By CHRIS POWELL Secret payments are contradictions of open, accountable, and democratic government. They are the essence of government corruption. Yet last year the General Assembly and Governor Lamont authorized such secrecy. Why? Because it was sought by the University of Connecticut, which is often considered the fourth branch of state government and entitled toContinue reading “Secret payments are corrupt even when UConn teams win”
Tag Archives: University of Connecticut
Will UConn offer degrees in political correctness?
By CHRIS POWELL Thanks to President Trump, Connecticut now knows a little more about the politically correct nuttiness that afflicts the state’s public higher education. In response to the Trump administration’s directive to colleges to get rid of “diversity, equity, and inclusion” stuff or risk losing federal funding, the University of Connecticut said the otherContinue reading “Will UConn offer degrees in political correctness?”
Patronage for higher education is one-sided campaign financing
By Chris Powell Even people skeptical of the bloat of the federal government may not have fully appreciated its discretionary political patronage until, upon his return to the presidency in January, Donald Trump began to reduce it. Who outside the universities themselves knew that Columbia University has been getting more than a billion dollars aContinue reading “Patronage for higher education is one-sided campaign financing”
Undo corrupt deal on PURA; and UConn’s bigger scandal
By CHRIS POWELL Governor Lamont and the leaders of the Democratic majority in the General Assembly have just made state government look pretty sleazy. Psych board did its job but insanity law is crazy Cheng is still pleading poverty; and what do illegals cost? Connecticut’s sanctimony cities show we could use Elon Musk They madeContinue reading “Undo corrupt deal on PURA; and UConn’s bigger scandal”
Welcome to Connecticut, home of wasted payroll
By Chris Powell Since Connecticut state government is a big place, it will make mistakes even in the best of circumstances. But Governor Lamont and state legislators should pay much more attention to state government’s most expensive undertaking — payroll administration — and less attention to what engaged them last week — new highway signsContinue reading “Welcome to Connecticut, home of wasted payroll”
Easier jobs make Dan, Geno better liked than legislators
By Chris Powell Celebrating Dan Hurley’s decision this week to keep coaching the men’s basketball team at the University of Connecticut, state House Speaker Matt Ritter confirmed a thought previously reserved for cynics. That is, UConn’s success with basketball is state government’s great rationalization for giving the university whatever it wants financially year after year.Continue reading “Easier jobs make Dan, Geno better liked than legislators”
Palestine would murder protesting U.S. students
By Chris Powell At Yale University in New Haven, the University of Connecticut in Storrs, and a score of other institutions of higher education, students are protesting the support being given by the United States to Israel in its war with the Hamas regime in Gaza. The students want their colleges to dissociate themselves fromContinue reading “Palestine would murder protesting U.S. students”
Overpaid higher educators say they can’t save a cent
By Chris Powell Public higher education in Connecticut is doomed — doomed! — if the University of Connecticut and the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system don’t get at least $110 million more than Governor Lamont has proposed in his budget. That’s what college administrators and students told a hearing of the General Assembly’s AppropriationsContinue reading “Overpaid higher educators say they can’t save a cent”
Chris Powell column 