CT colleges and universities want more funding for higher education

The heads of the state’s two public university systems warned of massive budget cuts without help from the state.

The Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) system and University of Connecticut told lawmakers Tuesday they could face cuts without additional support.

“This would be an absolute code red, DEFCON one situation,” CSCU Chancellor Terrence Cheng said.

CSCU is currently budgeted to receive $401 million next fiscal year, but Cheng said the system is facing a roughly $140-million shortfall. He’s asking for another $47.6 million.

The University of Connecticut and UConn Health are slated to receive $394 million next year. President Radenka Maric asked the legislature for a combined $64 million to help budget holes totaling $92 million.

Some lawmakers warned there may not be enough support to meet those requests, though.

Sen. Cathy Osten (D-Sprague), co-chair of the legislature’s Appropriations Committee, noted she has to also consider funding pleas from childcare providers, local schools and nonprofit service providers.

“If I added just them up and did not take care of the problem that we have paying up to what we’re required to pay for our pensions, that’s around $200 million, and that’s on the light side,” she said.

Lawmakers also questioned the two officials about cost-saving measures, raising concerns specifically about excessive administrative positions and inflated salaries.

“Here’s the thing that my constituents bring to me every single January. Did you see the salaries?” Rep. Kathy Kennedy (R-Milford) asked.

Maric said UConn is constantly evaluating how much employees are paid and how much departments spend.

“We are not like, 'here is the wild west and you get all the money and you do whatever you want,'” she said.

Higher education employees, meanwhile, warn cuts would hurt students.

“Even in this budget cycle, we’re already seeing the dramatic negative consequences of this budget,” CT State Manchester Library Director Debbie Herman said.

The fight is over whether to increase higher education funding in the current two-year budget, but the debate around CSCU is touching on some broader issues.

The CSCU system has seen enrollment plummet by nearly 34,000 since its peak of 97,160 in 2010.

“They need to be responsive to the market their serving and try to align their product to that market,” Office of Policy and Management Secretary Jeffrey Beckham said.  

Lawmakers said that conversation can wait until after the current budget debate, but it’s also shaping how they view potential spending increases for next year.

“For me, the community college system really needs to be addressed,” Osten said.