Connecticut State Colleges and Universities Chancellor Terrence Cheng has agreed to step aside following several months of controversy regarding his overspending on meals, alcohol and chauffeur services, the university system announced on Monday.
The decision was made by the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education not to renew Cheng’s contract after it expires next year. Instead, starting July 1, Cheng will “transition” into a new role as a strategic advisor to the board as part of a mutual agreement, according to a press release.
Officials did not announce a replacement to succeed Cheng as the head of CSCU, which includes four public universities and over a dozen community colleges.
In a statement included in the press release, Cheng said, “I am incredibly proud of the work we have done to eliminate barriers to higher education, and increase educational access, equity, and opportunity for students, particularly for first-generation and minoritized students.
“Together, we have opened new doors for students and changed the trajectory of their lives,” Cheng’s statement went on. “I remain deeply committed to this work and will continue to work with the Board of Regents and build on the success of the CSCU system.”
Discussions between Cheng and the Board of Regents had been ongoing for “a while” prior to Monday’s announcement, according to Gov. Ned Lamont. The governor is responsible for appointing nine of the board’s 15 members, including its chair.
“Look, he’s been a good friend, he’s accomplished a lot there at Connecticut State,” the governor said, pointing specifically to the consolidation of community colleges in 2023, two years after Cheng was hired.
“Applications are up, graduations are up, but we just thought it was time to make a change,” Lamont added. “We did that together and to see if we can continue to speed up the process there.”
Cheng’s tenure also coincided with a time when many colleges are struggling with stagnant or declining enrollment, along with persistent questions about how much money the state should provide to support higher education.
Those troubles worsened last year when CT Insider reported that the chancellor had charged tens of thousands of dollars to his state credit card on travel and meals, including chauffeured rides to and from his home in New York, despite his contract providing stipends for a car and apartment in Hartford.
A report from Comptroller Sean Scanlon’s office later confirmed that many of those expenses exceeded certain limits, were missing receipts or violated other rules such a prohibition on purchasing alcohol with public money.
While Lamont initially defended Cheng — saying that many of the allegations against him were “small ball” — he told reporters outside the Capitol on Monday that the controversy had contributed to the board’s decision to part ways with the chancellor.
“At a time where we’re trying to manage within our budget, obviously some of the spending was an issue,” Lamont said. “But for me, much more important is the direction of Connecticut State, what it’s going to look like in 10 years. And we’ve made good progress over the last four years. We still have a way to go.”
Richard Balducci, a former House speaker and member of the Board of Regents, said Monday the board had been dissatisfied with the pace of change under Cheng and it was evident for months that his contract would not be renewed when it expired in June 2026.
Issues over Cheng’s personal spending solidified the consensus that a change was necessary, Balducci said. “That kind of set it off,” he said.
The chairman of the board, Marty Guay, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday. In a statement that was also included in the CSCU press release, he thanked Cheng for his “hard work” and other efforts leading the system.
“The future is bright for CSCU as we look to set a new direction for the system,” Guay said.
“We have a real opportunity to make impactful investments in our system in the best interests of the students we serve and the state as a whole,” he added. “We will continue to create more opportunities and access for students, boost graduation rates, and strengthen our talent pipelines to ensure they are aligned with industry needs and meet workforce demands.”
Lawmakers reacted to the news of Cheng’s departure with a mixture of criticism over his tenure and calls to focus on improving higher education.
“Given the well-deserved controversy over Terrence Cheng’s flagrant — if not infamous — spending abuses, and the systemwide revolt by staff against his leadership, his departure as chancellor is long overdue,” House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford, said in a joint statement with state Rep. Seth Bronko, R-Naugatuck, the ranking Republican on the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee. “Public trust has been shattered, and a change was needed so the system can begin to rebuild.”
State Rep. Gregg Haddad, D-Mansfield, who serves as co-chair of the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee, said “the Board of Regents should use this as an opportunity to refocus on what’s really important, which is student outcomes, what’s happening in the classrooms.”
Haddad said the lack of stability in the system’s leadership has been worrying since 2011, when the four regional state universities combined with the state’s public community colleges and online Charter Oak State College. Since then, the system has gone through six leaders, including interim appointments, most of whom served only a few years.
The exception was Mark Ojakian, who had the job for five years prior the appointment of Cheng in 2020. Ojakian was a senior advisor and chief of staff to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who oversaw the merger.
Lamont said Monday that the board already has an interim replacement for Cheng ready to announce following graduation ceremonies next month. However, the governor said he couldn’t recall the name of the person.
Samantha Norton, a spokeswoman for the system, said that an interim chancellor has not been selected by the board, “but we hope to make an announcement in the coming weeks.”
Cheng’s current contract is set to expire on June 30, 2026. Norton said Monday that Cheng will continue to earn his base annual salary of $442,187 until then.
Republicans were also critical of the decision to keep Cheng on the system’s payroll, saying it minimized the seriousness of his spending habits.