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Introduction Connecticut's educational system is the foundation of Connecticut's future. Today, there are 22,316 students enrolled at the University of Connecticut, the state's only public research
The University of Connecticut, like the other institutions
that together comprise Connecticut's
public higher education system, has provided information
in response to the request to plan for a
10% reduction in state appropriations. This comes on
the heels of a history of dwindling support:
Recognizing that it is investment rather than reduction
in higher education that will best serve
Connecticut, the University of Connecticut proposes the
following budgetary initiatives for the
next biennium.
As Connecticut's partner in economic development, the
University's mission is to respond to
Connecticut's economic needs through the transformation of
research and education into useful
technology that creates jobs, products and industrial growth.
Although research, economic
development and technology transfer have traditionally been
seen as the separate provinces of
separate sectors of our state and nation, the demands of a
global economy now dictate a
rethinking of traditional roles. Bringing businesses and
University scientists together to create
new technologies and products is critical for ensuring
Connecticut's economic vitality. To this
end, the University is proposing the following initiative:
A. THE CRITICAL TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM
Background:
In only two years of operation, the Critical Technologies
Program has already proven itself a
resounding success. The goal of the state-enacted program
was to foster productive partnerships
among the state's academic, industrial and government
sectors in order to: increase the amount
and rate of technological innovation in Connecticut, transfer
this technological knowledge to the
private sector, create new jobs and expand and diversify
the state's tax base. Its focus is
biotechnology (pharmaceutical, biomedical, aquaculture
and agriculture), photonics, advanced
material science, marine sciences, drug design and environmental
research. Researchers from the
University of Connecticut, including its Health Center, and
from Yale University work with
Connecticut companies toward that goal. In addition, the
UConn program has generated
approximately $6.5 million in federal funds. Over 40 small
companies have attested to the
important role the program plays in enabling them to grow
and prosper.
It is significant that the greatest beneficiaries have been
small businesses, a critical component of
the state's economic future. These small companies,
however, do not have in-house research
capabilities or the needed technical expertise. They must
have access to the breadth of expertise
available at a research university as well as assistance in
bridging the development gap from
conception to production. Examples of UConn activities
in the Critical Technologies Program
are:
1. Developing fast growing talapia fish strains as the
basis for a promising aquaculture in the state
(and attracting a company to the state that is pursuing the
commercial potential);
2. Assisting in bringing to market a new, cost-efficient
lead paint encapsulation product;
3. Perfecting a new pollution prevention device that is
expected to create a $50,000,000 business
segment; and
4. Participating in the development of new
optoelectronics materials which has led to filing for
several patents and the licensing of a technology.
Proposal:
The University requests that the Critical Technologies Program be restored to its original funding level of $6 million in each year of the coming biennium. (Funding for 1995-96, the most recent allocation, has been reduced to $2.95 million.)
B. UNIVERSITY-WIDE TECHNOLOGY
TRANSFER PROGRAM
Background:
University faculty research generates approximately
fifty (50) invention disclosures a year, a
number that can be increased substantially with some
front-end investment. Each of these
disclosures receives a rigorous in-house evaluation as
to its patentability and commercial
potential. For FY1996, fifteen patents were issued and
$501,874 in related income was
generated. In addition, eight new commercial development
agreements were completed. The
flow of activity is expected to increase as a result of the
Critical Technologies Program.
Currently, the Technology Transfer Office is staffed by only
one professional who is expected to
provide services covering all aspects of the technology
transfer process, illustrated as follows:
Research -> Invention -> Disclosure -> Evaluation -> Patent -> Assignment to University -> Marketing -> License/Spinoff -> Royalty/Other Income Proposal:
The proposed plan calls for a major expansion and
reorganization of this office, including hiring a
new director, two new technology transfer agents and a
licensing officer, all of whom will serve
both the Storrs and Health Center Campuses. These
individuals will have the technical and
marketing expertise in high yield technology fields to
accelerate the process of moving
technologies out of the University and into the marketplace.
Further, this expansion will enable
the office to handle a greater volume of work as well as make
possible more effective interaction
with relevant state agencies, private companies and industrial
parks. It is projected that the
proposed reorganization of the Technology Transfer Office
will lead to self-sufficiency in three
years. The cost for this reorganization is projected to be $1
million in 1997-98, with these funds
to be built into the base budget for 1998-99. No additional
funds are requested for 1998-99.
C. CREATING INCUBATOR SPACE FOR
UNIVERSITY-BUSINESS COLLABORATION
Background:
New start-up companies in their early stages need
inexpensive laboratory space to facilitate their
research and development phases. The closer this space
is to University research and expertise,
the better their chances for success. Within the severe
limitations of currently available space, the
University is attempting to offer incubation opportunities
to small companies in the Marine
Sciences and Technology Institute, the Photonics Center
and the Precision Manufacturing
Enterprise Building.
Proposal:
Federal funding for the previously planned Advanced
Technologies Institute Building could still
be available to construct approximately 80,000 square feet
of space in which University resources
could support the incubation needs of the business world.
The $10 million from the U.S.
Department of Energy, with the required $10 million match
in already authorized bond funds,
could fund a facility designed to meet the needs of Connecticut's
targeted industry clusters. The
University would meet with Critical Technology Program
business affiliates, among others, to
determine the type of space needed and plan accordingly.
Generally, the space would be very
flexible: some basic office space, generic space (conference,
copying, etc.) to be shared by all,
good HVAC systems, wet and dry lab space - all to be
designed in a modular fashion to
accommodate changing tenants and needs. As newly
incubated companies move towards the
production phase, they will be encouraged to relocate to
industrial space at sites such as Windham
Mills. Since the release of federal dollars is contingent
upon the release of state matching funds,
the state's commitment is a necessary precondition to moving
forward on incubator space.
D. CONNECTICUT INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
INSTITUTE (CITI)
Background:
The Connecticut Information Technology Institute (CITI)
is a University - industry partnership
newly created to address the needs of information technology
businesses in Fairfield County (1)
by offering bachelor's and master's degrees in information
technology fields at the Stamford
campus and enhancing the capacity of the baccalaureate
programs to produce more information
technology graduates, (2) by developing a market driven,
high quality set of professional
development courses based at the Stamford campus to
provide state-of-the-art training for
information technology professionals, and (3) to create a
forum for the sharing of information and
issues among the information technology companies in
Fairfield County.
The CITI organizational structure will be tailored to
meet its unique mission. CITI will be based
at the Stamford campus and the CITI Director will report
jointly to the University's Deans of the
Schools of Business Administration and Engineering. A
steering committee consisting of the
designees of the Deans of the School of Business Administration,
School of Engineering, and the
Division of Extended and Continuing Education, the
Director of the Stamford campus or
designee, and a representative of the Chancellor's Office
will oversee the day to day operation.
An external advisory board consisting of one representative
from each of the corporate members
of CITI will provide input on the Institute's general direction
and be called upon to form
subcommittees to address specific topics.
The CITI offerings will include the following degree
programs designed to increase the quantity
and quality of the information technology labor pool in
Fairfield County.
1. Master of Science in Computer Science and Engineering with a software engineering concentration 2. Executive MBA in Business Administration with an information technology track 3. A Bachelor's in General Business with a strong information technology emphasis 4. A Bachelor's of General Studies in Technical Writing and Communications 5. A Bachelor's of Science in Computer Science and Engineering 6. A Bachelor's of Science in Management
Information Systems
Proposal:
The annual operating costs of CITI are estimated at
roughly $3.5 million. These costs would be
covered by $1 million in new state support, $2.2 million
in membership dues, course fees, and
student tuition, and $0.3 million in endowment income.
A $6 million target has been established
for the CITI Endowment; at the present time, $1 million
has been definitely committed to the
CITI Endowment. The University therefore requests $1
million for 1997-98, with these funds to
be built into the base budget for 1998-99. No additional
funds are requested for 1998-99.
E. PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL ENHANCEMENT
Background:
The University's Strategic Plan calls for additional
investment in University programs that hold
great promise in achieving national prominence. For the
coming biennium, the priority areas are
the Schools of Business Administration, Law and Pharmacy.
In Business Administration, the
University proposes to expand business offerings and
outreach to the business community through
the regional campuses and Storrs targeting programs in
insurance, health systems and
entrepreneurship. The School of Law, already
well-respected, needs additional investment to
increase access and to move into the forefront nationally.
The School of Pharmacy requires an
infusion of dollars to convert its program to a Doctor
of Pharmacy structure in order to keep pace
with national trends--and to respond to the ever-growing
needs of the pharmaceutical industry in
Connecticut.
Proposal:
The University requests $2 million for 1997-98 to
support these program enhancements, with
these funds to be built into the base budget for 1998-99.
No additional funds are requested for
1998-99.
F. REGIONAL CAMPUSES
Background:
The Stamford and Avery Point campuses of the
University are the sites of two significant capital
programs under UCONN 2000.
Proposal:
The University requests new funds to support the
costs of operations and modest program
expansion as the campuses are enhanced. The request
for Stamford is $1.2 million in 1997-98
and an additional $1.4 million in 1998-99. The request
for Avery Point is $1 million in 1997-98,
with these funds built into the base budget for 1998-99.
No additional funds are requested for
1998-99, although the timing of the Avery Point capital
project is such that increased operating
funds may be necessary in the subsequent biennium.
2. ENHANCING THE UNDERGRADUATE
EXPERIENCE
Background:
The Strategic Plan calls for a renewed emphasis
on the undergraduate experience. This emphasis
is essential for two reasons. First, our students deserve
the best possible undergraduate
education. Second, the University must compete
effectively with other institutions, public and
private, in-state and out-of-state, for qualified students.
The University's focus on undergraduate
education includes several components, all designed to
achieve the following goals:
A. FRESHMAN EXPERIENCE
In thinking through a comprehensive strategy for
improving the undergraduate experience, the
logical place to start was the earliest point in the college
experience. A host of new options were
offered on a pilot basis to freshmen this year,
starting with an expanded Week of Welcome,
extending the summer orientation program. To help freshmen
make a comfortable and
meaningful transition to college life, the University offered
three new options: freshmen interest
groups, freshmen seminars, and seminars on undergraduate
learning skills. Each option offered
freshmen the opportunity to interact with faculty, staff and
other students in a small group. All of
these activities were made possible by private giving and by
faculty and professional staff
increasing the time they commit to undergraduate students.
However, while the University
managed to fund the pilot, extending these opportunities to
every freshmen, and extending parts
of the program to include sophomores, will require
additional resources.
B. THE CENTER FOR UNDERGRADUATE
EDUCATION
The University has identified three concerns as we strive
to enhance the undergraduate
experience:
As part of UCONN 2000, the Wilbur Cross building
will be renovated during the next two years
to house the Center; this is an accelerated timetable as
compared to original plans in recognition
of the high priority of this undertaking. As envisioned by
the Plan, the Center will house under
one roof many student services currently scattered
throughout the campus. Again, however,
funds are lacking for the programmatic components
of the proposal.
C. THE HONORS SCHOLAR
PROGRAM
The Honors Scholar Program is designed to provide
a competitive academic program for highly
motivated students. The two-to-four year program
(five in Pharmacy) enriches the academic
experience of students in all majors by offering the challenges
of more in-depth study and
considerable opportunity for independent projects or
research. This is a program for students
who are both scholastically capable and educationally
ambitious, and a critical offering for the
University as it seeks to attract such students in a
competitive environment. It is UConn's goal to
expand this program.
Proposal:
The University requests support for the three
undergraduate program initiatives as follows: in
1997-98, $2 million for the Freshman Experience, $1
million for the Center for Undergraduate
Education and $0.5 million for the Honors Scholar
Program expansion, with these funds to be
built into the base budget for 1998-99. No additional
funds are requested for 1998-99.
3. MATCHING GRANT
PROGRAM
Background:
Partnership bespeaks mutual obligation and
commitment in pursuit of shared benefit. Our
partnership with Connecticut is not just what UConn
expects from the state--it is also what
Connecticut can expect from the University. The
University has made great strides in its
commitment to the aggressive quest for private funds.
While it is important to recognize that
donor funds are restricted and, hence, not available for
use to replace General Fund dollars, it is
equally important to recognize the University's
obligation to bring in private revenue to support
the kind of program enhancements that will provide
the margin of excellence Connecticut's
students deserve.
UCONN 2000 includes a provision for a state
matching grant program to help build the
University's endowment. In July of 1996, the Board
of Trustees approved guidelines governing
the eligibility of private donations for the $20 million
state matching funds made available under
UCONN 2000. Generally, state matching funds are
applied on a dollar-for-dollar basis to all
private gifts and pledges of $25,000 to $2,000,000
which either create new endowments or add to
existing endowments and are received in calendar
years 1996, 1997 and 1998. (The state
matching grant will be paid in Fiscal Years 1998,
1999 and 2000; the law sets a maximum of $10
million in any single year.) By targeting investment to
endowments, the matching program
encourages new and existing donors to support the
University's long-term needs and assist the
University in funding its highest institutional priorities.
Alumni and other friends have shown great interest
and enthusiasm for the endowment matching
program made available under UCONN 2000. As
of November 30, 1996, 135 documented,
match-eligible pledges from private sources had been
recorded. In total, these pledges amounted
to $14.4 million and, once received and matched by
the state, will permanently increase UConn's
endowment by $28.8 million. Actual cash receipts from
donors against these pledges totaled $4.8
million through February 1996.
Recent commitments to UConn illustrate what an
incentive this unique public-private partnership
is and how important private support is to the University.
Among the many significant gifts to the
University are a $1.5 million pledge by Ray Neag to
enhance UConn's nationally recognized
program for the education of gifted and talented children,
a $1 million pledge by the Heilig family
to endow a Chair in Molecular Medicine at the
UConn Health Center and a pledge of $500,000
by Robert Cizik to establish a Chair in Excellence in
Manufacturing and Technology Management,
the first endowed Chair in the School of Business
Administration.
The goal for private financial support for Fiscal Year
1995-96 was $12 million in receipts (pledges
are no longer counted toward the goal). Actual gift
receipts for the University totaled $13.34
million. This amount represents a 62% increase over
Fiscal Year 1994-95. The goal for private
financial support for Fiscal Year 1996-97 is $18 million.
Proposal:
The University proposes that the matching grant
program be extended and restructured to provide
for a $15 million annual maximum, but with a 2:1 ratio
of private to state dollars beginning with
the state match in Fiscal Year 2000. The proposal will
leverage a private fundraising campaign of
approximately $300 million over six years. There is no
additional cost beyond "current services"
in the coming biennium, as Fiscal Years 1997-98 and
1998-99 are covered by existing provisions
of the law.
4. STUDENT FINANCIAL AID
Background:
Concerned about dramatic tuition increases, totaling
128% from 1989 to 1996, the Board of
Trustees imposed a University cap on tuition increases
that equals the value of inflation. Even
with the University's concerted attempts to control costs,
the improvement of one significant
variable affecting student recruitment and access--financial
aid--has moved beyond the capacity of
the University to address alone. The University spends 21%
of tuition revenue in student aid--an
impressive showing, perhaps the highest contribution in the
country among public institutions. On
a per student basis, UConn's commitment per student has
almost doubled since 1990.
But there is a financial aid story that goes beyond issues
of cost. In 1990-91, student financial aid
was comprised of an almost equal balance of scholarships/grants
and loans. In 1994-95, loans
exceeded scholarship grants at a 2:1 ratio. There has also
been a marked increase in student
employment. The most significant reduction has come
in the area of state scholarship and loan
support.
The University has attempted to make up for the
shortfall with an estimated 1996-97 commitment
of $15.1 million to student finanical aid and an additional
$13 million in tuition waivers (for
graduate assistants and--by law--for veterans, seniors
and National Guard members, up from $7
million only six years ago). The demand on University
funds to support financial aid and waiver
costs will only continue to grow. Given declining state
support and the limits of reasonable
tuition levels, the University cannot alone meet the
financial needs of our students. Furthermore,
issues of access are a key component of the University's
diversity efforts. The state needs to
ensure that every qualified Connecticut student,
regardless of financial resources, is able to attend
the Connecticut public higher education institution
of his or her choice--or we as a state will
continue to lose more than half of our freshmen to
out-of-state colleges.
Proposal:
The University supports the full funding of the
CAPCS (Connecticut Aid for Public College
Students) and CICSG (Connecticut Independent
College Student Grant) grant programs, a
proposal which has been discussed and endorsed by
the Board of Governors for Higher
Education. The University further recommends that
the public institutions be provided the
latitude to allocate financial aid dollars for need, merit
or work, as determined by each constituent
unit.
5. TECHNOLOGY
Background:
As the University strives to make its services
available to all of Connecticut, this goal must be
accomplished in as efficient and focused a manner as
possible. UConn cannot reasonably provide
every citizen with all it has to offer through present
delivery systems; neither should the University
pursue or continue offerings that are unnecessarily
duplicative of the investment the state has
made in other parts of the educational system. A focal
point of activity in 1996-97 will be
coordinating efforts related to technology, both within
the University and with partners statewide.
Enhancing the capacity for communication among
the campuses is a high priority. Storrs and the
regional campuses have compressed video systems
which permit two-way interactive video
throughout the University. Each regional campus has
a two-year implementation plan for
voice/data/video networking funded by UCONN
2000.
Equally important is the University's commitment
to work together with the Connecticut State
University system, the Community-Technical College
system, the Department of Higher
Education, the Department of Education and the State
Library to build a statewide system that
fosters a seamless transition from secondary schools to
the world of higher education and that
permits cost effective enhancement of existing articulation agreements.
Proposal:
The University supports the Statewide Higher Education
Information Technology Network
proposed by the Department of Higher Education.
The University requests funding to enable it to
connect with the network developed by the
Department of Higher Education--specifically, funds
will be necessary for training, software and
some equipment acquisition. Funding requested for
1997-98 is $1 million, with these funds to be
built into the base budget for 1998-99. No additional
funds are requested for 1998-99.
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