The Connecticut House of Representatives is siding with the Senate in blocking efforts to close a community college branch in Meriden without notice.
But unlike last week's vote in the Senate, where there was strong support from Republicans, many GOP House members expressed concern about the precedent set by the bill.
Under the proposal, the Board of Regents cannot close the Meriden campus of Middlesex Community College, an associated manufacturing program or any campuses and manufacturing programs it oversees without legislative approval.
Democratic Rep. Roberta Willis called it "unfortunate" the bill was necessary. But she said lawmakers must send a message to the Board of Regents, which is expected to meet on Wednesday to discuss the situation.
The board closed the campus in response to Gov. Dannel Malloy's proposed budget.
Senator Danté Bartolomeo, D-Meriden, released a statement in favor of the decision to block the closure.
“This is an incredible victory for the students of Middlesex Community College, and for downtown Meriden,” Bartolomeo said in a statement. “When we learned of this plan, students and legislators rallied to keep the school open, and today it was announced that our voices were heard.”
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“Students will be able to continue pursuing their degrees in Meriden, and the Manufacturing Program will continue to operate. In the past week I’ve heard from far too many students who were concerned that they would have to abandon their dreams of obtaining a degree. I could not be more thrilled to tell them they can keep those dreams alive and continue taking classes in Meriden,” she said.
The school will begin registering students for classes next week, according to a statement from Senator Bartolomeo.
“We are pleased that the Board of Regents has reversed course and will continue to enroll students at its Meriden branch,” Senate President Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven, and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, said in a joint statement. “The General Assembly has made it clear that the system should not balance its budget solely on the backs of vulnerable students.”
