Fasano: UConn Raises Extremely Troubling

Hartford – Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano (R-North Haven) released the following statement about the University of Connecticut’s raises for top staff members. According to a CT Mirror report, UConn President Susan Herbst received a $29,500 pay raise in January, a $125,000 bonus in May and will receive another $40,000 bonus this summer. In addition, UConn initiated pay increases over two or three fiscal years beginning in 2014. This included a $55,000 salary increase and annual bonus of $25,000 for the university’s general counsel whose salary will increase to $275,000; a $58,000 salary increase for the university’s chief architect whose salary will increase to $283,000; as well as increases for the President’s deputy chief of staff and athletic staff.

“It’s extremely troubling to see such huge raises and bonuses being handed out at UConn at a time when people in other state jobs are being laid off. It shows that the administration is not properly monitoring what is going on behind the scenes at our state university.

“It’s understandable that UConn faces challenges in their budget, but the tone-deaf decision to hand out these large raises shows that the university is in desperate need of additional oversight. Allowing massive bonuses to be handed out to a few, at a time when merit-based increases have been cancelled for all state non-union managers, is a failure by the Democrat administration to uphold its policies equally across the board. Where is the Governor on this decision to give special treatment to a few? Where is the UConn Board of Trustees? The decision to hand out these raises should not be left to one individual.

“At a time when students are being asked to shoulder increased burdens with tuition hikes – and at a time when UConn’s own president has voiced concerns about the effects of budget constraints on faculty hiring, growing class size, and weaker student retention – it’s disturbing to say the least that the administration would allow such a blatant disregard for statewide cost-saving measures to occur.”