In an era of budget cuts and restructuring, college administrators in Connecticut claim to be doing everything they can to help keep schools afloat. State leaders announced they will be initiating an audit of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system and its chancellor, Terrence Cheng, after reports of controversial spending decisions he is said to have made. Before Cheng took the post with the CSCU, he was the campus director of UConn Stamford, a position he held from 2016 through 2021. 

“The tone-deaf champagne tastes of Chancellor Cheng are not a good look for the chancellor or for the CSCU system,” state senator Stephen Harding said to the press. 

Cheng oversees the CSCU system, which comprises the four state universities (Eastern, Southern, Western, and Central), Charter Oak State College Online, and the 12 community and technical colleges, which are in the midst of consolidation. Although CSCU is a separate body from the University of Connecticut, certain decisions in procurement, interoperability agreements and finances are shared between that system and UConn. 

Using documents and information obtained from a Freedom of Information (FOIA) request, reporters at the Stamford Advocate published a detail on Cheng’s purchases – including hundreds of dollars in meals and chauffeur services from his home in Westchester, N.Y. As part of his contract with the state, Cheng was provided a state vehicle and a $71,000 stipend with the expectation he would move to Connecticut. He’s also provided $25,000 annually for “housing and entertainment expenses.” 

So far, he’s been renting an apartment in Hartford – but he doesn’t use it all the time. The report says that a recent interview indicates that he still uses his New York residence as his primary address. 

“I believe myself and others feel he should be here in the state of Connecticut,” said Richard Balducci, a member of the Board of Regents, the group that oversees CSCU and works with the state, in the Stamford Advocate report. At UConn, the Board of Trustees would be the equivalent body. 

Governor Ned Lamont announced on Oct. 25 that the state comptroller’s office would initiate an independent audit on CSCU’s financial management and hopes a comprehensive review can be furnished. His announcement said the main purpose of the inquiry would be to “assess whether public funds have been managed in accordance with state financial policies and in alignment with the educational mission of the CSCU system,” with itemized purchases and review of meals and vehicle usage part of the request. 

Earlier this year, Cheng was lambasted by the leadership of Eastern State Connecticut University through a vote of no confidence. According to the ESCU senate’s statement as reported on by the CT Mirror, they believe the CSCU system has been mismanaged under Cheng’s direction. 

Adam Joseph, vice chancellor for external affairs at CSCU, said at the time to the CT Mirror that “administrators recognize the uncertainty faculty at all levels are feeling.” 

The merger of the state’s community colleges into one institution, originally devised as a way for CSCU to save money during former system president Mark Ojakian’s tenure, was handed off to Cheng and resulted in over 100 layoffs and various internal changes at the 12 campuses, according to reporting by the Norwalk Hour and Connecticut Post. 

Any information contained in the state comptroller’s investigation into CSCU will be made public. No changes to Cheng’s position or current allowances are planned, but he said in a statement to the Stamford Advocate that he is looking to improve. 

“This is one of those moments, right, where you learn as you’re doing your job,” Cheng said.