Federal COVID relief funds are running out for public universities in Connecticut. Schools such as the University of Connecticut and Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) could be affected. Last week, students and higher education officials from these schools attended a legislative public hearing to persuade state officials to increase their funding for higher education.
The CSCU system is facing a $140 million shortage in the upcoming fiscal year which starts on July 1. In Nov., the system provided a plan that included layoffs, removal of campus services and raising tuition.
Although, the CSCU system will still need $47.6 million. “I want to be clear that the $47.6 million that we’re asking for is literally just to cover the deficit,” said Chancellor Terrence Cheng at the hearing. “I don’t want to give the impression that the $47.6 million will make all our concerns or problems go away. It absolutely will not.”
At the University of Connecticut, they are expected to face a $70 million shortage in the upcoming fiscal year. UConn President Radenka Maric said the university is looking for ways to increase its revenue and bring in more students.
This doesn’t mean that the university will be set, Maric said. “The things that are important to students are advising and mentoring, quality of education, mental health support and housing. We have the priorities, and what students said to us [through a survey] is important to them, but if there is no additional support from the state, the reduction has to happen on all these levels.”
The reason these universities will receive a drop in funding is because federal COVID relief plans provided Connecticut schools with more funding will come to an end.
Connecticut Gov. Lamont’s Office of Policy and Management received $27.8 million “for the purpose of ensuring continuing educational opportunities for students of all ages affected by the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to the Office of Policy and Management’s website. This was received through Lamont’s Governor Education Emergency Relief Fund.
When the state received this funding from the federal government, they put aside $2 million for each public institution of higher education to accommodate remote learning.
Through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act approved by Congress, UConn received $32.1 million to help with COVID deficits. Around $10.7 million of this money was designated for emergency grants to students. The remaining funds were designated for use by the institution to cover expenses related to COVID-19.
At New Haven, the school received $4.6 million through the federal CARES act, which was put into place to support higher education through the pandemic. Around $2.3 million of that money was used toward students who needed emergency grants.
Students who received these emergency grants had to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and meet federal guidelines.
Funding under these acts ended for the university in 2022. UConn and the CSCU system will be running out of their COVID funding.
Students from UConn and Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) attended the public hearing last week to add to their case in front of state officials.
“UConn is not merely a collection of figures and spreadsheets, it’s a fiber tapestry of the voices, aspirations and dreams of each individual before you today. UConn is us, the staff, students and the faculty. UConn is the voice of the future,” said Victoria McCarthy, a student at UConn Hartford at the public hearing. “We serve the state and the people who inspire growth, strength and passion. Be part of the future that chooses to keep funding that passion, those voices and that future.”
Taylor Doyle, a student at CCSU said that CCSU was the only school she could pay out of pocket for and has only been able to do so “with the guidance, support, encouragement and resources provided to me by the Connecticut State College and University faculty, staff and peers.”
It is now up to Gov. Lamont to answer these pleas for more funding towards higher education as their COVID funding has come to an end.