Report: State funding for UConn falls 16 percent

STORRS, Conn. (AP) — A new report says state funding per-student at the University of Connecticut has declined over the last decade as enrollment has soared.

The report published Tuesday by the National Science Board says per-student funding for UConn fell by 16 percent between 2002 and 2010 after accounting for inflation and increased enrollment. The organization provides independent advice to the federal government and oversees the National Science Foundation.

It said state appropriations for UConn increased 6 percent, but the funding per-student dropped as enrollment grew by 26 percent over the same period.

Nationwide, the report said the country's 101 major research universities saw declines amounting to one-fifth of state funding.

The group says it is concerned that budget cuts threaten the ability of these schools to provide affordable education and conduct research.