Gov. Ned Lamont told CNBC on Tuesday that he wants colleges and universities in Connecticut “to open in the fall,” provided it is safe to do so.

“It’s a big part of our state,” Lamont, a Democrat, said on “Squawk on the Street.” “We have the best and the brightest coming to Connecticut to get educated, and it’d be a shame that they didn’t come … because it wasn’t safe,” he added.

The state is home to Yale University, the University of Connecticut and Quinnipiac University, among others.

Lamont’s comments come as institutions of higher education across the U.S. grapple with how to hold classes in the fall during to the coronavirus pandemic.