Academic Enrichment & Support

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College & Career Success

Please consult the complete College & Career Success Policy  for additional detail.

The Board of Regents for Higher Education directed the Connecticut State Community College, in conjunction with the CSCU System Office through the leadership of the CSCU Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, to:

• Require all Connecticut State Community College programs of study to include the three (3) credit CCS 1001  which is focused on college success and career exploration.
• Require all degree-seeking students to enroll in CCS 1001  within their first nine (9) credits.
• Ensure that CCS 1001  includes a component that meets the general education core diversity requirement, with the acknowledgement that diversity topics should ideally be embedded throughout the General Education core and across the curriculum.
• Ensure that CCS 1001  fulfills one of the general education core competencies.
• Make recommendations regarding which programs of study might add CCS 1001  as an exception to normalization, in accordance with BOR policy.
• Provide guidance regarding which circumstances allow a student to request exemption from taking CCS 1001  with final decisions on exemptions made by campus academic leadership.
• Ensure that CCS 1001  is regularly updated to align with the latest research and evidence from the field regarding successful first year experience courses, noting that current research demonstrates that the most successful first year experience courses use pedagogies that promote learning-for-application, use equity-minded pedagogies and inclusive formats, give instructors the tools and structural supports to teach effectively, and substantively link the course to other academic courses to improve transfer of learning.
• Provide administrative oversight of CCS 1001 to ensure consistency of delivery and outcomes.

Student Exemption for CCS 1001 effective Fall 2023

The exemption only applies to two student populations: LEGACY and TRANSFER-IN students. If a student is eligible for an exemption, the student can meet with their advisor and/or Program Coordinator for substitution guidance. Aside from these two student populations, all students will be required to take CCS 1001  starting in Fall 2023. Please see the exemption document for full details.

Legacy Students:

A “legacy student” is a student was enrolled in a Connecticut community college prior to Fall 2023 but did not complete a degree program, and is now enrolling in a CT State Community College degree program.

If a student has completed 24 or more college-level credits and has not taken an equivalent course (outlined in the exemption), a student will be eligible* for a course substitution.

If a student has completed any of the outlined 1 or 1.5 credit courses (as listed in the exemption) at the CT Community Colleges, the CCS 1001 requirement may be waived, and the student will be eligible* for a course substitution.

If a student has completed CCS 101 College & Career Success at any of the colleges prior to Fall 2023, that course will fulfill the CCS 1001  requirement in CT State programs.

Transfer-In Students:

If a student has completed an equivalent 3 credit course at an accredited college or university with a C- or higher, that course will be transferred in and will fulfill the CCS 1001  requirement.

If a student has NOT completed an equivalent 3 credit course at an accredited college or university but has 24 or more transferable credits with a C- or higher, the student will be eligible* for a course substitution of CCS 1001 .

*Please note that eligibility does not mean that a student is required to seek a substitution for CCS 1001 . In many cases, a student will benefit from taking CCS 1001  and this option needs to be discussed through the advising process.

Honors Programming

Honors programs

CT State provides students with the opportunity to apply for acceptance into the Honors Program based at multiple campuses. The Honors Program offers academic enrichment to students’ associate degree program. Honors Program students hone the leadership, academic, and professional skills necessary for transfer and future academic and career success.

Honors students take honors level general education courses (e.g., Composition Honors, General Psychology Honors, U.S. History Honors) and honors seminars with their Honors Program cohort, and enjoy close faculty mentoring, special programming, and independent study and leadership opportunities.

Additionally, the Business Administration program offers an honors degree. This program focuses on the business core as well as an emphasis on critical Math curricula. A minimum GPA of 3.4 is required for this option.

Honors courses

CT State offers students the opportunity to apply to take an honors course (e.g., Composition Honors, General Psychology Honors, U.S. History Honors) without being a member of the Honors Program.  Honors courses can be found in the course catalog with the designation “H” after the course code (e.g. ENG 1010H - Composition Honors). Entry into these classes varies and is noted in the Prerequisite description and involve additional coursework.

Academic Advising

Academic advising assists students in establishing and achieving their academic, career, and transfer goals. CT State students have access to both trained professional advisors (Guided Pathways Advisors) as
well as faculty experts (Faculty Advisors). Students should meet with an advisor at least once per semester and more often as needed.

Advising appointments are available in-person and virtually. If students have questions or need assistance identifying or connecting with their Guided Pathways or Faculty Advisor, please follow the link below to connect with your campus advising office.

Faculty Advising

All full-time faculty engage in academic advising and provide advising to students within their specific program(s) or discipline. Faculty are the foremost experts on their specific discipline or program and play an integral part in the student’s academic, career, and transfer planning. Students should connect with their assigned faculty advisor to discuss program options and details about the structure, outcomes, and specifics of the degree or certificate program.

Guided Pathways Advising

Mission Statement

All community college students, from initial registration to completion, are supported by Guided Pathways Advisors to establish academic and career goals, receive proactive and individualized academic and holistic supports that result in the timely and equitable completion of credentials that lead to employment, transfer, and family sustainable wages.

Vision

Guided Pathways Advising is a dynamic, student-centered, holistic approach grounded in student development and learning. Guided Pathways Advisors align advising practices with the diverse and unique needs of each individual student in their caseload. GPAs advise, advocate, mentor, support, and coach their caseload to reach their individual goals.

Guiding Principles

• Students receive deliberate and personalized supports necessary to contribute to their success.  
• Faculty advising is central to the GPA model.
• Guided Pathways Advising is grounded in institutional collaboration.
• Commitment to bold and disruptive change through the advancement of equitable advising practices.
• Guided Pathways Advisors pledge to empower students and staff to advance racial, social, and economic justice while identifying and responding to student barriers.
• Evidence-based research informs advising practice.
• Data is collected, disaggregated, analyzed, and reported in a transparent manner.  
• Student voices are amplified by honoring lived experiences and by highlighting their unique assets to develop meaningful advising relationships.
• Ongoing professional learning and individual staff development is fundamental to the model.

Commitment of GP Leadership

GP Advising leadership is committed to the Holistic Case Management Advising policy. This will be achieved through the strategic relationship development with students, collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, and utilization of technology to enhance communication and collaboration. For more information, please access the Holistic Case Management Advising (HCMA) policy.