The University of Connecticut has announced a temporary pause on The Connecticut Commitment, its scholarship program for low-income students.
The Connecticut Commitment, which was introduced by UConn President Thomas C. Katsouleas during his October 2019 inauguration, helps to cover tuition costs for qualified undergraduate and transfer students with household incomes below $50,000.
However, problems with ongoing UConn fundraising and continued uncertainty over the university”™s financial health in the coming years forced the program to be put on hold.
“Pausing the program is the hardest decision I”™ve had to make since arriving here,” Katsouleas said during a board of trustees meeting yesterday. “While unfortunate and regrettable, I believe that this is a prudent and necessary choice to make at this time.”
Approximately 260 students received an average of $2,600 through the program in the first cohort that started this fall. Katsouleas stated the school will continue to provide funding to those students while they remain at UConn. The earliest the program would be able to continue would be in Fiscal Year 2022, he added.
“While paused, the university will reassess this program going forward and given the uncertainty we are facing, I cannot make any prediction about what the future holds for the program,” he continued. “What is certain is that we will continue the work of raising critical dollars to support our neediest students. The mission of ensuring that every deserving student admitted to UConn can attend the public flagship independent of their financial means remains core to who we are.”
