Latest news with #CSCU
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Two CSCU campuses are going solar with hope to save millions over the next decade
Two CSCU campuses in New Haven will now be powered by solar energy after the construction of a massive new solar project aimed at saving the state millions over the next decade. Greenskies Clean Focus, a solar energy company in North Haven, announced the completion of a 2.32 megawatt solar project at 361 Old Tavern Road in Orange. The energy produced from the solar array will help power the campuses of nearby Gateway Community College and Southern Connecticut State University, according to the company. Officials said the distributive energy resource (DER) solar facility will help the CSCU system realize an estimated six million dollars in energy savings over 20 years of operation. A DER is a decentralized, grid-connected energy system—such as solar panels, wind turbines, or energy storage — that generates or stores electricity near where it is used, improving energy efficiency and resilience, according to Greenskies. The Orange solar project, a massive array of 4,290 panels, will leverage the state's virtual net metering program, which allows the energy generated at a remote site to offset its energy consumption at other locations. Virtual net metering allows a renewable energy system's owner to share the billing credits that are generated when the system produces more power than the owner uses. In Connecticut, the law limits virtual net metering to municipal, state agency and agricultural customers who meet certain requirements, according to officials. 'CSCU is excited to continue its partnership with Greenskies and identify ways to further offset electric utility costs at two of its campuses,' said CSCU Chancellor Dr. Terrence Cheng. 'CSCU is committed to finding ways of utilizing clean, sustainable energy and reducing operating costs across our system through public-private partnerships like this.' Officials said the solar system will generate over three million kilowatt hours of renewable energy each year, offsetting more than 1,500 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually — the equivalent of saving more than 156,000 gallons of gasoline burned. A CSCU spokesperson said the project aligns with the state's push toward renewable energy. 'This project represents another step forward in Connecticut's transition to a clean energy future,' said Ryan Linares, vice president of real estate for Greenskies Clean Focus. 'By leveraging solutions like Virtual Net Metering, we are helping institutions like CSCU reduce energy costs and carbon emissions while supporting the state's renewable energy objectives. We deeply appreciate CSCU's continued partnership, which has now resulted in over 14.5 MW successful distributed solar projects that demonstrate the power of collaboration in advancing sustainable energy solutions.' The cost-saving energy project comes amid fresh scrutiny over the CSCU system's finances. The Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system — which includes four regional universities, the community college network and online Charter Oak State College — has historically pushed hard for state assistance since the pandemic in 2020. But those institutions are now sitting on nearly $1.1 billion combined in reserves, which has led some lawmakers to question whether those reserve funds should be tapped into. The state's solar push has also expanded to several state agencies including Connecticut prisons. Back in April, Gov. Ned Lamont announced the completion of seven solar projects in Enfield, Cheshire and Somers. The solar panels now bring power to parts of Cheshire Correctional Institution, Manson Youth Institute, Willard Correctional Institution, Carl Robinson Correctional Institution and Enfield Correctional Institution. All together, the solar panels are estimated to save $11 million in energy costs to the Department of Correction over 25 years, according to the governor's office. As large-scale solar projects increase across the state, with some drawing protests, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has also launched a new online tool for large-scale solar project siting in the state. The map tool, called the Community Renewable Energy Siting Tool, uses Geographic Information Systems mapping to display data in an easy-access format. It is free to the public and does not require specialized GIS software, DEEP officials said. The goal of the mapping tool is to allow for a more transparent and efficient siting and permitting process for large-scale renewable energy projects, while at the same time protecting Connecticut's environmental and natural resources, according to DEEP. Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@
CTV News
08-06-2025
- CTV News
Man arrested after series of distraction thefts in Nottawasaga region
Members of the OPP Central Intelligence Unit and the Nottawasaga Community Street Crime Unit (CSCU) have arrested a man in connection with a series of distraction thefts in the Nottawasaga region. According to police, a search warrant was executed on June 6 at a residence in Alliston. As a result of the investigation a 40-year-old man from Alliston was arrested and charged with theft of credit card, possession, use, or trafficking of a stolen or forged credit card, possession of property obtained by crime, laundering proceeds of crime, fraud under $5,000, and fail to comply with probation order. Police want to remind the public to be aware of their surroundings and protect their PIN codes when making purchases. Police also say if members of the pubic believe they are victims of distraction theft or have any more information regarding this investigation to contact Nottawasaga OPP.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CSCU awarding over $2.1 million in scholarship funding
CONNECTICUT (WTNH) — Connecticut State Colleges and Universities is awarding more than $2.1 million in new scholarship funding. The money will go toward nursing and social work students at Central, Eastern, Southern, and Western Connecticut State Universities, as well as Charter Oak State College. CSCU faculty members push back against potential budget cuts It's part of the second year of the Connecticut Health Horizons initiative, aiming to address the critical statewide workforce shortage in nursing and social work. In the second year of the three-year initiative, CSCU awarded 481 scholarships worth more than $2.1 million. That included more than 150 Accelerated Bachelor's in nursing, about 350 Bachelor of Science in nursing, 100 Master of Social Work, and 20 psychiatric mental health Nurse Practitioners. In a statement, to News8 Chancellor of the CSCU system Terrence Cheng said, 'The Connecticut Health Horizons initiative is a game changer for the state of Connecticut. We have been able to open up access to nursing and social work degrees, create new partnerships, and build futures.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CT State Colleges and Universities union warns of cuts: ‘Cutting the faculty will diminish … essential supports'
Anticipating faculty layoffs and up to 750 course section eliminations Connecticut State Colleges and University faculty are calling on leadership to use its reserve funds in the millions to stave off potential cuts. Members of the CSU-AAUP urged the CSCU Board of Regents Wednesday to leverage the funds and protect faculty and students. Cindy Stretch, an English professor at Southern Connecticut State University and vice president of CSU-AAUP, said the legislature expects the money accumulated by the System Office to be used for teachers. 'Instead the Board's Finance Committee is channeling Scrooge McDuck and stockpiling our funding in so-called reserve accounts,' she said. CSU-AAUP members argue that the potential cuts would result in fewer course options, a reduction in faculty, larger class sizes, a heavier course load for faculty and fewer opportunities to work individually with students to help them excel. But CSCU officials say that the CSCU reserves are dependent on the funding allocation from the state, which has yet to finalize its budget and that the Board has no authority on how the money is spent, with any cuts made to programs or faculty done at the individual college or university. 'CSCU's colleges and universities plan to use more than $130 million in institutional reserves over the next biennium,' said Samantha Norton, director of communications for Connecticut State Colleges & Universities. 'At this point we do not know how much funding the CSCU system will receive. Our reserve plan is dependent on our funding allocation from the state.' CSCU requested $555.4 million in each year of the biennium, according to Norton. In fiscal year 2026, this is $83.7 million more than what Gov. Ned Lamont proposed in his budget; and in fiscal year 2027, it is $70.3 million more than what the governor proposed in his budget, Norton said. CSCU is a system of four state universities – Central, Eastern, Western and Southern – one community college with 12 campuses and Charter Oak State College, the state's only public online college. Madeline St. Amour, director of communications for the CSU-AAUP, said that the Board of Regents is planning potential cuts of at least $12 million at the four CSUs in fiscal year 2026 and 2027. Guay told the Courant that no number has been finalized yet. 'We are waiting for the budget to be finalized in June,' he said. 'That will dictate what the ask is and what the cuts could be. A lot of the reserves sit at the institutional level and the institutions get together in a shared governance process to agree to how to move the institution forward with their fiscal constraints and reserves.' Adam Joseph, vice chair for external affairs at CSCU, said putting together a budget is like putting together a puzzle. 'We are trying to adapt to what the state funding will be,' he said. 'Each year our institution is operating within the budget that is available to them.' Joseph acknowledged that this has resulted in cuts in some cases over the years. Wearing red shirts that read 'Opening Minds, Opening Doors,' the union members, all faculty members of CSU, attended the board meeting and went directly to Guay, wanting assurances that investments would be made in education. But they said they were not given those assurances, and instead left with no answers. Wendy Wallace, part-time faculty member in the English department at SCSU, said she believes the Board could allocate the funding from its reserves. 'They have the money,' she said. 'It is that simple. They need to allocate it.' But Norton said the vast majority of the reserves at $89 million at the System Office are held for debt service and deferred maintenance and are not readily available. 'It is not required for the state to fund those reserves first as the money is in our accounts,' she said in an email. The state has flat-funded the CSCU system for years, CSU-AAUP members say, leading to cuts over the years that have already left the CSCU system with fewer staff, with increased enrollment. At Southern Connecticut State University, Provost Julia Irwin has proposed a $750,000 cut in the adjunct faculty for the 2025-26 year, which amounts to a 5% cut in part-time faculty across the university. 'I am very concerned about part-time faculty losing jobs, myself included, and I am concerned about how this would impact student learning and resources for students and their opportunity to get an effective education,' Wallace said. Wallace went on further to say that with an evolving society changing so fast and the impact of COVID on learning, students need a lot of 'individual attention and they need to be cared for. 'They need the help, care and support that we as faculty provide,' she told the Courant. 'The value of that can't be understated. Cutting the faculty will diminish our ability to provide those essential supports and essential education that they require.' Michael Brelsford, part-time faculty member in the English department at SCSU, said the cuts will have a huge impact on students, explaining that their whole college career and retention is at stake if they don't have a meaningful experience, also increasing the drop out risk. St. Amour said the potential cuts will not only hurt students because of the limited course offerings but it may affect their ability to graduate on time because of a reduction in services and tutoring. Wallace said, 'It is a matter of do we want to have a world class education in this state or are we going to sacrifice that for dollars?' Stretch told the Courant the English department at SCSU is down a third since she has been there. 'There are a lot of people in our department that don't know if they are going to have a job in the fall,' she said. She also spoke to the reduction in part-time faculty in her department, explaining that 20 years ago they had 80 teaching composition. That number is now down by half to 40. 'There is nothing else to cut without making significant impacts on things like class sizes,' she said. 'What I am concerned about is the Board of Regents does not seem to have a plan or a vision on how to get the reserves and make it possible for us to do the important work we have been doing and continue to do. Give us the resources to meet the needs of the students.' She said students do not want large class sizes. 'They don't want that experience,' she said. 'They want faculty members that know their names.' Fiona Pearson, CCSU sociology professor and chair, said in 2017 the department had a budget of $13,000. Now they are operating on $6,000. They are now expected to do more with less, she explained, with enrollment increasing and full-time faculty dropping in the department from 11 to nine. The department has doubled its part-time faculty, she said.
Canada Standard
24-05-2025
- Canada Standard
Joint CBSA and OPP investigation leads to arrest and charges for drug importation and trafficking
Canada News Centre 24 May 2025, 00:30 GMT+10 May 23, 2025 Ottawa, Ontario A 47-year-old was arrested and is facing drug related charges after a joint investigation involving the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). On Thursday, May 8, 2025, the CBSA conducted a secondary inspection of a package from Italy arriving at the Ottawa International Airport. Testing determined the contents was heroin. The CBSA requested assistance from the OPP Community Street Crime Unit (CSCU). On Tuesday, May 20, 2025, the joint investigation resulted in the execution of a search warrant by CSCU members, as well as members of the OPP Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau and CBSA, at a residence on Red Castle Ride, in the Manotick area of Ottawa. One person was arrested the scene. Harvinder Singh Malhi of Ottawa has been charged under the Controlled Drug and Substance Act with: Import Schedule 1 substance Possession a of Schedule 1 substance for the purpose of trafficking The accused has been released from custody and is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Ottawa on June 24, 2025.
