Connecticut

CSCU officials vow to fix spending problems outlined in audit

Published

12 months ago

December 19, 2024

CSCU officials vow to fix spending problems outlined in audit

One day after an audit raised concerns about spending by top executives, officials with the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) vowed to impose more financial control.

“I understand people’s frustration, I understand people’s disappointment and we have to take that very seriously,” CSCU Chancellor Terrence Cheng said after a Board of Regents meeting Thursday at CT State Community College Manchester.

Cheng was the focus of an audit released Wednesday by Comptroller Sean Scanlon that reviewed how he and other administrators used their state-issued credit cards, or P-cards.

The audit found Cheng often exceeded limits for meals, occasionally purchased alcohol and hired a driving service three times despite the state providing transportation for him.

The audit also found questionable spending by some presidents at the system’s four state universities and 12 community colleges.

Cheng said he is looking to implement Scanlon’s 10 recommendations. Those involve clear, consistent polices and creating more financial oversight.

Board of Regents Chairman Martin Guay also said the system needs to impose changes to restore public trust.

“This is very fixable and it will be fixed,” Guay said.

Guay agreed on the need for more oversight, especially after regents cut eliminating internal auditing operations in 2017 as a way to save money.

Guay noted Cheng is no longer using his P-Card and the CSCU system is re-evaluating when a school’s nonprofit foundation should pay for an administrator’s meal or other costs.

Cheng said he’s still reviewing Wednesday’s audit, but hopes to start working on system-wide P-Card policy and other measures. He wants to implement changes over the next 100 days.

But questions remain about whether Cheng will be the one to make those changes.

Republican lawmakers called for Cheng’s termination Wednesday. Guay said he isn’t ready to make that determination.

He wants to talk with Scanlon to learn more about his findings, as well as with CSCU’s financial leaders and attorney.

“We don’t know enough to make that kind of a decision so we’re not making that right now,” he said.

Governor Ned Lamont expressed his support for Cheng while speaking with reporters at an unrelated event in Hartford.

Students, meanwhile, expressed frustration. The audit’s findings detailed spending over a three-year period that coincided with tuition increases and unpopular cost saving moves.

This includes a consolidation of community colleges that has drawn criticism from students and faculty.

“We do expect a level of credibility and accountability from our leaders,” CT State Community College Manchester student Darren Mack said.

Guay said he understands the audit undermines the CSCU system’s efforts to control costs.

“You make progress and something like this happen and you get – it becomes problematic with trust,” he said.

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Connecticut

Central Connecticut State hands Bearcats second straight loss

Published

5 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Press Room

Central Connecticut State hands Bearcats second straight loss

VESTAL, NY (WBNG) — In a second straight doubleheader Saturday following up a Bearcats women’s win, the Bearcats men’s team dropped their second consecutive home game, 84-67 to Central Connecticut State.

In a closely contested matchup early on, the Bearcats stayed in it heading into the break only trailing by seven points.

In the second half, Binghamton brought it to within four points before the Blue Devils pulled away once again and went on an 11-0 run and went up by as much as 20 points.

Darin Smith Jr. finished with a game high, 23 points for the Blue Devils.

The Bearcats were without center, Demetrius Lilley which led to junior forward, Zyier Beverly, having an increased role.

Beverly led Binghamton with 21 points and five rebounds.

After back-to-back losses at home, the Bearcats now go on the road for a three game road stretch starting on Wednesday, Dec. 17 against Pittsburgh at 7p.m.

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Connecticut

Watch New Canaan vs. Cheshire in Connecticut Class L football championship: Live stream

Published

17 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

Watch New Canaan vs. Cheshire in Connecticut Class L football championship: Live stream

New Canaan faces Cheshire in the 2025 Connecticut high school Class L football state championship on Saturday afternoon.

The game begins at 4 p.m. EST on Saturday, Dec. 13, at Veterans Stadium in New Britain, Connecticut.

The game will stream live on the NFHS Network.

High school football championships on NFHS Network

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What: Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) Class L football championship

Who: New Canaan vs. Cheshire

When: Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025

Where: Veterans Stadium in New Britain, Connecticut

Time: 4 p.m. EST

Stream: NFHS Network

Tickets: $11,50

Record, MaxPrep state rankings: New Canaan 12-0, No. 1; Cheshire 9-3, No. 11

Here’s more information about the game from the Hartford Courant, via the Tribune News Service:

New Canaan is going for its 16th state title and fourth straight under veteran coach Lou Marinelli and New Canaan outscored its playoff opponents, 85-13. Cheshire’s last finals appearance was 2009, when coach Don Drust was an assistant for the Rams’ team, which beat Staples in overtime to win a Class LL title. Cheshire rallied from a 19-point deficit against Fairfield Ludlowe to win the Class L quarterfinal game and beat Ridgefield 21-0 in the semifinals. QB Aiden Gregorich’s pass to Liam Suomala proved to be the game-winning touchdown with 10 seconds left in the quarterfinal.

What is the NFHS Network?

The NFHS Network covers more than 30 sports across the country. NFHS Network costs $13.99 per month or $79.99 per year.

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Connecticut

Could mini-liquor bottles be banned in Connecticut?

Published

1 day ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

Could mini-liquor bottles be banned in Connecticut?

Have you still seen a lot of mini-liquor bottles, littering the streets in Connecticut?

Members of one environmental group said they still see them, and believe a ban is the best way to solve a multi-tiered problem.

State data shows in the past 12 months, ending September 30, there were more than 93 million mini-liquor bottles sold in our state.

The group supporting local bans says it’s not just the litter, but also the fact mini-liquor bottles are easy to conceal and consume on the job, in the car, or at school.

The group “Connecticut Towns Nixing the Nip” met this week, working on strategies to get a legislative hearing on the issue in the upcoming 2026 session.

Right now, stores collect a 5-cent surcharge for every mini-liquor bottle sold, resulting in about $5 million annually for town and city environmental cleanup efforts.

Town funding from nip sales

Average revenue per year 2021 to 2025.

“Having talked to a number of towns, well a few towns, they like the money, said Tom Metzner, a member of the group. “It’s fairly broad in how it can be used. It’s environmental. It doesn’t have to be used for cleaning up nips. And so the towns have become somewhat silent on the issue of banning nips.”

The group cited Chelsea, Massachusetts, where minis are banned, both litter and alcohol related EMS calls decreased.

The Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Connecticut, which devised the “nickel per nip” program, said banning the mini-liquor bottles would be unprecedented.

Instead, it said the environmental group should be challenging municipalities to prove they actually use the money for cleanup.

Legislative leaders suggested several years ago the way to really do this is to have a redemption program for mini liquor bottles, and now, that could be possible.

At least one state with the Clynk bottle collection program has redeemed mini-liquor bottles for cash.

The company just announced a major expansion in our state, but it told us it is not aware of a redemption program for mini-liquor bottles here any time soon.

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