that other schools don't have.

[Kab]

That's true. More programs will be nice.

[studyingfortests]

Also all the people of the department of admissions was there and they were all nice and seemed helpful. I do not in the practice and what happen once you apply.

Everyone I spoke to there when I was considering them was super nice and helpful.  But God help you if you get assigned to one particular admissions advisor. Several folks (including my own experience, with two different admission requests, several years apart) found that this person simply does not respond to emails, does not return calls, and it basically takes an act of God (and several weeks of waiting) to get any sort of responses.

Once I switched (both times) to someone else, responses were immediate and helpful.

But this person is still there, and I would not be surprised if this has driven away a number of potential students.

As for their other restrictions... well, I guess they are engineering themselves to stay small. I guess that's good and bad, but it seems to be what they want.  So more power to them.

[Tedium]

It’s a Connecticut school primarily for Connecticut residents. The majority of their students are in-state. They only have to offer degrees that their state needs and/or what the residents need.

It may not work for the members of this forum, but it must be working for Connecticut, or they would not still be funding them.

[ReyMysterioso]

It’s a Connecticut school primarily for Connecticut residents. The majority of their students are in-state. They only have to offer degrees that their state needs and/or what the residents need.

It may not work for the members of this forum, but it must be working for Connecticut, or they would not still be funding them.

That is definitely the case. When I was enrolled, I was both surprised that not only was almost everyone in my cohorts from Connecticut, most of them had either done almost their entire degree program at Charter Oak or transferred in from a community college. I was surprised nobody but me seemed to be doing the alt credit route.