Spring Break
Hogan Discusses Budget
Adding Faculty A Top Priority
Lindsay Fetzner
Issue date: 5/1/08 Section: News
UConn President Michael Hogan spoke to USG last night on legislative efforts, university funding and the student body as a whole. Hogan discussed the governor's initial proposed budget, which he said was very positive and was one of the best opening budgets in a very long time but does not include everything that the university wants.
The No.1 priority is funding for additional faculty hiring to achieve the 15-to-1 student-faculty ratio. The state is going through a complex budget season and Hogan said that there are predictions that the state will face very difficult budget decisions in the upcoming years.
Hogan also discussed expanding the Honors Program, which he wants to see expanded 40 percent over a period of five years. The number of students in the Honors Program is growing exponentially and the university cannot afford to accommodate everyone. Hogan stressed maximizing revenue streams to support the need for this growing program.
The quality of the undergraduate population is also improving year after year. The incoming class has an average SAT score of 1200, according to Hogan. These students have high expectations, and if they are going to be brought to this campus, the Honors Program will have to be expanded and additional faculty will be needed to tend to their growing needs. In addition, the university needs a variety of high quality programs to sustain and nourish the students. According to Hogan, if the state does not give the university more funding, it will have to consider how to use the existing funding to accommodate these needs.
Hogan talked about the balance between resident and non-resident students as well. He stressed the need for diversity and the fact that the number of diverse students coming on campus is going up by 10 percent. In addition, in order to sustain diversity, more international and out-of-state students should be brought to the university. Currently, the non-resident population is approximately 30 to 35 percent of the total student population.
The No.1 priority is funding for additional faculty hiring to achieve the 15-to-1 student-faculty ratio. The state is going through a complex budget season and Hogan said that there are predictions that the state will face very difficult budget decisions in the upcoming years.
Hogan also discussed expanding the Honors Program, which he wants to see expanded 40 percent over a period of five years. The number of students in the Honors Program is growing exponentially and the university cannot afford to accommodate everyone. Hogan stressed maximizing revenue streams to support the need for this growing program.
The quality of the undergraduate population is also improving year after year. The incoming class has an average SAT score of 1200, according to Hogan. These students have high expectations, and if they are going to be brought to this campus, the Honors Program will have to be expanded and additional faculty will be needed to tend to their growing needs. In addition, the university needs a variety of high quality programs to sustain and nourish the students. According to Hogan, if the state does not give the university more funding, it will have to consider how to use the existing funding to accommodate these needs.
Hogan talked about the balance between resident and non-resident students as well. He stressed the need for diversity and the fact that the number of diverse students coming on campus is going up by 10 percent. In addition, in order to sustain diversity, more international and out-of-state students should be brought to the university. Currently, the non-resident population is approximately 30 to 35 percent of the total student population.
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