Hartford Business Journal

16 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | September 26, 2022 John Maduko is the state's first-ever CEO of the Connecticut State Community College system, which is in the process of merging its 12 schools amid declining student enrollment and financial challenges. PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED Turnaround Effort As new CEO of community college system, Maduko to oversee major consolidation plan, attempt to reverse declining enrollment By Robert Storace rstorace@hartfordbusiness.com M ost new CEOs aren't brought into an organization in the middle of a major merger. But that's the case with John Maduko, who in April was named the state's first-ever CEO of the Connecticut State Community College system, which is in the process of merging its 12 schools amid declining student enrollment and financial challenges, and some rancor from labor unions that repre- sent professors and other staff displeased by the consolidation. Maduko, a former medical doctor who most recently worked for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, said a key reason he was hired was to oversee a five-year merger plan that is sched- uled to be completed in July 2023. He's also head of an organization that is seen as key in helping stem Connecticut's long-term workforce shortages as more emphasis is placed on getting students trained in in-demand jobs that don't necessarily require a four-year degree. "(The pending merger) is one significant aspect of why I was brought on," said the 41-year-old Los Angeles native, who recently sat down with the Hartford Business Journal to discuss his new role and plans for the community college system. "The merger is important, but beyond the merger we must make our students successful." Consolidation progress The pending merger is now, potentially, less than a year away from its completion. The community college system has to submit three status update reports to its accreditor, the New England Commission of Higher Education, before it can be completed. Maduko said the first report was submitted Sept. 1, with the others due in February and June 2023. The merger's goal, Maduko said, will be to create cost savings to ensure the community college system is financially sustainable long term, and sink savings into programs that improve the student experience and graduation rates. Maduko, who makes a $300,000 annual salary, runs a system with about 2,500 full-time, part-time and temporary faculty and staff, and with an unrestricted budget of about $609 million, the majority of which comes from state appropriations. It's currently running a $4 million deficit. Maduko said it's too early to say how much cost savings will be derived from the consolidation, but it will come from eliminating redundan- cies and areas of inefficiencies and renegotiating vendor contracts. Under the plan, all 12 community college campuses will remain, but management will be centralized. A key step in the process was achieved in June when the Board of Regents approved a curriculum alignment across the 12 colleges. That means each campus will offer a similar curriculum, making it easier for students to go from one school to another. Though he's only held the corner office for a few months, Maduko has already made one significant move, announcing in August that he's scrapping the regional president model he inherited and reassigning those leaders to new systemwide executive roles. JOHN MADUKO CEO Connecticut State Community College system Previous job: Vice Pres- ident of Academic and Student Affairs, Minnesota State Community and Technical College Education: Bachelor's degree in biology, California State Polytechnic University Pomona; M.D., St. Matthew's University School of Medicine Age: 41

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