The 2011 consolidation of Connecticut’s regional and community colleges hasn’t worked out so well. Administrative costs have gone up, it’s still hard for students to transfer credits from community to four-year colleges, and the system faces budget deficits that will require painful cuts. But a new proposal calling for give backs from employees has unleashed a furious backlash.
In three weeks we’ll speak to faculty members about their concerns. This hour, two members of the administration share their side of the story.
Next, the wealth gap between white Americans and minorities is wide. Whites have about 13 times the wealth of blacks and ten times that of Hispanic households.
There’s no one reason for the disparity, but persistent racism is one factor that prevents minorities from educational and employment opportunities afforded whites. Blacks have disproportionately high incarceration rates and are more often the victims of the brutality experienced in places like Ferguson, Baltimore, and Charleston.
In recent weeks, students at Yale, University of Missouri, and Ithaca led a nationwide backlash against racist behavior on their campuses.
Central Connecticut State University is openly confronting these issues in a semester-long look at race and inequality that will culminate in a December 10 event, Bridging the Gap: A Dream Deferred, which will feature work by students.
GUESTS:
- Mark Ojakian - President, Connecticut Connecticut State Colleges and Universities System
- Estella Lopez - Interim Provost and Senior Vice President of the Board of Regents for Higher Education
- Jackson Rioux - Student, Central Connecticut State University
- Signe Lambertsen - Student, Central Connecticut State University and volunteer, Feed the Need
- Lindsay Grant - Student, Central Connecticut State University
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John Dankosky and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.