Dear Colleagues,
I am writing today about the rates COR2E (Storrs) and HCRAC (UCH) research service centers charge for their services. This change also applies to our animal research programs (ACS at Storrs and CCM at UCH). Effective October 1, 2026, most service center rates will increase by 5%.
Our service centers provide access to high-end instrumentation, specialized services, and animal research programs that are integral to the university's research mission. They are essential to supporting our researchers and maintaining our standing as an R1 institution.
Our research service centers are subsidized by the university to keep user rates reasonable and stable. Even with this institutional support, a rate adjustment is necessary to keep pace with rising costs to maintain high service levels and ensure that UConn/UCH researchers have timely access to advanced research instrumentation and the support of highly skilled scientists and technical experts.
Our last rate review took place in FY24, with most current rates implemented in FY25. Service center rates are typically reviewed annually to ensure that rising personnel costs and inflationary increases in other operating costs are covered. Last year’s (FY26) scheduled increase was cancelled due to uncertainty in the federal funding landscape and pending collective bargaining negotiations. After this fiscal year, we plan to return to annual 5% rate increases, consistent with our previous practice, to help offset anticipated cost increases and to maintain rate and subsidy stability.
Please note that the fees for a few services will increase more than 5%, and some centers will introduce fees for services that have not previously been charged but that are consistent with industry standards. Each research service center will communicate directly with its users regarding its specific fee schedule.
We understand that these changes come at a time of continuing budget constraints. If use of core facilities and other service centers is a critical research need for you, and you do not have available funds to cover these increases, we encourage you to share your needs with your department/center, which can work with your school/college and the OVPR. Service center charges / facility use fees are also allowable costs under OVPR Internal Funding Programs, which will be re-launched in new forms this fall.
We appreciate your understanding of the need for these rate adjustments. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions.
Julie Schwager
Associate Vice President – Research Finance and Administration
Office of the Vice President for Research
860.372.2531
research.uchc.edu | research.uconn.edu
For more information, contact: The OVPR at research@uconn.edu