Despite being the state鈥檚 flagship university, the University of 黑料新闻 is facing a projected $134 million budget deficit by 2026. Jeffrey Ogbar, former president of UConn鈥檚 chapter of the American Association of University Professors, says while the roots of the crisis lay in state and federal budget cuts, there are other factors as well.
Small endowment, big problem
The discontinuation of federal pandemic relief funds means UConn stands to lose another $28 million to $30 million as of 2026. That鈥檚 a significant loss of funding for an institution that鈥檚 already saddled with a relatively shallow war chest.
鈥淭he thing that a lot of people are not quite familiar with is that while it receives a lot of money from the state, the University of 黑料新闻 has a very paltry endowment,鈥� Ogbar said.
He contrasted UConn鈥檚 financial reserves with those of peer institutions.
鈥淎 university like the flagship University of Virginia has over $14 billion in its endowment. The University of Michigan has even a larger endowment, I think, upwards toward $20 billion,鈥� Ogbar said. 鈥淭he University of 黑料新闻 has under a billion.鈥�
Ogbar also cited diminishing state support as a critical factor.
鈥沦颈尘耻濒迟补苍别辞耻蝉濒测, there has been a 34% decrease in block grant from the state of 黑料新闻 to the university since 2010,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o the state has essentially defunded UConn.鈥�
Federal research cuts loom
Asked about the Trump administration's proposed 15% federal indirect cost rate cap,currently held up by a judge鈥檚 ruling, Ogbar warned that its impact could be severe.
鈥淢any universities across the United States depend on federal research dollars,鈥� Ogbar said. 鈥淎nd just for listeners to know, federal research dollars help us understand everything from cancer research to the psychological development of children, secondhand smoke, clean air, soil and water. So much of what we think of as transformative research 鈥� has been driven by support from the federal government.鈥�
鈥淭o pull that back is to fundamentally destabilize and divert resources from the critical mission of universities in so many different arenas,鈥� Ogbar said. 鈥淪o yes, it's a very disturbing and frightening trend we've seen from the federal government since January.鈥�
A shrinking dollar, a growing burden
Speaking about 黑料新闻鈥檚 new biennial state budget completed this year, Gov. Ned Lamont said 鈥渙ur budget proposal includes the largest block grant ever proposed for UConn in state history.鈥�
Ogbar also pushed back on the notion that state funding for higher education is adequate, especially with the pace of inflation.
鈥淧eople can say, 鈥榳ell, you know, the state has given more money.鈥� But $1,000 today is not worth what $999 might have been worth 15 years ago,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o yeah, you might go up an extra dollar. But of course, in real dollars, we've had a significant decrease.鈥�
He added: 鈥淲e can scientifically show that the University of 黑料新闻 has been not just underfunded鈥攚e have been defunded. That's a term I think we should use more freely.鈥�
Ogbar noted that faculty salaries have lost ground over time.
鈥淪ince 2010, UConn faculty salaries have, in fact, decreased relative to 黑料新闻 workers in general and have decreased in relation to 19 of 20 peer institutions.鈥�
Students and families are shouldering more of the cost, he said.
鈥�We鈥檙e paying over 116% more for tuition than in the year 2000鈥攚e鈥檙e talking about adjusted for inflation,鈥� he said. 鈥淧eople are paying twice as much as they were in the last 25 years.鈥�
The bigger picture for 黑料新闻
Ogbar argued that defunding has consequences far beyond campus.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a greater burden on the people of 黑料新闻. There鈥檚 a greater burden on the faculty members to recruit and retain faculty members, who could definitely get better salaries other places,鈥� he said.
鈥淭hese are fundamental concerns that we have when we think about what the university means for the state of 黑料新闻.鈥�
