Governor Rell Urges UConn Board of Trustees to

Defer Any Discussion of Tuition, Fee Increases

Governor Calls Current Economic Climate

‘Worst Time’ for Increase in Costs to Students, Parents

            Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that she has written all of the members of the University of Connecticut Board of Trustees, strongly urging them to delay any discussion or action on possible tuition or fee increases for next year at the Board’s meeting on Tuesday.

            “The financial picture for the state – and for the families of Connecticut – is constantly in flux,” Governor Rell said. “My budget was only presented to the Legislature last week. It is only today that the General Assembly has begun its process of reviewing that budget and formulating its own proposals. Forecasts of state revenues change from week to week and we still do not know how much money we can expect from any federal stimulus package. It is simply premature at best to take any action on – or even to talk about – a possible increase in tuition or fees for the next academic year.

            “Many students are already working multiple jobs to pay tuition,” the Governor said. “The college savings that parents spent years amassing have been diminished by the collapse of Wall Street. Just as I have said this current economic climate – clouded by unemployment, foreclosure and bankruptcy rates soaring – makes it the worst time to raise taxes, so too do I believe that with students and their parents struggling to make ends meet it would be the worst time to raise costs through tuition or fees at UConn.

            “University President Hogan has formed several committees to identify cuts to UConn’s budget that would not affect students or academic programs,” Governor Rell said. “I think it is vital that – just as I did with the state budget – the University make cuts in non-essential services before going to students and parents to seek more money.”

            The state provides extensive support for the University of Connecticut, which is now regarded as the top public college in New England and No. 26 on the U.S. News & World Report annual ranking of public schools. That commitment is reflected in the state’s assumption of 36 percent of the University’s annual operating budget – a far higher percentage than most other states. It is also reflected in the $1 billion, 10-year “UConn 2000” and $1.3 billion, 10-year “21^st Century UConn” building programs.