Charter Oak State College

Charter Oak State College is a public online college based in New Britain, Connecticut. The college was founded in 1973 by the Connecticut Legislature and offers associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees.

Charter Oak State College

Charter Oak State College
Former names	Charter Oak College
Motto	A Higher Degree of Online Learning
Type	Public online college
Established	1973
Parent institution	Connecticut State Colleges and Universities
President	Ed Klonoski
Provost	David Ferreira
Students	2,330 [1]
Location	New Britain , Connecticut , United States
Campus	Suburban
Website	charteroak.edu

Charter Oak State College is part of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities.^[2] It is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education and functions under the degree-granting authority of the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education. Previously, the Board for State Academic Awards (BSAA), established in 1973, granted degrees through Charter Oak State College. In 2012, the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education replaced the BSAA as Charter Oak State College's governing body.^[3]

Charter Oak State College is a distance learning institution that mainly serves the adult population and allows different opportunities for credit to be earned compared to a traditional college.^[4][5] Charter Oak has awarded over 19,000 degrees since its founding in 1973.^[6]

Academics

Charter Oak State College can award the Associate degree (in both arts and science), the Bachelor of Arts degree, the Bachelor of Science degree, and, since 2015, the Master of Science degree. The bachelor's degree programs include several majors, as well as a General Studies degree with a wide selection of concentrations.^[7]

Student demographics

Undergraduate demographics as of Fall 2023^[8]

Race and ethnicity	Total
White	49%
Hispanic	22%
Black	21%
Asian	3%
Two or more races	2%
Unknown	1%
Economic diversity
Low-income[a]	39%
Affluent[b]	61%

Charter Oak State College's adult students include the military, civilian federal and state employees, working adults pursuing first or second degrees, and students taking additional coursework in preparation for graduate school. Charter Oak State College's students are 65% female, 35% male and range in age from 17 to 72, with an average age of 39. 69% of Charter Oak's students are Connecticut residents.^[1]

Notable alumni

• Richard Borer, politician and non-profit executive
• Mary-Jane Foster, actress, sports-team owner, politician, and university administrator
• Robert Gandt, author and aviator
• Bobby Gibson, educator and politician
• Marvin Jones, professional football player
• Kevin Lembo, politician
• Jason Murphey, politician
• Zach Payne, politician
• Robyn Porter, politician
• Peter Reinhart, baker, educator, and author
• Andrew Skolnick, journalist and photographer
• Jerome Tang, college basketball coach
• Al Terzi, news anchor
• Larry Valencia, politician

Notes

1. The percentage of students who received an income-based federal Pell grant intended for low-income students.
2. The percentage of students who are a part of the American middle class at the bare minimum.