With Susan Herbst coming soon, UConn Stamford is seeking to grow (Angeline Reyes/UConn Photo)
As she prepares to leave for a faculty position at the Stamford campus, University of Connecticut president Susan Herbst is pushing for expansions to the satellite, including four new full degree programs, new faculty and increased administrative support. Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor Sally Reis presented the proposed expansions at Wednesday’s academic affairs committee meeting.
UConn’s Stamford campus has increased enrollment by 44 percent since adding housing for students, Reis said, and continues to draw students who want to stay closer to home in Bridgeport and the surrounding areas.
“It’s time to catch up,” Reis said. “[The students] want more majors, more faculty, so they can stay on the campus they love.”
The new majors that are being proposed include human biology, journalism, allied health and communication, Reis said. Stamford’s proximity to New York City was a factor in determining the majors, as well as the demand for an allied health major from the student body, Reis said.
With these additions, students will be able to graduate from the Stamford campus with a full degree in the offered majors, Reis said, which will increase retention for the campus. Starting in the fall, the campus will begin to add more administrative and support staff, including mental health staff and a campus visit coordinator.
Expansions to the current housing are also planned, Reis said.
Herbst said changes to the Stamford campus are long-due, especially since the campus is located close to New York City, an internship hub for students.
“This is our pieces of property that has not been developed enough, invested enough,” Herbst said. “[It’s] an unbelievable opportunity… we have a lot of faculty who live in New York. At the end of the day, it’s about our students, placing them in internships.”
Marlese Lessing is the news editor for The Daily Campus. She can be reached via email at marlese.lessing@uconn.edu. She tweets @marlese_lessing
