Southern Connecticut State University updates programs and promotes Blue Economy initiatives

The Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) meeting on April 4, 2025, focused on several key developments in education, particularly regarding the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in health care and updates on enrollment and program changes.

A significant discussion centered on a new course aimed at enhancing digital literacy among students. This course will not only fulfill general education requirements but also serve as a foundational component for students pursuing a bachelor's degree. The curriculum will emphasize critical skills necessary for the future workforce, particularly in health care, where AI is becoming increasingly prevalent. Participants highlighted the importance of teaching students to critically analyze AI outputs rather than just focusing on prompt engineering, which may soon become obsolete as AI technology evolves.

Provost Erwin provided an update on enrollment figures, noting an 11% increase in deposits for first-year, transfer, and graduate students for the fall 2025 semester. This positive trend was complemented by a successful event hosted by the Blue Economy Coalition, which showcased local economic development initiatives related to marine resources. The event also served to promote a new master's program in coastal resilience, leveraging the university's strategic location on Long Island Sound.

In addition to these updates, the meeting addressed the discontinuation of the Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology program. This decision was made to better align resources with student interests, as most students were opting for the Bachelor of Science track. The program's discontinuation will allow for a reallocation of resources towards the Cultural Resource Management program, which has already seen early interest from students.

Overall, the meeting underscored CSCU's commitment to adapting educational offerings to meet the evolving needs of students and the job market, particularly in the context of technological advancements and local economic initiatives. The decisions made during this meeting will be forwarded to the full board for further consideration.