Connecticut uni to close polling centre

US-- An opinion polling centre at the University of Connecticut is to close at the end of June as it has been running a $700,000 deficit.

The Centre for Survey Research and Analysis has carried out of surveys on local and national issues since 1997, but its current slate of projects will be its last.

A university spokeswoman said the decision to close the centre was “purely financial”, and was made as part of the school's annual review process.

Centre director Samuel Best will remain with the university in his role as associate professor of political science. A small number of employees – believed to be four in total – will not have their annual contracts renewed.

An unknown number of telephone interviewing jobs will also be lost. These hourly employees were mostly university students, the spokeswoman said.

The University of Connecticut is not alone in closing loss-making survey research centres. Northern Arizona University closed its social research lab last week, after it had run up a deficit in excess of $100,000.

Author: Brian Tarran and James Verrinder