Budget Passed by State Legislature Potentially Devastating to UConn

[SubZero]

Why not try to be like other schools and solicit more donations from alumni to build the endowment. Other schools seems to bring in lots of money this way.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[CL82]

Sigh... CT State Representative for Ashford-Tolland-Willington

Rep. Sam Belsito ‏ @Belsito4CT 4h 4 hours ago
Maybe UCONN should discuss lowering football from Div 1. 2011 bowl game State lost $ 1.8 million #PlentyPlacesToSave

I think the state legislature can feel comfortable that we won't be going to a major bowl this year.

#idiots

 

[Fairfield_1st]

Someone needs to really look at what the state pays. My DCF buddy told me that their current head, Joette Katz, is collecting a triple digit pension from the state (former associate justice of the supreme court in CT) while earning a triple digit salary as the head of DCF. That kind of double dipping on the state's dime is wrong. Clean up that kind of crap before going after legit spending. The same goes for Susan Herbst. Clean your house before bitching about losing budget money.

 

[husky8273]

Why not try to be like other schools and solicit more donations from alumni to build the endowment. Other schools seems to bring in lots of money this way.

Financial Information | UConn Foundation

 

[SubbaBub]

Someone needs to really look at what the state pays. My DCF buddy told me that their current head, Joette Katz, is collecting a triple digit pension from the state (former associate justice of the supreme court in CT) while earning a triple digit salary as the head of DCF. That kind of double dipping on the state's dime is wrong. Clean up that kind of crap before going after legit spending. The same goes for Susan Herbst. Clean your house before bitching about losing budget money.

There are separate issues here for the non-hysterical among us.

1. Pensions are a form of deferred compensation. The state agreed a long time ago to pay a little less then in exchange for a pension. The idea was to use the power of the market to grow the fund and come out ahead. For the worker is was a guarantee of income in retirement. It was and remains a contract. There is no fund because you (we) allowed every politician ever to steal from it to fund short term spending and tax cuts instead of investing it and using the returns to pay off the Contract. There is no way to not pay the value of these individual retirement accounts. So stop assuming you can.

2. The "triple digit" salaries - Sorry, making 100k is not that uncommon any longer. Almost every professional vocation hits that mark somewhere in middle management and in some cases lower. A supreme court justice is at the top of his field, yet still makes a lot less than top private attorneys. Or would you prefer to pay them market value? Same goes for an agency chief with thousands of employees.

3. Double dipping - once you take out the petty jealousy of other people, this is a philosophical choice. Either you think an individual is critical enough to warrant hiring them to do a job they no longer need (as they are retired), or you force them to choose and lose them (to retirement) knowing that you will have to replace them anyway, and pay the exact same amount to two different individuals but likely a little more in benefits. You may also be getting a less experienced person but also one more likely to be in it for the long haul as opposed to someone on a short term assignment.

So, there lies the rub. It's seems like a case dependent situation. It is clearly not something to get ones political panties in a twist over unless you can point to an individual case of abuse.

As always, check your propaganda thoroughly before passing on to other people.

 

[SubbaBub]

Yeah I mean I'm good friends with the state rep from the town I grew up in - i'm out of state now, obviously; but he had some pretty salient points regarding the cuts.

-The reason UConn was first thing on the chopping block is because, well - they're not a state agency. They share almost nothing in common with a state agency. They're not under anywhere near as strict regulation for purchasing and contract negotiations. They have a foundation. They can fundraise. There are federal research grants they can apply for. There are even state research grants they can apply for. They have way more flexibility in terms of their internal and external expenditures and how and why they choose the sources of revenue that they do. If anyone was going to take a deep cut - it was going to be UConn from the start. Because they have ways to make it hurt less.

Someone else pointed it out in this thread - it needs to get out of the state funding mentality and ask more of alumni and figure out ways to grow their endowment, which lags. They've become a dependent - and at the very least no matter where you fall on the issue, UConn hasn't helped their cause in this regard. To be honest, after hearing him out (there were other points) - I get it. Completely, actually.

-The budget actually cut/relaxed almost all the contract/purchasing regulation for UConn. I mean imagine anyone did that at a state agency. People would be apoplectic and understandably so. So they've got - literally - unprecedented freedom in terms of what they can do with purchasing, existing contracts and the like. It's not going to 100% solve their funding problem - but it'll certainly take a significant bite out of it - something that can't be done at state agencies.

-The state aid UConn gets is jointly dispersed to UConn and UConn health. The degree to which one gets hit harder isn't defined, exactly and i didn't pursue it, but the idea that Uconn is taking a $200 million hit just isn't true - or at least the university/educational wing of it.

-The budget actually has *$1 BILLION* in state aid to UConn and UConn Health center over the next two years. That's a $200.1 million reduction to the *anticipated* state aid they would have receive WITHOUT being touched by budget cuts. That's a cut of about 17%. So it's projected 'revenue' from the state, not actual budgeted funds, so it's not entirely honest to call them *budget cuts* even though they are certainly a *funding* cut.

-To say the state hasn't stepped up is farcical. They've done more than their fair share to put UConn in a great spot and are STILL spending *$1 billion* on the university this year. They can't give what they have in the past, but they're still pretty clearly making it a priority.

-They're also overstating their reductions by a lot and Herbst has already pivoted on this a few times. They've been using their FY 2017 original budget as the base - rather than what they actually received in 2017. It's really not fair to NOT compare the actual dollars taxpayers invested last year.

-And political hackery/hatchet is sprinkled on top, too. A lot of legislators on both sides of the aisle, particularly in the western part of the state - were nuclear behind closed doors that UConn blamed low enrollment as a means to not cover an $80,000 budget shortfall at UConn Torrington and close it in 2016. During negotiations this year, they asked for - in an earmark - for $1 million to be appropriated so they could remodel the campus next year. One that doesn't even have their students on it. That's just an atrocious look for the school.

So I dunno. I hate these cuts but I just don't know where they're gonna rip the cash from other than this. Like I loathe this - but they're at where they're at.

There are two flaws in your logic.

1. Projected revenue is very important as any large organization plans budgets over multiple years. Also, remember that we are already in a new fiscal year. So it is a huge blow in terms of operations even if you discount new initiatives and only include normal escalation of expenses.

2. UConn is only going to become more important to the State's economic health. Susan is trying to make this a world class university for that reason. For as much progress UConn has made from regional safety school, it still isn't what you'd call an elite university. (Promotional rankings aside).

The number one advantage UConn has over it's aspirational peers to close the gap is the commitment from the State. Yeah, it is a bit unusual for the State to fund the school that heavily. It makes up for years of not investing in it. It is how UConn catches up. Look at those rankings again. UConn is in the 50's in a popular but lightly regarded USNWR ranking. It's not been invited to the AAU, nor is it considered a top school in any key industries in spite of being in the part of the country where, Tech, Media, and Finance all come together.

Nope, we still crank out teachers and healthcare workers. Nothing wrong with that but it isn't the cutting edge that stimulates growth.

UConn is late to the STEM game. This budget says we have no interest in catching up as a State. That is incredibly dangerous for a State with no natural resources and depends on having highly skilled workers as the source of prosperity.

 

[the Q]

Yeah I mean I'm good friends with the state rep from the town I grew up in - i'm out of state now, obviously; but he had some pretty salient points regarding the cuts.

-The reason UConn was first thing on the chopping block is because, well - they're not a state agency. They share almost nothing in common with a state agency. They're not under anywhere near as strict regulation for purchasing and contract negotiations. They have a foundation. They can fundraise. There are federal research grants they can apply for. There are even state research grants they can apply for. They have way more flexibility in terms of their internal and external expenditures and how and why they choose the sources of revenue that they do. If anyone was going to take a deep cut - it was going to be UConn from the start. Because they have ways to make it hurt less.

Someone else pointed it out in this thread - it needs to get out of the state funding mentality and ask more of alumni and figure out ways to grow their endowment, which lags. They've become a dependent - and at the very least no matter where you fall on the issue, UConn hasn't helped their cause in this regard. To be honest, after hearing him out (there were other points) - I get it. Completely, actually.

-The budget actually cut/relaxed almost all the contract/purchasing regulation for UConn. I mean imagine anyone did that at a state agency. People would be apoplectic and understandably so. So they've got - literally - unprecedented freedom in terms of what they can do with purchasing, existing contracts and the like. It's not going to 100% solve their funding problem - but it'll certainly take a significant bite out of it - something that can't be done at state agencies.

-The state aid UConn gets is jointly dispersed to UConn and UConn health. The degree to which one gets hit harder isn't defined, exactly and i didn't pursue it, but the idea that Uconn is taking a $200 million hit just isn't true - or at least the university/educational wing of it.

-The budget actually has *$1 BILLION* in state aid to UConn and UConn Health center over the next two years. That's a $200.1 million reduction to the *anticipated* state aid they would have receive WITHOUT being touched by budget cuts. That's a cut of about 17%. So it's projected 'revenue' from the state, not actual budgeted funds, so it's not entirely honest to call them *budget cuts* even though they are certainly a *funding* cut.

-To say the state hasn't stepped up is farcical. They've done more than their fair share to put UConn in a great spot and are STILL spending *$1 billion* on the university this year. They can't give what they have in the past, but they're still pretty clearly making it a priority.

-They're also overstating their reductions by a lot and Herbst has already pivoted on this a few times. They've been using their FY 2017 original budget as the base - rather than what they actually received in 2017. It's really not fair to NOT compare the actual dollars taxpayers invested last year.

-And political hackery/hatchet is sprinkled on top, too. A lot of legislators on both sides of the aisle, particularly in the western part of the state - were nuclear behind closed doors that UConn blamed low enrollment as a means to not cover an $80,000 budget shortfall at UConn Torrington and close it in 2016. During negotiations this year, they asked for - in an earmark - for $1 million to be appropriated so they could remodel the campus next year. One that doesn't even have their students on it. That's just an atrocious look for the school.

So I dunno. I hate these cuts but I just don't know where they're gonna rip the cash from other than this. Like I loathe this - but they're at where they're at.

I will just say this. The procurement stuff is just wrong. The same rules and thresholds apply for Uconn as other agencies.

 

[SubZero]

There are two flaws in your logic.

1. Projected revenue is very important as any large organization plans budgets over multiple years. Also, remember that we are already in a new fiscal year. So it is a huge blow in terms of operations even if you discount new initiatives and only include normal escalation of expenses.

2. UConn is only going to become more important to the State's economic health. Susan is trying to make this a world class university for that reason. For as much progress UConn has made from regional safety school, it still isn't what you'd call an elite university. (Promotional rankings aside).

The number one advantage UConn has over it's aspirational peers to close the gap is the commitment from the State. Yeah, it is a bit unusual for the State to fund the school that heavily. It makes up for years of not investing in it. It is how UConn catches up. Look at those rankings again. UConn is in the 50's in a popular but lightly regarded USNWR ranking. It's not been invited to the AAU, nor is it considered a top school in any key industries in spite of being in the part of the country where, Tech, Media, and Finance all come together.

Nope, we still crank out teachers and healthcare workers. Nothing wrong with that but it isn't the cutting edge that stimulates growth.

UConn is late to the STEM game. This budget says we have no interest in catching up as a State. That is incredibly dangerous for a State with no natural resources and depends on having highly skilled workers as the source of prosperity.

There are tons of schools in the Northeast that produce excellent STEM workers. UCONN will not be a destination for STEM even if a program existed because middle to top tier students have better choices.

And there's nothing wrong with producing teachers and nurses. They are honorable professions and someone has to train them.

Also, there's no reason to sink so many resources to TRY to create a world class university. There are so many world class universities in the Northeast that it really doesn't matter if UCONN becomes one or not. And based on the state's lack of budget, it would be better for CT taxpayers if the answer is not.

 

[auggie22]

There are tons of schools in the Northeast that produce excellent STEM workers. UCONN will not be a destination for STEM even if a program existed because middle to top tier students have better choices.

And there's nothing wrong with producing teachers and nurses. They are honorable professions and someone has to train them.

Also, there's no reason to sink so many resources to TRY to create a world class university. There are so many world class universities in the Northeast that it really doesn't matter if UCONN becomes one or not. And based on the state's lack of budget, it would be better for CT taxpayers if the answer is not.

There are very few world class public universities in the Northeast. And none in CT. That is why one is needed and that is why those of us with kids who are not yet of college age should should care.

 

[Drew]

UConn Trustees to Vote on $2.4 Billion Budget This Week

"The University of Connecticut's proposed 2018-19 budget represents "a delicate balance of seeking efficiencies while working to protect the University's academic mission," school officials said Monday.

Members of the UConn Board of Trustees' financial affairs committee were able to get advance look Monday at the proposed FY19 budgets for Storrs, the regional campuses, and UConn Health, and the full board will vote on the numbers on Wednesday.

The total FY19 budget of $2.4 billion is comprised of $1.36 billion for UConn Storrs and the regional campuses, and $1.04 billion for UConn Health, including John Dempsey Hospital and the schools of medicine and dental medicine.


Although budget officials were able to balance both spending plan proposals through a "series of efficiencies and other moves," they "warned" that the next two years "look more difficult as UConn continues to absorb factors it can't control.""