(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today released the following statement regarding the historic level of state funding for UConn that is included in his budget proposal:
“Our budget proposal includes the largest block grant ever proposed for UConn in state history. I am a strong believer in UConn’s contributions to the economic growth of Connecticut, and that is why I’ve proposed increasing the state block grant funding for the university every year since taking office. Our proposal provides UConn with funding to support wage increases and brings pension and retiree health costs onto the General Fund to enhance their competitiveness in obtaining grant funding.
“The COVID-19 federal relief funds were intended to be one-time in nature, providing support during the public health emergency. Those federal dollars were never intended to pay for ongoing expenses. The UConn administration’s insistence that the state continue covering this federal aid now that it is no longer available is not a fiscally sustainable solution.
“I am immensely proud of the accomplishments of our UConn students, faculty, and alumni. UConn must remember they are accountable to the taxpayers of our state and must maintain fiscal controls, like every other part of state government.”
Background
UConn receives among the highest levels of state government funding than nearly every other public university in the nation. The university’s fiscal year 2021 appropriations as a percent of core revenues, which pertains to essential education activities and excludes athletics and auxiliary activities, is the sixth highest of the 106 national public Very High Research Institutions as defined by Carnegie Classification.
The following chart shows the growing level of state funding UConn has received over the last decade; the amount of federal emergency pandemic aid it received over the last two years; and the amount of state funding that is included in Governor Lamont’s budget proposal for the next biennium:
[Download chart in high quality]