[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6322758,"mediaKeyId","2346503-75135ff6421c7bef9dc014c855489bf6","parentId",2346503,"title","UConn leaders warn of research-dollar threat, ARPA cliff and call for stable funding to sustain enrollment gains","audioSeconds",607,"startMs",9589000,"endMs",10196000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2346503-75135ff6421c7bef9dc014c855489bf6&start=9589&end=10196","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2346503-75135ff6421c7bef9dc014c855489bf6/thumbnail_9589000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6322758/Connecticut/UConn-leaders-warn-of-research-dollar-threat-ARPA-cliff-and-call-for-stable-funding-to-sustain-enrollment-gains","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6322758-701c3a5df40ccdfa73ab452172480e1f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770838231&Signature=V993K36Pf7nGAPvqZOvYwg1WqrpJsEoINwlHidEXToXNSVZNUBKgaEdaTcOzB1xMVmleRiOlRVDI3zEM242EQAX~M9pVA5Hue5MXqZbKAXN3iI-xg5t2p2-NRDMJ2eGHvTA0nwK3LSl69k6GUW0QZaaTcXLw7Gj3pwVOE3bgx4OpdWM4V90wR2j-pV5EuPXwhshCb3hzCUgzdcJbLOFnwYB2aY4htGdc7Z5zPcX78zIZloznludH8ggzm739hn76Ethoztjm5M3mXgIxyrJZDc6u8SOouK2a1DbJ49grGcIUCsg1R74sdibFoIifuoq8vDUgzBy1KhIuu91pUPRaTA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","CGA - Appropriations Committee","date","2025-02-19T00:00:00Z","article","University of Connecticut officials told the Appropriations Committee on March 5 that they have increased incoming enrollment, raised fundraising and achieved record research expenditures but that a potential federal policy change and the loss of one-time state funding create near-term budget risk.

President Bridal Merrick said the university accepted about 1,300 more students this year and that roughly 73 percent of the incoming students identify as Connecticut residents. Merrick also highlighted recent fundraising gains (average annual fundraising recently near $130 million, up from about $80 million in the prior comparable period) and a growing endowment; the university reported an endowment above $600 million and said a public campaign would seek to raise the endowment toward $1.5 billion.

On federal research policy, university officials warned of a proposed change that would limit indirect cost (IDC) recovery on federal grants (the manuscript and hearing record cited a proposed cap to roughly 15 percent in the administration's guidance). The provost and CFO said the university is coordinating with other institutions and federal stakeholders to quantify impacts. During questioning a legislative member cited an estimate of about $35 million of lost IDC revenue for UConn if that cap were implemented; UConn finance staff confirmed such estimates are part of their internal analysis and that the university is actively engaged with federal offices and other institutions to seek clarity and mitigation.

Officials told the committee the governor's recommended budget reduces some one-time support and that the university is supplying the committee with more detailed quarterly budget projections and a strategic enrollment plan to increase revenue without lowering academic quality. Nathan Firths, vice president for student life and enrollment, said the university has grown undergraduate headcount to more than 25,000 and that growth occurred across most regional campuses; he emphasized recruitment and outreach partnerships with Hartford, New Haven and other municipalities and with Promise programs that the university said boosted yield in targeted cities.

Merrick and administrators discussed initiatives the university is pursuing with federal and private partners, including regional innovation proposals in quantum and AI manufacturing. The university said it participated with Yale and other Connecticut partners on a planning grant and would seek larger federal awards as solicitations are reissued. Officials also described joint grants and cooperative hires with research partners, including industry and Jackson Laboratory collaborations.

During review of campus housing proposals, administrators acknowledged a Stamford property transaction that has prompted community concern because some current tenants were notified of an ownership change; university officials said the owner approached the university and that planned occupancy was intended to be cost-neutral and to expand housing capacity for Stamford students. Nathan Firths said: \"Our understanding was that any occupancy that we would have in the building would not displace anybody.\" Legislators asked administrators to provide fuller documentation of outreach and relocation options for displaced tenants and to confirm whether public funds were used; university staff said no public funds were used for the Stamford transaction.

University leaders asked the committee for continued engagement and pledged to provide institution-level quarterly financials, additional breakdowns of where the governor's proposal differs from the university request, and program-level analyses of the impact of any funding reductions on student success and research.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Approps Higher Ed Agency Budget Presentations","oneSentenceSummary","University of Connecticut leaders told the Appropriations Committee on March 5 they have increased enrollment, research expenditures and fundraising but warned that a proposed federal cap on indirect-cost recovery and the loss of one-time ARPA funds could sharply reduce research capacity and create a multi‑million-dollar budget gap.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature CT, Connecticut","taxId",77677,"location","Connecticut","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6322763,"CT State system outlines budget squeeze, community-college leadership consolidation and need for bonding for campus repairs",1186,2774000,3960000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2346503-75135ff6421c7bef9dc014c855489bf6&start=2774&end=3960","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2346503-75135ff6421c7bef9dc014c855489bf6/thumbnail_2774000.jpg","/articles/6322763/Connecticut/CT-State-system-outlines-budget-squeeze-community-college-leadership-consolidation-and-need-for-bonding-for-campus-repairs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6322763-b1558702a192e03451436cd9bc5a726a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770838231&Signature=WvtgjvCkWRBbLC1MafzZzNUpaHW440hFHh692CP7N4lO5XhXiOTFspHQAQZ~W2UKqfCfqcs5NX9wz-HcZmPkaVs63n1bjjAK2en4Xdd3F-5I8yOV3qPQIXmuOjEwTAk13ezcT7aP01HC6ZEKb6HsAnTPGpF466fkmuyt8BrxMx7RXed99XyOgQ0HdoWNm7BgnoDWy4OxXysNHDKbYTbHen4Qg~L5uM6HRbTHzVCk9-dFXW9de6i7~ZPYzRqDBkvd2dWxykHoff9e3EgZOl1PXbB60iQuQxSl6FgNPdGomEqTTLLfUD1lXaYwzDSTMiKG~3aXhhRWGQblCG66ogsDTw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Leaders of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CT State / CSCU) told the Appropriations Committee on March 5 that systemwide headcount exceeds roughly 66,000 students and that spring-over-spring enrollment rose 6.2 percent, but they also described a budget gap driven chiefly by the loss of one-time federal ARPA appropriations and other carryforwards.

Chancellor and CT State leadership said the system will use reserves, pursue additional revenue through enrollment growth and philanthropic fundraising, and continue reductions in part-time staffing and other operating costs; they flagged a target deficit-mitigation need of roughly $95 million across the biennium and asked the committee for more time to provide institution-level, quarterly budget updates that the system will share with the finance committee and legislature.

John Maduco, president of CT State Community College, described a leadership model change that will keep every physical campus and site open but reduce the number of senior campus leaders from 12 to seven through a national search for multi-campus presidents. \"We are maintaining all campuses open, all locations, and all sites of teaching open,\" Maduco said, adding that the reorganization is intended to reduce managerial overhead and shift resources to student-facing services such as advising, public safety and childcare. He said all current campus CEOs may apply for the new posts.

Managers also described the Mary Ann Hanley award (formerly PACT) as central to community college enrollment stabilization. CT State reported more than 23,000 Hanley awards in recent years and said the program has been a major driver of community-college access. On the Roberta Willis scholarship, CT State and the Office of Higher Education said they are using a $10 million statutory allotment for need-merit notices but that only $5 million of the cited $15 million carryforward remains available for institutional need packaging; presidents said institutions remain concerned that late appropriations could force colleges to postpone or retract student offers.

Multiple presidents and the chancellor pressed for release of capital bonding funds the legislature previously approved but not yet allocated; the system reported approximately $460 million in approved bonds that have not been allocated and said deferred maintenance and facilities problems are pressing issues (examples discussed included leaking roofs, mold and other health-and-safety concerns). Legislators asked for a campus-level breakdown of reserves, cumulative mitigation steps and line-by-line staffing and organizational charts for both the system office and individual institutions.

On academic programs, the provost's office said it had reestablished routine low-enrollment program reviews to identify programs that should be combined, changed, or discontinued to protect student pathways and program vitality. Officials also stressed that community colleges will continue all campuses and classroom sites and that the leadership change is meant to improve resource flexibility and equity across locations.

Chancellor and presidents committed to provide the committee with more-detailed quarterly financials, the rationale and projected savings associated with the 12-to-7 leadership model, and staff-level organizational charts before the working-group meeting.","CT State officials told the Appropriations Committee that systemwide headcount is just over 66,000 and spring-over-spring enrollment rose 6.2 percent, while warning that loss of one-time ARPA and carryforward funds leaves a sizable biennial deficit that will require use of reserves, further efficiencies and a leadership reorganization.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6322766,"Office of Higher Education outlines loan reimbursement rollout, Roberta Willis timing and new AmeriCorps match request",167,843000,1010000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2346503-75135ff6421c7bef9dc014c855489bf6&start=843&end=1010","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2346503-75135ff6421c7bef9dc014c855489bf6/thumbnail_843000.jpg","/articles/6322766/Connecticut/Office-of-Higher-Education-outlines-loan-reimbursement-rollout-Roberta-Willis-timing-and-new-AmeriCorps-match-request","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6322766-6c8fd24aa2ed5a25b333de47fa3a66a1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770838231&Signature=dULJQ87v~GUNzb7Za~RSDQpGDBDHlgMyeNkXqIj06NsHBYTOkc-JCvvk9udsoWOimJOYXAayt4-3dtcamLIjA9O5pEEa9p~9TtVvrd240vtU89L8MUmuGDGmVvydI51VKgGOZ~z8WID6iSFH1kc1FmmnAZlH0N-6UmaRYoAKTCxsWA6BQKh0yB1gNAXsQDrV3eV0OzEy4InbcKkOZsPxsZCH97uB4YAbONSm8NNT7JCEneio79BL50pArLvaxUlGWv29Q07reGxYBthi46S7KVvWPeHcgW~WldJ41XCEdQX04qTF6U0XV8tPaRXpL9PKNKtlxqjyzSeKwGAW-Xqzcw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Office of Higher Education told the Appropriations Committee on March 5 that its student loan reimbursement application, opened Jan. 1, had attracted 1,474 submissions and that staff have moved 201 applications to a \"pending eligible\" status that would require roughly $5,568,203 to pay if awards were issued immediately. Mike Frascolov, associate fiscal administrative officer for student financial aid, said the average award among those pending eligible applicants is about $2,827 and that the application deadline currently is March 31, 2025, with a possible extension if funds remain.

Office of Higher Education officials said the application infrastructure was built internally and ingested documents through the CT Scholars database. Staff told legislators they are handling very high volumes of e-mails and questions — an SLRP mailbox averaged \"two to three hundred emails per day\" during the rollout — and that the office has two part-time staff assigned to process applications in addition to the student financial aid team.

At the hearing Tim Larson, representing the Office of Higher Education, told the committee the governor's recommended budget includes multiple technical changes: decreases tied to moving IT operations to the Department of Administrative Services, reductions that reflect lower-expenditure years for adjunct professor grants, and an elimination of $6,240,000 described in the agency's submission as funding for the adjunct professor grant and the student loan reimbursement program. Larson and his directors said they would provide more detailed staffing and vacancy information to the committee.

On the Roberta Willis scholarship, agency staff said need-merit awards will be made public \"at the end of this week.\" The agency explained it has a carryforward balance of $15 million and used $10 million to cover the need-merit portion by statute, leaving roughly $5 million to support institutional need allocations; that remaining amount and the timing of need-based institutional notices are still affected by one-time funding choices and carryforward calculations. Committee members urged the agency to supply, by college, the timing and specific amounts so institutions can package financial aid for admitted students.

Separately, Jacqueline Lussier, division director of programs and student services, described a governor-proposed line item to provide the state match for a new AmeriCorps \"resiliency corps\" focused on climate and environmental work. The governor's budget would supply state matching funds for up to 500 participants in year one and up to 1,000 in year two; Lussier said benefits and stipends would be the same as for other AmeriCorps programs. Legislators asked for details about how the proposed state-run AmeriCorps program would sit alongside nonprofit-run AmeriCorps programs that currently provide their own matches.

Committee members asked the Office of Higher Education for: a mid-March estimate of likely program demand and whether the $6,000,000 appropriation will be adequate; demographic and age breakdowns of applicants (including parent borrower participation in Parent PLUS loans); the number of ineligible or rejected applications once the office completes eligibility reviews; and a clearer accounting of which student-loan or scholarship programs across state agencies address similar populations. Agency staff agreed to provide additional reports to the committee and to the working group.

The presentation and follow-up discussion emphasized that the student loan reimbursement program and Roberta Willis are active programs with high public demand, that some awards can be made before the end of the initial application window if applicants meet eligibility, and that timeline and coverage for institutional need allocations remain partly dependent on one-time state funds and carryforward calculations.","The Office of Higher Education told the Appropriations Committee on March 5 that its student loan reimbursement portal, opened Jan. 1, had received 1,474 applications and that staff had deemed 201 applicants \"pending eligible,\" requiring about $5.57 million to pay awards if issued immediately.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

UConn leaders warn of research-dollar threat, ARPA cliff and call for stable funding to sustain enrollment gains

CT State system outlines budget squeeze, community-college leadership consolidation and need for bonding for campus repairs

Office of Higher Education outlines loan reimbursement rollout, Roberta Willis timing and new AmeriCorps match request