The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Blame game over UConn ranking drop
Dems blame GOP, GOP blames university over U.S. News fall
State lawmakers and candidates on Tuesday reacted in a wide variety of ways to University of Connecticut President Susan Herbst’s finger-pointing at the General Assembly for the university’s slippage in the annual U.S. News & World Report rankings.
Ned Lamont, the Democratic candidate for governor, said if elected, he would consider UConn a “priority” and look to possibly reinstating some of the funding reductions of recent years.
“Ned would explore restoring portions of those cuts, while ensuring that UConn continues to provide a quality and affordable education for Connecticut's students,” the Lamont campaign said in a statement. “Ned would also make sure that any appropriation given to UConn is put toward further improving the educational opportunities of all students.”
His Republican opponent, Bob Stefanowski, did not respond to requests for comment. But during an hourlong appearance on WTIC radio on Tuesday morning, he praised a 2017 Republican budget — approved with the votes of several Democrats and later vetoed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy — that would have cut $300 million from UConn.
Kelly Donnelly, spokeswoman for Malloy, said UConn has made itself a “world-class” institution and it should be safeguarded.
“As others have done, they have adapted to do more with less and make precious dollars stretch while remaining affordable to students and families,” Donnelly said.
“Decimating UConn as Republicans in the Legislature had suggested, would have had dire consequences for students and would have undermined our efforts to develop a future workforce to meet the needs of Connecticut employers.”
On Monday, U.S. News reported UConn has fallen from 18th to 22nd on its list of colleges.
“This is unfortunate, but it is not a surprise,” Herbst said. “I have said for several years, in both public and private discussions, that UConn’s financial struggles, tied to reduced state support for its operating budget, would eventually be reflected.”
State aid for UConn and the UConn Health Center has fallen by about $164 million since 2010, the university reported.
Finger-pointing
Reaction from legislative leaders ranged from defensive to offensive.
“UConn is vital to Connecticut’s economic future,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven. “Over the last decade and a half, Democrats in the General Assembly have supported investments in UConn in order to transform it into a nationally recognized institution of higher education, and it’s exactly why Democrats in the General Assembly fought against the 2017 Republican budget that would have eviscerated the university by cutting $300 million from its budget.”
House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby, said that the university has received great support from the state and Herbst’s claim that a lack of spending by the Legislature is the cause of its lowered ranking is erroneous.
“U.S. News & World Report cites many factors that go into the ranking process, from critiques from high school guidance counselors to alumni contributions,” Klarides said in a statement. “President Herbst herself said that UConn will be the same excellent school next year as it was last year. Don’t blame the Legislature.”
Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz , D-Berlin, said the university remains among the top ranked, “but this blip in the rankings is a wakeup call and reminder that state support matters and has a real impact on the mission and ultimately our economy.”
He said in the budget crunch of recent years, Republicans in the House and Senate “looked to slash and burn” UConn’s funding. “Investing in UConn and our college and university system is a solid investment in our economy and we to need recognize that and target more resources there.”
Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven, said UConn has created its own problems.
“We have seen extravagance and overspending at UConn,” Fasano said. “For years, UConn’s spending on questionable priorities with little oversight has been out of control. UConn has made contracts and commitments that they cannot afford. UConn has failed to live within its means and has shown questionable judgment, prioritizing administrative bloat over the needs of their students.”