Colleagues,
As we near the conclusion of this academic year, I want to thank each of you for your continued engagement, thoughtful advocacy, and commitment to establishing College Senate as a critical element of shared governance at CT State. The April meeting of College Senate was among our most substantive to date — reflecting not only the weight of the issues before us but also the growing responsibilities we shoulder. The five-plus hour session demanded stamina and resolve and, yet, we must not be deterred. We stand at a pivotal moment — both for CT State and higher education. The challenges are real, but so too is our capacity to meet them with a steadfast commitment to the values of shared governance, equity, and higher education.
Finance, Frameworks, and Fairness
The meeting began with a sobering review of CT State’s Five-Year Sustainability Plan, presented by Finance Committee Chair Mark Milewski. While the plan outlines a path to address a projected $302.3 million deficit, including a drawdown of reserves, it also includes a proposed tuition increase beginning in FY28. The plan raises significant concerns about long-term viability, accreditation risk, and our capacity to invest meaningfully in student success.
Senators expressed particular concern over the lack of clarity surrounding how key strategies, such as program alignment and dual enrollment expansion, will be implemented and evaluated. Other concerns centered on the use of reserves to
pay down debt and the accuracy of financial projections. It is worth noting that after deficit mitigation reductions last year, the Board of Regents took extraordinary action to adopt the Student Services Restoration Resolution, which required a Mail - Van Dermark, Elle G (Asnuntuck) - Outlook strategies, such as program alignment and dual enrollment expansion, will be implemented and evaluated. Other concerns centered on the use of reserves to
pay down debt and the accuracy of financial projections. It is worth noting that after deficit mitigation reductions last year, the Board of Regents took extraordinary action to adopt the Student Services Restoration Resolution, which required a complex process to restore critical areas of student support at CT State.
The conversation then turned to failures to implement the framework for release and compensation for College Senate service. The Senate unanimously supported a motion requesting assurance, resolution, and retroactive compensation for a colleague whose participation stretched several months without release, compensatory time, or payment. Additionally, the senate requested a thorough review of campus-level implementation to ensure equitable execution and support at all campuses. These inconsistencies continue to undermine morale and erode trust in CT State’s commitment to participatory governance.
Ongoing Concerns with the Multi-Campus President Model
For the third consecutive month, concerns were raised regarding the development and implementation of the multi-campus president model. A statement from the Manchester academic senate raised questions related to cost, necessity, and structure — specifically, a lack of engagement by President Maduko with campus stakeholders, justification for consolidations, projected cost savings, and the logic behind how the campuses were grouped.
President Maduko responded to the concerns raised. The motion to endorse the Manchester statement did not pass.
Shared Governance: A Moment for Pause and Reflection
The shared governance presentation was among the most complex items discussed. Although quorum was lost due to the late hour, we continued with CT State administration’s presentation of their response to the recommendations endorsed by College Senate at the February meeting. The discussion begins at 4 hours and 25 minutes and continues through the end of the April meeting.
College Senate’s recommendations originated from a joint College Senate-Curriculum Congress Shared Governance Assessment Taskforce and were developed following collegewide feedback solicited throughout Fall 2024. The taskforce recommendations were presented at a series of virtual town halls and reviewed by each campus prior to senators affirming their campus preferences, which resulted in a set of recommendations that were sent to President Maduko.
The presentation by Provost Karen Hynick prompted significant concern and led to a special meeting scheduled for Monday, May 5. Concerns focus on differences
between the recommendations endorsed by the senate and CT State administration’s response:
The senate’s recommendations proposed College Discipline Councils and College Discipline Groups to foster collaboration across campuses, enhance curriculum development, and provide newer faculty a meaningful entry point into shared governance. The administration’s response significantly narrows the roles of these groups and diminishes their potential for discipline-based development and collaboration.
The proposed Campus Curriculum Committees, intended to facilitate interdisciplinary review at each campus, were omitted entirely in favor of meetings among Department Chairs, Program Coordinators, and Deans — who may not possess the interdisciplinary breadth necessary. It remains unclear whether all campuses will review every proposal or if review will be restricted to the campus of the proposal's origin.
While the recommendations for campus senates were adopted, additional structural and procedural requirements were introduced that had not been intended and merit further clarification.
In short, the administration’s response reinterprets — and in some cases, redirects — the senate’s intent. This raises critical questions about implementation, institutional capacity, and long-term sustainability, as well as the value of cross-campus relationships in advancing shared governance.
We must ask: what lessons from the previous implementation challenges are informing this process? And how do we ensure this effort succeeds where others have faltered?
Special Meeting: May 5, 2025
To continue this critical discussion, a special meeting of the College Senate will be held on Monday, May 5 at 12:30 p.m. via Webex to review and discuss the college administration's formal response to College Senate’s Shared Governance recommendations.
To foster broad engagement, College Senate will suspend standard participation rules for this meeting so the broader college community can participate. Your questions and insights are essential as we assess this significant response and its Mail - Van Dermark, Elle G (Asnuntuck) - Outlook administration's formal response to College Senate’s Shared Governance recommendations.
To foster broad engagement, College Senate will suspend standard participation rules for this meeting so the broader college community can participate. Your questions and insights are essential as we assess this significant response and its implications. If you are unable to attend, but have concerns or want to express support, please reach out to your campus senators or reply to this email.
Key Actions Taken
The senate adopted a formal statement of senator responsibilities as proposed by the Bylaws Committee. Consideration of part-time senator representation was postponed pending a feasibility study. A proposal to increase student representation was postponed indefinitely pending the outcome of the creation of a student-led advisory council.
The senate endorsed two key recommendations:
Design and development of a required student orientation by College Senate, the Deans Councils, and Academic and Students Affairs for launch in the 2027-2028 Academic Year.
Formation of a taskforce to evaluate Statewide Committee Consolidation.
A vote implementing a college-wide common hour recommendation was postponed pending further clarification.
The College Senate also endorsed the reverse transfer policy while providing conditional support for the ACME policy with the understanding that there is still work to be done on the multi-language learner policy.
Finally, in response to concerns about the discipline distribution in the subdivisions, College Senate requested transparency from the Provost's office regarding the rationale for discipline placement, modifications made in response to concerns raised during the feedback period, and why the input of curriculum experts were not implemented.
Looking Ahead
Our final regular meeting of the academic year will be held on May 23 at 12:30 p.m. Please mark your calendars. Beginning in AY25-26, College Senate meetings will begin at 9:30 a.m.
We remain grateful for the trust you place in College Senate. Please continue to share your questions, ideas, and concerns with your senators. The strength of our collective voice is — and will continue to be — our greatest asset. Mail - Van Dermark, Elle G (Asnuntuck) - Outlook Please mark your calendars. Beginning in AY25-26, College Senate meetings will begin at 9:30 a.m.
We remain grateful for the trust you place in College Senate. Please continue to share your questions, ideas, and concerns with your senators. The strength of our collective voice is — and will continue to be — our greatest asset.
In the Spirit of Shared Governance,
Elle Van Dermark
President, College Senate
