An emissary of the University of Connecticut’s board of trustees has approached House Speaker Matt Ritter about becoming the flagship state university’s interim president should Radenka Maric depart before her five-year contract expires on June 30, 2027, according to sources familiar with the situation.
The trustees failed to come to terms on an extension with Maric last June, despite a contract requirement that they resolve her status a year ahead of her contract’s expiration. Instead, they negotiated a six-month extension of the deadline for acting on her contract until next month.
UConn trustees met in executive session Wednesday, with one notable absence: the speaker’s father, Thomas D. Ritter, a long-time trustee.
Maric could not be reached for comment Thursday, and Ritter neither confirmed nor denied that he had been approached.
“I know there are stories out there about my future and potential job opportunities. Next Thursday I will be at the House Democratic Caucus seeking reelection as speaker of the House,” Ritter said in a text. “Beyond that, I’m not going to comment on possible or hypothetical job offers. I am 100% focused on getting House Democrats elected and meeting the caucus on November 5."
With Democrats assured of retaining control of the General Assembly on Nov. 3, Ritter is expected to be endorsed at the Nov. 5 post-election caucus as speaker for an unprecedented fourth term. If Ritter and UConn come to terms, he would resign from the House.
If a formal offer is made and Ritter accepts, UConn would join the growing ranks of state university systems that have looked outside academia to former governors and legislative leaders for leaders.
An interim appointment of 18 months or more essentially would become a tryout for the 43-year-old Ritter, a partner in the downtown Hartford law firm of Shipman & Goodwin.
House Minority Leader Vincent J. Candelora, R-North Branford, said much of the skill set Ritter has displayed running the House for six years would be useful at UConn, though he was less than happy with the prospect of Ritter’s departure.
“The prospect of the House of Representatives without Speaker Ritter would not be a good thing for the institution,” Candelora said. “I think he’s done a lot of positive things for that chamber at a time that was very tumultuous.”
House Majority Leader Jason Rojas, D-East Hartford, is believed to have the votes to succeed Ritter as speaker.
This story was first published by The Connecticut Mirror October 29, 2026.
