Students, faculty and health workers press Appropriations committee to protect higher-education funding

HARTFORD — Dozens of Connecticut students, faculty members and health-care workers urged the state Appropriations Higher Education Committee on Thursday to preserve or increase funding for scholarships, student supports and UConn and UConn Health operations, warning that proposed midterm budget cuts would harm access, retention and patient care.

“Roberta Willis scholarship…has helped me a lot,” said Tiara Charles, a junior at Quinnipiac University, describing how the award made attending a private institution possible. Multiple student speakers from Connecticut State, UConn and community colleges told the committee that financial aid and on-campus services — advising, tutoring, mental-health support and work-study opportunities — were decisive in their ability to enroll and graduate.

Several witnesses pointed to specific state programs created or expanded in recent sessions. “The Finish Line program was intended to make it easier for community college students to move from good jobs to even better ones that require a BA,” said Louise Williams of CSU AUP, citing last year’s $7.7 million appropriation. Witnesses warned the governor’s proposed midterm adjustment would halve that funding, covering only a fraction of eligible students.

Medical and research witnesses described threats to clinical services and research capacity if UConn Health’s budget is trimmed. “UConn Health is not just another hospital. It is the place where patients go where others say no,” said Dr. Ian McNeil, an assistant professor of neurosurgery, who urged full funding to protect training programs and access to complex care.

Frontline workers said staffing shortages and low differentials are already straining patient care. A respiratory therapist described frequent vacancies and said better compensation and stable state support are necessary to retain staff. Union representatives and faculty leaders stressed that chronic underfunding has increased reliance on part-time instructors and reduced advising capacity across campuses.

Committee members did not take votes during the hearing. Speakers asked legislators to restore or expand funding for financial-aid initiatives (including PACT and the Finish Line Scholars program), fully fund UConn’s revised midterm request and ensure UConn Health and other CSCU institutions receive support that preserves student services and clinical capacity. The committee chair thanked speakers and closed the public hearing.