What would you tell the Provost of Charter Oak State College?

[SteveFoerster]

Hi everyone, I'm pretty busy these days, so I can't be as active on this forum as I might like, so some may not know that I'm a longtime member of the Charter Oak State College Alumni Association Board of Directors, and currently am your Vice President. 

In late April a few other alumni and I will have the opportunity to meet with Charter Oak's Provost, Dr. David Ferreira, to discuss the approach that the institution is taking. Please help me help Charter Oak by doing the following:

1. If you are an alum, please consider attending this meeting online (or on campus!) It's scheduled for 1pm EDT on Monday, April 28th. I'll post details in this thread as I get them. (I'd also encourage you to join the Alumni Association Board of Directors! Ask me how!)

2. If you are an alum who is informed about changes in the institution's approach, or perhaps more importantly if you did not choose Charter Oak and can articulate why, please respond with your experience in this thread. Fair warning: I plan to print it out and bring it with me to show that I'm not the only one who believes that in a time of challenging enrollment figures, one thing that Charter Oak can do to be attractive to working adults, both in Connecticut and beyond, is remain as flexible as possible.

Thank you for helping Charter Oak State College!

[origamishuttle]

Steve, thank you for serving on the board and for involving this community in the conversation!
The main issue that comes to mind is the drastic reduction of Study.com upper-level course transfers back in July of 2022. I was able to transfer my courses in late June 2022, which is the only reason that I am a COSC alumnus today. My academic advisor was very helpful in working with me to make that happen, along with completing my remaining Sophia courses and CLEP while I also completed the COSC cornerstone course. The entire experience was great, so I would recommend COSC to anyone, provided they had the flexibility to transfer those UL courses too.

[bjcheung77]

Basically, I remember Bob Fitzpatrick, the retired director of admissions or something position similar to that... He offered prospective students application fee waivers and I was able to get one prior to his retirement. In order for COSC to be better, they have to do a few things to break down barriers for prospective students, remove the application fee (or provide a waiver for those who qualify), more transfer friendly - they're slowly limiting transfers with RA/ACE changes, and a few other things to work on...

[Kab]

Thanks for the chance to share some thoughts about COSC. A while back, it was actually one of my favorite options for finishing a bachelor’s degree online in the U.S. It wasn’t the most practical choice at the time, more of a gut feeling, but I was drawn to it. The people I spoke with (this was years ago) were kind and helpful, and that left a lasting impression on me.
For context, I’m an international student, so my experience may not apply to everyone. But I still hope it can be helpful to someone considering their options.
In the end, I didn’t end up going to COSC, and now my daughter is attending a different American university. We did consider COSC again during her college search, and while we liked several things about it, we decided against it for some of the reasons I’ll share below. Maybe some of these are personal observations, but I’ll try to keep things as clear and fair as possible.
Some concerns that stood out:
A shift in atmosphere
There’s been a noticeable change over the years. Back when the website was green (not blue), COSC felt more relaxed and student-friendly — not less rigorous, just more human. These days, it feels a bit more rigid, like it’s aiming for a certain type of student and moving away from a more open, supportive vibe. I get the sense they prefer U.S.based students who use financial aid and plan to earn a lot of credits directly through COSC. That’s just a personal impression, but first impressions matter and if the initial experience isn’t great, many people will simply look elsewhere.
Transfer credit process lacks clarity and flexibility
The list of accepted transfer credit sources feels limited, and it’s not always clear which courses will transfer. Even if a provider is listed, there’s still a chance the credits won’t be accepted. That uncertainty can make it hard to plan. It would help to have clearer, more public guidelines.
Feels focused on revenue, not flexibility
It seems difficult to finish a degree quickly. The structure almost feels designed to stretch things out over multiple semesters, which also means more fees. Whether that’s intentional or not, it gives the impression that the goal is more about revenue than helping students graduate efficiently. Maybe getting to make a student take 3 subjects more is more valuable than to get 10 new students. I do not know which is the policy or aim applied. It seems to me that the focus is not on obtaining new students.
International students don’t seem relevant (or even welcome)
There’s not much outreach or support for international students. I think there’s untapped potential there, expanding access could boost enrollment.
No dual-credit options for high schoolers that I know of
I didn’t see any dual-credit programs for high school students. That could be a great way to introduce younger learners to college-level work and create a path toward future enrollment. I would bring my soon to get some credits for college if they where offered and they facilitate later on the access and graduation from COSC (specially if some kind of special price or deal exist like in other places).
Website Looks Nice, but difficult to find some specific info
The site is clean and modern (reminds me of a dentist’s office), but it’s not easy to find specific information when you want something concrete. A more intuitive layout and clearer links to things like real transfer policies (the ones that are really applied) or degree planning would really help.
Unexpected Costs
The credit prices look ok at first glance, but then you discover additional fees and service fees stacked on top… which can make the final bill higher than expected and makes the college less competitive in price.
Lack of a clear identity
COSC doesn’t really seem to have a unique feature that sets it apart anymore. Instead, it feels like it’s adopted some of the less student-friendly policies common elsewhere. Things like tighter credit transfer rules, vague processes, and extra fees without offering a compelling reason to choose it over competitors.
Feels less welcoming to nontraditional students
The admissions and transfer policies don’t seem to leave much room for people with less conventional backgrounds. That’s a problem, especially when many people looking at COSC are working adults or folks trying to finish a degree through alternative paths.
At its core, it feels like COSC has moved away from what used to make it special, serving students who needed flexibility and a second chance. Right now for me, it doesn’t feel as focused on accessibility or supporting different types of learners as it did on the past.
That said, I still believe the academic side is strong. I haven’t heard complaints about the faculty or the value of the degree itself. But admissions and transfer credit policies seem to be turning people away, especially in forums like this where adult learners are specifically looking for flexible options.
If COSC could return to a more student-centered approach, reasonable prices, improve transparency for transfer credits, and embrace the idea that not all students follow the same path, I think it could regain some of the trust and appeal it once had.
This is just my opinion and a very subjective one at that. Please Steve, accept it as the image I got over time of COSC. If it differs from reality, please accept my most sincere apologies in advance.