Jeff, secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, told committee members the governor's proposal annualizes prior salary adjustments for higher education and adds 3% in each year of the biennium to the state's block grant for both the Connecticut State Colleges & Universities (CSCU) system and the University of Connecticut (UConn) system. "The state's block grant is being increased in both years. 3% increase for both, both years for both systems," he said.

Several legislators pushed back on reductions that flow from the sunsetting of one-time federal ARPA dollars and other one-time supports. Representative Paris and others described campus-level cutbacks in student supports, wraparound services and facilities maintenance. The secretary reiterated that the 3% block-grant increases were ongoing funding, while some federal ARPA items were one-time and not continued.

Why it matters: Lawmakers pressed on whether institutions would be able to avoid tuition increases and service cuts. The administration noted both systems have reserves and other levers but acknowledged sectors of higher education face significant financial pressure. Committee members requested further detail on how institutions' reserves and one-time funds were used in prior years and what gaps remain.

Context: The administration said removing ARPA one-time funding was not a policy decision to cut services per se, but the result of expiring federal support; it encouraged campuses to use reserves for one-time needs and pursue internal efficiencies for ongoing pressures.