Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com • September 25, 2017 • Hartford Business Journal 5 additional energy efficiency project included in the mix is worth 34 megawatts. Educators say GOP budget will 'devastate' UConn, CSCU Hundreds of millions of dollars in cuts to higher education proposed in the Republican- approved budget will decimate programs and services for UConn and Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) students, educators said. In historic votes, the state Senate and then the House recently approved a $40.7 billion Republican budget plan that Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has vowed to veto. UConn President Susan Herbst wrote in a bulletin to the UConn campus community that a more than $300 million cut "is unprecedented and would be devastating for UConn, higher education in Connecticut and the state as a whole." She warned of closures to regional campuses and academic departments as a result of such cuts, possibly even the closure of schools and colleges within UConn, and closure of UConn Health "or large parts of it." CSCU President Mark E. Ojakian issued a similar warning publicly over the weekend, saying, "Our students are not numbers on a budget sheet." CSCU Director of Communications Maribel La Luz said the cuts would total approximately $93 million over the next two years. Ojakian said the budget passed by the General Assembly would force "dramatic cuts" on the CSCU system, phase out the Roberta Willis Scholarship, which helps thousands of students afford college, and "will pass on higher costs for our students while simultaneously cutting programs and access to financial aid." CT sues to revoke ex-mayor Perez's pension The state of Connecticut is suing to revoke or reduce former Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez's pension. Perez pleaded guilty on Aug. 31 to receiving a bribe and first-degree larceny by extortion in connection with home improvements he received while in office. That same day, Attorney General George Jepsen filed suit in Hartford Superior Court seeking some or all of Perez's $2,329-a-month pension, according to his office and court papers. As mayor from the end of 2001 through June 2010, Perez and his wife, Maria, who is also named in the lawsuit, are entitled to receive the pension. However, Jepsen is authorized to seek to recover some or all of those funds by state law for any municipal employee who pleads guilty to a crime related to state office, the lawsuit states. The charges stemmed from allegations that Perez accepted home improvements from a city contractor in return for keeping him on a multimillion-dollar construction project, among other things. Perez's attorney, Robert Bartley Halloran, could not be reached immediately for comment. Dillon Stadium could get makeover to attract pro sports Dillon Stadium could get a modest facelift now that the state and Hartford authorities are soliciting bids for renovations aimed at attracting a soccer or professional sports franchise. The Capital Region Development Authority has issued a request for proposals due back by Oct. 13 that outlines the objectives and potential scope of the project. Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said in an email that the city has partnered with the state to solicit proposals for its renovation "because the CRDA has deep expertise and resources in both the development and operation of sports venues." Bronin said the city will thoroughly vet all proposals with the CRDA and "keep Hartford taxpayers and the local community front and center as we explore this opportunity." The work would be targeted for a finished project that could host not only professional but collegiate sports, the RFP states. "In today's rapidly changing world, you need to be well-rounded. UConn's emphasis on core foundational knowledge, communication skills, and experiential learning prepares you for whatever comes your way." - Kimberly Douglas '18 MBA mba.uconn.edu Hartford, Connecticut FULL-TIME MBA PROGRAM O P E N H O U S E • T U E S D AY, O C T O B E R 1 0 Mark E. Ojakian, President, Connecticut State Colleges and Universities Hartford city and state officials are looking for a developer interested in renovating Dillon Stadium. PHOTO | HBJ FILE

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