Herbst Stepping Down

[whaler11]

Wait I thought @whaler11 was the troll account.

A minute late and a dollar short. So close.

 

[Guapo]

Don't let facts get in the way of a stupid statement. UConn already receives more than twice the amount of State funding provided to the 4-campus Connecticut State University System (CSUS).

Combined, Central, Eastern, Southern, and Western already serves more students than the UConn system, on a budget half the size. And while the entire State Government could certainly be more efficient, CSUS spends a greater percent of their budget on academics compared to our wasteful flagship university. Face it, there is no more $$$ for UConn, the well is dry.

2014-15 Fall FTE Enrollment
UConn – 26,874
CSUS – 27,735

2014-15 Annual State Appropriations
UConn - $631,344,030
CSUS – $277,716,018

From 2005-06 to 2014-15, UConn appropriations have grown the at 121.0%, and State Universities at just 32.7%.

2014-15 Instructional Expenses
UConn – $622,737,909 (28.1%)
CSUS – $325,439,907 (43.2%)

Source: Connecticut Office of Higher Education

Seems pretty wasteful to have 4 different directional schools with essentially the same mission in a state with such a small geographic footprint.

Personally, I'm just glad Central's golf team was sacrificed so that UConn's could continue to live in all it's glory! So, thanks for that

 

[jimva]

LOL - I thought we were talking about things that can be done legally.

Sure in MagicWandLand you can just walk away from 30 billion in unfunded pensions.

That was easy. Now Herbst can stay and spend away.

CTs unfunded pension liability is up there but not the leader of the pack. IL, NY, NJ, CA and MASS all ahead of CT so maybe their state schools are screwed worse than UCONN?

 

[whaler11]

CTs unfunded pension liability is up there but not the leader of the pack. IL, NY, NJ, CA and MASS all ahead of CT so maybe their state schools are screwed worse than UCONN?

Well have you paid attention to what has been going on in CA’s public colleges the last few years?

Yeah we aren’t the only state with issues.

 

[CCSU97]

Page 25 says state appropriations were 275 million in 2017. I don’t know if that’s the only line that captures state funding.

Yep, that's the entire State Appropriation to CSUS, which includes the 4 campuses and the System Office.

Of course, there is some additional state funding in the form of General Obligations Bonds for "CSCU 2020." However, that funding was far less than the amount of "UConn 2000" bonds.

 

[whaler11]

CTs unfunded pension liability is up there but not the leader of the pack. IL, NY, NJ, CA and MASS all ahead of CT so maybe their state schools are screwed worse than UCONN?

With few budget solutions in sight, Cal State administrators say another tuition increase is possible

 

[JMick]

Don't let facts get in the way of a stupid statement. UConn already receives more than twice the amount of State funding provided to the 4-campus Connecticut State University System (CSUS).

Combined, Central, Eastern, Southern, and Western already serves more students than the UConn system, on a budget half the size. And while the entire State Government could certainly be more efficient, CSUS spends a greater percent of their budget on academics compared to our wasteful flagship university. Face it, there is no more $$$ for UConn, the well is dry.

2014-15 Fall FTE Enrollment
UConn – 26,874
CSUS – 27,735

2014-15 Annual State Appropriations
UConn - $631,344,030
CSUS – $277,716,018

From 2005-06 to 2014-15, UConn appropriations have grown the at 121.0%, and State Universities at just 32.7%.

2014-15 Instructional Expenses
UConn – $622,737,909 (28.1%)
CSUS – $325,439,907 (43.2%)

Source: Connecticut Office of Higher Education

Why do we need four mediocre universities? Combine them into one like Guapo said and just make it Connecticut State and then open a few community colleges if you want local commuter schools

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

"None of us are indispensable."
Ouch. Not a grammar curmudeon by any means, but Sue should have somebody in the English department proofread for her.

Serious question which might be asked and answered by the time I get through this.

Is "none" definitively to be read as "nobody" or "noone" when followed by "of us," or could it be read as "zero (of us)" and thereby not incorrect?

 

[temery]

This can be (and to some extent is being) done for everyone not yet drawing a pension. Those people aren't the problem.

I'm drawing a pension which included health insurance. Since I retired, the insurance benefit has been cut every year. So much for promises.

As for who is to blame ... it isn't most retirees, it's the soon to be retired that are the problem. They expect benefits that made sense years ago, but are not longer sustainable.

 

[CTMike]

Miss u @JSM

Saw a black Lexus today with JSM license plate. I like to think it was him, looking for the next DOT worker to flip off.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I could however help them with some math and explain the concept of ‘fudiciary responsibility’, since I’m pretty sure there aren’t many people at the school or in the legislature that get it.

I'm pretty sure it's spelled "rospensibility."

 

[Guapo]

Why do we need four mediocre universities? Combine them into one like Guapo said and just make it Connecticut State and then open a few community colleges if you want local commuter schools

It would be more competitive to get into and it would centralize research which would ease the ability to get grants and funding (for instance, a professor at Central wouldn't be competing against a professor at Southern for funding).

The state would be getting a better product for less cost.

 

[temery]

Serious question which might be asked and answered by the time I get through this.

Is "none" definitively to be read as "nobody" or "noone" when followed by "of us," or could it be read as "zero (of us)" and thereby not incorrect?

Should I use a singular or plural verb with none? - Everything After Z by Dictionary.com

 

[temery]

Why do we need four mediocre universities? Combine them into one like Guapo said and just make it Connecticut State and then open a few community colleges if you want local commuter schools

Location, location, location.

 

[jimva]

With few budget solutions in sight, Cal State administrators say another tuition increase is possible

If you really want to get depressed dig into Illinois problem.

 

[JMick]

Location, location, location.

The state is so small though. It doesn't make sense to have four schools that are basically the same thing. It's not like we're Texas or California where it could be 8 hours to the closest university

 

[Exit 4]

CTs unfunded pension liability is up there but not the leader of the pack. IL, NY, NJ, CA and MASS all ahead of CT so maybe their state schools are screwed worse than UCONN?

Every per capita measurement I have seen has us near the top or at the top for unfunded pension/state indebtedness problems. Page 7 per the link.
https://www.alec.org/app/uploads/2017/12/2017-Unaccountable-and-Unaffordable-FINAL_DEC_WEB.pdf

 

[CCSU97]

Why do we need four mediocre universities? Combine them into one like Guapo said and just make it Connecticut State and then open a few community colleges if you want local commuter schools

First, the four State Universities were basically operating as one system until Gov. Dan sent his hatchet man into consolidate the system with the Community Colleges. The savings of a few administrators at the Universities is miniscule in the big picture, especially when you consider real cost is the outdated facilities and infrastructure. If properly managed, the IT investments and capital improvements required for Connecticut State University campuses alone would eliminate any "net" saving to the State.

And if you have been hiding under a rock, you will see that the Board of Regents was unable to combine the 12 Community Colleges into a single, accredited institution. The financial waste and bloat is at UConn, not in the other sectors of higher education.
Leaders Pushing Community College Merger Plan Forward Despite Accreditor's Rejection
Regents determined to persist with 'Students First' consolidation - The CT Mirror

But again, why should we expect anyone on this board to have a logical and practical solution to the State's fiscal issues, when the #1 priority for most posters here is ensuring UConn doesn't share an athletic conference with East Carolina.

 

[whaler11]

Why do we need four mediocre universities? Combine them into one like Guapo said and just make it Connecticut State and then open a few community colleges if you want local commuter schools

Because you need teachers. And accountants. And journalists. And computer programmers. And business managers.

The goal isn’t how high you can get your school in a gamed magazine ranking.

You need to educate your population so you can have a modern economy. It can’t just be screw everyone but the top 10% of students.

 

[JMick]

Because you need teachers. And accountants. And journalists. And computer programmers. And business managers.

The goal isn’t how high you can get your school in a gamed magazing ranking.

You need to educate your population so you can have a modern economy. It can’t just be screw everyone but the top 10% of students.

But you need four schools to do that? We're a small state.

 

[HuskyHawk]

CTs unfunded pension liability is up there but not the leader of the pack. IL, NY, NJ, CA and MASS all ahead of CT so maybe their state schools are screwed worse than UCONN?

All of those states are much bigger than CT.

 

[JMick]

First, the four State Universities were basically operating as one system until Gov. Dan sent his hatchet man into consolidate the system with the Community Colleges. The savings of a few administrators at the Universities is miniscule in the big picture, especially when you consider real cost is the outdated facilities and infrastructure. If properly managed, the IT investments and capital improvements required for Connecticut State University campuses alone would eliminate any "net" saving to the State.

And if you have been hiding under a rock, you will see that the Board of Regents was unable to combine the 12 Community Colleges into a single, accredited institution. The financial waste and bloat is at UConn, not in the other sectors of higher education.
Leaders Pushing Community College Merger Plan Forward Despite Accreditor's Rejection
Regents determined to persist with 'Students First' consolidation - The CT Mirror

But again, why should we expect anyone on this board to have a logical and practical solution to the State's fiscal issues, when the #1 priority for most posters here is ensuring UConn doesn't share an athletic conference with East Carolina.

Well enjoy your glorified community college. You sure do care a lot about it.

 

[temery]

The state is so small though. It doesn't make sense to have four schools that are basically the same thing. It's not like we're Texas or California where it could be 8 hours to the closest university

I get that. But the only thing that would change, is the name, unless you are suggesting all but the most successful be closed?

 

[HuskyHawk]

But you need four schools to do that? We're a small state.

True, but maybe you could take aim at the UConn branch campuses then instead. The same argument holds.

 

[whaler11]

But you need four schools to do that? We're a small state.

Do you think Norwich to New Britain is a reasonable commute?

Do you have the ability to magically move buildings from Danbury to New Haven?

If you ignore the principles of physics this gets a lot easier.

They only got $275 million last year and that is going to move towards zilch.