University to Pause Connecticut Commitment Student Aid Program

THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT SINCE 1896 • VOLUME CXXVII, NO. 45 Thursday, October 29, 2020 COVID-19 Tracker Current 220 181 24 CONFIRMED CASES AT Residential UCONN STORRS Cases Cumulative Cumulative Staff Cases Residential Cases Commuter Cases as of 6:14 p.m. on Oct. 28 14 (Positive/Symptomatic) University to pause Connecticut Commitment student aid program by Colin Piteo cost is estimated to increase with may have been a viable possibil- CAMPUS CORRESPONDENT each new class to a total of $5 mil- ity in another time, it is not an [email protected] lion by year four. option in this budget environ- “We will not achieve the goal ment,” Katsouleas said. On Wednesday, University of of raising enough to cover the full Despite the announcement, Connecticut President Thomas cost of the program over the next Katsouleas made clear the fun- Katsouleas announced that the four years,” Katsouleas said. “We draising efforts for the program university would pause its Con- are not confident that we will be will not cease, but instead will be necticut Commitment student able to fund the program beyond reignited when the program can financial aid program for the the first cohort of students.” run again. foreseeable future due to budget 260 students are currently “I am doubling my personal deficits. enrolled in the first cohort of the multi-year pledge to Connecti- The Connecticut Commit- program, which began with this cut Commitment and hope the ment was initiated last October fall’s freshman class of 2024. other 500 donors who gave to the and seeks to fulfill all financial “We have the cash neces- program will consider doing the need for in-state students whose sary to fund the first year of the same and perhaps inspire others families make less than $50,000 first cohort of UConn students to join,” Katsouleas said. a year. The program pays the dif- who qualified for the program Katsouleas and the board of ference between the financial aid and that is a commitment we trustees said financial aid is one received from grants and schol- will keep to them through their of their top priorities for the fu- arships and the total cost of tu- fourth year at UConn,” Katsou- ture of the university, with about ition. leas said. “No student who ar- $200 million being invested in “The goal of the program rived this fall and who benefits financial aid this year. is to enhance access and afford- from the program will lose any- “Pausing the program is ability for low-income students thing. We made a promise to the hardest decision I’ve had to attending UConn and draw these students and we will keep make since arriving here. While prospective students to apply it.” unfortunate and regrettable, I here who may have otherwise President Katsouleas stated believe that this is a prudent and thought that UConn was out of alternative methods of funding necessary choice to make at this reach for them financially,” Kat- were taken into account before time,” concluded President Kat- souleas said. making the ultimate decision to souleas. The Connecticut Commit- suspend the program until fur- In a press release, university ment is completely funded by ther notice. spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz philanthropy and private dona- “Consideration was given to stated the administration would UConn President Thomas Katsouleas speaks at his 2019 presi- tions. The cost to run the Con- potentially funding the program reassess the program later in the dential in auguration. At this inauguration he announced the made the “Connecticut Commitment” that if an individual’s necticut Commitment this year is through some avenue other than fiscal year to discuss the possi- family made less than $50,000 annually they would be eligible to about $700,000. The program’s philanthropy, and while that bility of resuming it in 2022. come to UConn tuition free. FILE PHOTO/THE DAILY CAMPUS UConn faculty working USG talks budget, confirms senator remotely will continue positions and talks mental health legislation by Jake Kelly ment, a financial aid program services such as CMHS and cre- doing so next semester CAMPUS CORRESPONDENT for low-income students that the ating rigorous mental health [email protected] university has paused. Jordan training for CSD and SHaW by Amanda Kilyk The need for faculty mem- disclosed President Thomas Kat- staff, along with standard mental STAFF WRITER On Wednesday, the Under- bers to be present on-campus souleas and the university want health training for professors. [email protected] graduate Student Government will be dictated by factors such to meet the needs of students, but The Mental Care Act was re- at the University of Connecticut as on-site teaching and research feel that UConn is not at a place ferred to the Diversity and Out- University of Connecticut fac- held their bi-weekly senate meet- activities, as well as agreements in their budget or philanthropy reach Commission at the end of ulty currently working remotely ing where they discussed the between individual employees where they can make a commit- the meeting and will be discussed were told in a letter sent Oct. 21 university’s budget, confirmed and their reporting organiza- ment for next year’s class that in the senate’s next meeting. to plan on working from home senator positions and approved tions, according to the letter. covers the entire four years. International student legisla- for the spring semester. legislation for the spring 2021 fee “While some employees must Fabio Saccomanno presented tion which would prioritize men- “Today we are confirming that plan, Mental Care Act and inter- be on site to do their work, oth- the USG spring 2021 fee bill. His tal health of this population was staff who are working remotely national student wellness. ers can effectively work from recommendation was against re- proposed by Yibing Zhou. The should plan on continuing to do The meeting opened with a home,” the letter said. “In gen- ducing student fees. bill includes ideas of conduct- so through the spring semester, presentation from Scott Jordan, eral, no employee is barred from “When looking at the grand ing a peer mentor program and pending some change in the sta- the Executive Vice President for coming to campus if necessary, scheme of things and the best providing creative and relaxing tus of the virus and the tools we Administration & Chief Financial but no one should be coming to decision for students, I think the workshops for international stu- have to combat it,” the letter said, Officer, to discuss the university’s campus on a regular basis if they worst outcome is having to cut dents. sent on behalf of the University budget for this year and 2021. are not on the Human Resources services. If we reduce the fee and There was also emphasis on Provost Carl Lejuez, Executive In the 2020 fiscal year, UConn registry.” happen to roll too far into our reconvening the student support Vice President for Administra- was able to cover its $33.6 million According to the announce- rollover, we probably won’t feel group for international students, tion Scott Jordan, and Associate deficit in refunds with federal ment, the return to a normal, on- it next spring. But they would be forming group therapy centered Vice President Chris Delello. CARES Act funding and depart- campus working environment felt next fall,” said Saccomanno. around international students, The letter cited the recent rise ment spending savings attributed will depend on many factors, in- With a vote of 19-1, the 0% de- hiring additional bilingual thera- in COVID-19 cases in Connecti- to the spending freeze. cluding the state of the pandemic duction in the fee plan passed in pists and having ISSS provide cut as a factor in this decision, As of right now, UConn has a and advice from public health the Senate. more panels to update travel pol- as well as uncertainty about the $28 million unresolved deficit, officials. Brittany Díaz proposed the icy and assistance to resolve the potential for a vaccine. which is up from the $19 million “It is clear that we will not Mental Care Act, which advo- academic difficulty undergradu- At time of publication, UConn deficit last year. But under the be able to return to normal as a cates for areas such as academic ate international students face reported 14 current positive cas- current projection, continued workplace until circumstances reform, relations between mental during COVID-19. es at the Storrs campus, while departmental tightening and the and public health guidance health and academics, allocating At the time of publication, Connecticut reported 292 cur- use of some fund balances from change to a level where the uni- funds and investment towards there was not a vote on this bill. rent hospitalizations, according versity believes that we can previous years will be relied to their respective coronavirus return to working on-site on a upon. Jordan admitted that there data tracking webpages. large scale,” the letter said. “As could be some limited layoffs in University spokesperson always, we will adjust to the some departments, but there is no Stephanie Reitz clarified that state of the pandemic and will plan for a mass layoff. this decision is mainly meant explore different options, in- UConn projected many stu- for non-teaching staff, many of cluding employees potentially dents would sit out this year in whom have been working re- returning at different times de- some capacity, yet enrollment is motely since the spring semester. pending on certain factors, such as high as it has ever been: 6.2% It will not impact faculty who as vaccinations.” in freshman at Storrs, 16.3% at re- have decided to keep the modal- For now, the employees are gional campuses.

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