Dr. Tricia M. Bailey testifies before nominations committee on UConn Board nomination; committee moves nomination, vote left open

Dr. Tricia M. Bailey, a University of Connecticut alumna and Florida-based entrepreneur, appeared April 10 before the General Assembly's Executive and Legislative Nominations Committee to answer questions about her nomination to the University of Connecticut Board of Trustees. Committee members moved the House resolution to advance her nomination; the committee kept the formal vote open until 4 p.m.

Bailey, introduced by committee leadership at the public hearing, described her background in health care and business and told the committee she oversees a group of companies she said employ about 5,000 people and generate revenues in "hundreds of millions." She said her priorities, if confirmed, would include addressing student housing constraints that she and legislators identified as limiting the university's ability to admit more Connecticut students.

Why it matters: The University of Connecticut is the state's flagship public university and admissions, housing and athletics affect enrollment patterns, state higher-education policy and local communities around campus. The committee's action advances the nomination to a House vote, but the committee left the roll call open, so no final committee tally was announced at the hearing.

Bailey said she is founder and CEO of Bailey's Medical Equipment and…