Session Notes: Meeting at the education department? B.Y.O.R.

Need a quick pick-me-up at a long meeting at the Connecticut State Department of Education?

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Effective immediately, meetings are now B.Y.O.R. – Bring Your Own Refreshments – given the major cuts that are going to be necessary to balance the state’s budget.

“Given the economic situation, we are not in a situation to provide refreshments at meetings anymore,” Education Commission Dianna Wentzell told educators during a meeting of the Performance Evaluation Advisory Committee Monday.

Members of the panel responded with jokes ranging from the cost of water to the need for coffee to get through the meetings.

It’s unclear whether this trend will spread. The governing board for the University of Connecticut, also facing cuts from the state, also meets this week. That panel typically offers coffee, bottled water with a Husky logo label and light snacks followed by a meal for the trustees after each meeting.