Investing in Connecticut’s Future:

Bipartisan Support for Connecticut State University System

Governor M. Jodi Rell described it as the “crown jewel” of the state’s bonding plan, and Senate President Pro Tempore Donald E. Williams, Jr. called it “probably the most historic thing the General Assembly has done for higher education since UConn 2000.”

The program they describe is the Connecticut State University System (CSUS) long-term capital infrastructure investment plan, known as CSUS 2020, which was signed into law by Governor Rell on Nov. 2, 2007 at Western Connecticut State University to “continue the glorious transformation of higher education in Connecticut.”

Approved by the state legislature with overwhelming bipartisan support, the 10-year $950 million plan includes funds for code compliance, infrastructure improvements, mechanical and electrical upgrades, renovation and equipment, as well as new construction which, in many cases, is to replace antiquated or inadequate facilities - some dating back to the 1950s and 1960s.

CSUS 2020 was developed consistent with master facilities plans at Central, Eastern, Southern and Western Connecticut State universities and approved by the CSUS Board of Trustees. 

The long-term investment plan will help to address pressing state needs in fields such as nursing, teaching, engineering, science and technology, and provide students with the facilities and equipment necessary to be well-prepared to respond to the needs of Connecticut employers and strengthen the state's economic well-being. 

"We saw the incredible transformation UConn 2000 brought about for the University of Connecticut,” said Sen. Williams. “This will do the same for our Connecticut State University System. There was a need that desperately needed to be addressed."

The Governor noted that the legislation includes regulations and conditions to avoid problems that cropped up in construction at UConn. 

From the outset, CSUS 2020 was developed with requirements for state fire and safety inspectors to be involved throughout the projects and for the Department of Public Works to administer the program, hiring architects and contractors and signing off on equipment purchases.  

“Take a look at how much needs to be done - the renovation, expansion, and new buildings for a growing student body - the bill is worth it,” said Rell, noting that it includes a “safety valve” that permits a Governor to pause bonding during the 10-year span of the project if the state is in a financial crisis.

In praising the Governor and legislators for their leadership, CSUS Board Chairman Lawrence D. McHugh said approval of CSUS 2020 “reaffirms that even as technology advances and global competition becomes more acute, Connecticut is committed to providing its young people with the tools they need to succeed and excel.”

CSUS 2020 gained public support, especially from business leaders who highlighted the connections between a solid investment in education and a strong state economy.

“Connecticut's businesses deserve workers ready to tackle the jobs of the 21st century,” said Oz Griebel, president and chief executive officer of the MetroHartford Alliance.  “CSUS 2020 is a vital component of the strategy to meet our future workforce needs and remain competitive in a growing international marketplace.”

John Soto, President of Space-Craft Manufacturing, observed that the CSUS 2020 plan is essential not only for the university’s physical plant, but also for citizens statewide.

“It is not only in their interest, but also in our interest as a state, to provide these students with the facilities they need to fully prepare to take their place in our state’s workforce upon graduation,” Soto said, “particularly when state Department of Labor statistics show that between 2002 and 2012, more than half of the new jobs statewide will require significant post-secondary education or a higher education degree.”

Harold Wibling, President of the Savings Bank of Danbury, noted in the Danbury News-Times that graduates of Central, Eastern, Southern and Western “are our future teachers, small business entrepreneurs and bank presidents, directors of nursing and mechanical engineers, chambers of commerce executives and municipal fire chiefs.

“In the traditional Land of Steady Habits, they are precisely the people who will keep Connecticut steady, our economy growing and our quality of life second to none.”

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