Board reviews Policy 109 reports: CCV and Vermont State University outline program monitoring, workforce alignment concerns

Trustees reviewed the first institutional reports produced under the board’s revised Policy 109, which directs systematic program monitoring, minimum‑size thresholds, cost effectiveness reviews and workforce alignment analysis.

Debbie (CCV presenter) said CCV has moved to a career‑cluster "meta‑majors" model over the past decade, focusing new offerings on short, stackable certificates rather than new degrees. CCV reported that 11 certificate programs were created since 2020 and that most degree and certificate programs can be completed fully online. The college uses an average class‑size model that cancels very low‑enrolled sections by the fifth week. Two certificate programs — After School and Youth Work and Human Resources Management — were flagged for further review because of low section CSAs (class size averages) and are being considered with advisory boards and partner outreach.

Provost Nolan Atkins presented VTSU's program‑array data, which aggregates enrollments from three legacy institutions for 2021–2023 and organizes reporting by disciplinary clusters. He said the presented data predate a current round of "optimization 2" work and therefore do not reflect many recent program consolidations and curriculum revisions. Atkins noted cost‑effectiveness metrics tracked average class size and student‑to‑faculty FTE ratios; both metrics are below institutional goals and will be addressed through ongoing optimization, course‑scheduling improvements and targeted marketing. Atkins also described using Vermont Department of Labor occupational projections and an RPK‑consultant methodology to sort programs into A/B/C workforce categories, and he warned trustees that the department data can mischaracterize current shortages (dental hygiene and several engineering trades were given as examples).

Trustees asked detailed questions about how CCV handles students displaced when low‑enrolled sections are canceled and about the limitations of the Department of Labor methodology. CCV said advisers and staff contact affected students early to reassign them to other sections or provide options such as independent study so cancellations do not delay program completion. Trustees suggested engaging professional engineering societies and other industry groups to supplement state projections for workforce alignment.

Both presenters emphasized that policy implementation will continue in close collaboration with faculty and that the next policy iterations will reflect refinements to workforce methodology and the results of the current optimization work. No formal board action was taken on these reports during the meeting.