Today, State Senator Derek Slap (D-West Hartford), Senate Chair of the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee, joined state leaders at the University of Connecticut in Storrs including Governor Lamont, his fellow Higher Education co-chair State Representative Gregg Haddad (D-Mansfield), State Senator Mae Flexer (D-Windham) and UConn President Radenka Maric to highlight the release of $35 million in support for the University of Connecticut and UConn Health.

“This is a big deal, and I’m grateful to state leaders, the American Association of University Professors, UConn and UConn Health for coming to the table and working to preserve this vital aid,” said Sen. Slap. “Research helps us solve important problems impacting our world, and in our state, it’s vital for our economy. When the Trump administration acted last year to unilaterally and unlawfully cut tens of millions of dollars in federal funding, we knew we needed to act. We can’t afford to fill every cut made by the federal government, but this is one of the most important actions we can take to preserve our current standards, and it will keep our state moving forward.”

The funds, to be released from the state’s Federal Cuts Response Fund, will provide economic relief for UConn and UConn Health due to a loss of federal research grants. In 2025, the Trump administration canceled and ended numerous grant programs providing significant support to vital research programs in higher education, harming Connecticut’s higher education research, vital for the state’s economy.

At the start of the 2026 legislative session, Sen. Slap and Rep. Haddad introduced and led passage of legislation out of the Higher Education Committee to provide support to UConn and UConn Health. Preserving university and health research stood as a priority for legislators this year, with today’s investment fulfilling that need.

Sen. Slap also drew attention to a second advancement through the state budget, the creation of a state student loan program supporting students pursuing graduate programs such as nursing and social work. In 2025, the federal Department of Education made significant changes to how student loans for graduate school are considered, expected to increase the cost of pursuing these degrees. As the state and country continue to face shortages of health care workers and other vital roles, the grant program will help prevent further erosion of these workforces.

Caption: Sen. Slap speaks Thursday at the University of Connecticut.