12-02-2025
CT higher education chief questioned at Capitol as Republicans seek his resignation for lavish spending
With Republicans and staff members calling for his resignation, a Connecticut college leader apologized Tuesday for lavish spending of taxpayer dollars that has prompted sharp criticisms.
Terrence Cheng, the chancellor of the Connecticut State Colleges & Universities system, told lawmakers that his office is changing policies to ensure greater transparency in the use of state-paid purchasing cards that pay for expenses.
'I acknowledge that my actions have raised serious concerns about financial oversight and transparency,' Cheng told lawmakers at a special forum to review the spending. 'For this, I take personal responsibility, and I am extremely, extremely sorry. I also want to apologize to members of the General Assembly, who have consistently supported our system and our students. … For my part in this, I do sincerely apologize. … I recognize that trust is not just given. It has to be earned through action, and it cannot be earned simply through words.'
State Rep. Lucy Dathan, a New Canaan Democrat, asked Cheng about the perception of spending for lavish meals at the same time that some hard-working students need access to food pantries.
'I think it looks bad,' Cheng responded to Dathan. 'I mean, I'm not sure how else to say it more elegantly than that. That is certainly something that I have to own as the leader of this system. When I make a mistake, I fess up to that mistake. Those were mistakes. Those were absolutely mistakes in that I did not take into consideration what the public perception of my actions might have been.'
Cheng added, 'There was no nefarious intent. I can vow that I will not make those mistakes again. I simply will not make those mistakes again, and I say that in public, in testimony, and that is something that I will be held accountable for because ultimately if I as the leader of this organization don't have trust with you as our legislative leaders, if I don't have trust with my board, and if I don't have trust with our students, faculty and staff, then we're never going to make the progress that we must make.'
Cheng, who is paid more than $440,000 per year, has been blasted by Republicans since last year when it was revealed that he had spent excessively on taxpayer-funded purchasing cards for expensive meals, dry cleaning, alcohol, room service, car washes, and limousine rides, despite having access to a state vehicle. Those revelations by Hearst Connecticut Media led to audits by the state comptroller, which was requested by Lamont, and the bipartisan auditors of public accounts. Some meals exceeded the state's $50-per-person limit, but the chancellor has discretion to go beyond the limit.
'This is not what our faculty, our staff, our students, our legislature deserve,' Cheng said.
Rep. Gregory Haddad, a Storrs Democrat who co-chairs the higher education committee, said the revelations came at a difficult time as the higher education system faces tight budgets and tuition increases for students. The budget-writing appropriations committee has started holding public hearings, and the final budget compromise is expected to be reached before the legislative session ends in early June.
'Your system faces serious financial challenges,' Haddad said. 'Some of the expenses and expenditures were eyebrow-raising to some of us here. … This is a system that has never created the culture that we want to see.'
Calls for resignation
Republicans have complained that Lamont for months has not joined them in publicly calling for Cheng's resignation. Instead, Lamont says that some of the spending has been relatively minor, including that Cheng tipped too much on meals paid at taxpayers' expense.
'He's working hard,' Lamont told host Brian Schactman in a live radio interview Tuesday on WTIC-AM. 'You said he tips too much. That stuff is a misjudgment – not a big deal. I don't see the strategic change I need for the CSCU system to make sure it's relevant for jobs in the next 50 years. That's what I look at. That's my criteria for success. I still need to see those changes.'
But House Republican leader Vincent Candelora of North Branford and Senate Republican leader Stephen Harding of Brookfield recently said that Lamont needs to take a stronger stance against Cheng.
'The governor continues to stand by the outrageously paid Chancellor Cheng, whose reckless spending on chauffeur services and lavish steak dinners is an insult to hard-working Connecticut families,' the Republicans said. 'Even more appalling, Chancellor Cheng pocketed $21,000 in moving expenses despite never relocating to Connecticut—yet the governor, most Regents, and Chancellor Cheng himself have offered nothing but a feeble and inadequate response. Restoring trust in the CSCU system must start with accountability, and that begins with Chancellor Cheng's resignation. We call on the governor to finally take a stand and demand new leadership.'
After saying that he would move to Connecticut for the high-paid job under his contract, Cheng's family has continued to live over the border in New York state as he commutes to the job.
Besides calls by Republicans for Cheng's ouster, the staff at the community colleges recently issued a vote of 'no confidence' by 31-2 by the system's Senate that represents the staff.
State Comptroller Sean Scanlon told lawmakers at the forum Tuesday that the leaders of the higher education system 'should reside here in the state of Connecticut.'
Scanlon also told lawmakers that changes must be made regarding the proper spending of tax dollars.
'I think there is certainly a culture issue,' Scanlon said. 'Leadership really matters.'
Higher education committee
Prompted by the controversy, two legislative committees held a joint forum Tuesday to review the level of spending of public dollars.
'We need to know that our resources are being used wisely,' said Sen. Derek Slap, a West Hartford Democrat who co-chairs the higher education committee. 'Even single one of these dollars is precious. … Do we have the right fiscal controls in place?'
The comptroller's audit stated that Cheng spent $19,000 on meals during a period lasting more than three years on his state-issued purchasing card, known internally as a P-card.
After the comptroller's report was released, Cheng said he intended to 'do better' in the future.
'I want to recognize publicly that the comptrollers' work was spurred by my own actions and even though they were taken on behalf of the system, I recognize that my intent did not match the impact and the perception and that falls on me,' Cheng said. 'That is my responsibility, and I will be held accountable for it. It is clear that my judgement in several instances was lacking, and I am going to do better. I feel terribly that my actions have distracted from the great work that our faculty and staff are doing to support our students.'
History
Controversy at CSCU is not new. Last year, Hartford Courant columnist Kevin F. Rennie reported that Cheng was making budget cuts at the same time that he was awarding large salary increases to central office administrators.
Jessica Paquette had been earning $83,000 per year at UConn, but was boosted to $200,000 annually as vice chancellor for system affairs and chief of staff at CSCU. Another employee, Daniel Aniello, had been earning $111,000 at UConn before switching to the CSCU system at $200,000 per year. Adam Joseph, the vice chancellor for external affairs and a former chief spokesman for Lamont, is paid more than $220,000 per year.
Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@
