The University of Colorado Board of Regents on April 28 approved a 4% increase in tuition for graduate students and new undergraduate students at 彩民宝典 as part of the 2023鈥�24 budget, which will be finalized in June.听
The board also heard public comments on concealed carry policies, divestment and sexual assault prevention. It also handled other business during its two-day meeting at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus.
Tuition, fees, compensation approved for 2023鈥�24
The board voted to approve tuition, fee and compensation portions of the fiscal year 2023鈥�24 budget, with Regent Mark VanDriel voting against the resolutions on tuition and compensation. The spending plan is mindful of affordability while supporting strategic investments in compensation, financial aid, and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Key aspects of 彩民宝典鈥檚 budget proposal include:
- 4% increase in tuition for incoming undergraduate resident and non-resident students (because of 彩民宝典鈥檚 tuition guarantee, only new students, not continuing undergraduates who will complete their degrees in four years, will see an increase in their tuition)
- 4% tuition increase for graduate students
- $10 increase in the CUSG student activity fee (to $409.76 per semester) and $20 increase in the mental health resource fee (to $97.40 per semester)
- 4% merit compensation pool for university staff, faculty and graduate students on appointment. The campus plans to propose an additional 4% merit pool for the 2024鈥�25 fiscal year, if funds are available, to allow a total 8% merit pool over the next two years
- 5% across-the-board pay increase for classified staff as determined by the state of Colorado
- Minimum wage increases for staff (to $18/hour) and student workers (to $16/hour)
CU system Chief Financial Officer Chad Marturano is expecting an 11.5% increase, or about $118.6 million, in state funding for higher education next year, along with a $27.3 million increase in student financial aid across the state. State funding also will support capital construction and controlled maintenance projects across the CU system, including the Hellems Arts and Sciences Building renovation.
彩民宝典 is projecting fall 2023 undergraduate enrollment to be very close to fall 2022 and is anticipating a slight decrease of 0.7% in the overall student population.
Later this year, 彩民宝典 will launch a project to develop a comprehensive compensation strategy for campus employees.
The full budget will be voted upon at the June Board of Regents meeting.
Comments on concealed carry, sexual assault prevention, divestment, more
Regents also heard public comments on several topics, including a plea to ban concealed carry of handguns on campuses from CUSG Tri-Executive Rachel Hill. The topic has been discussed repeatedly throughout the academic year, including at the regents鈥� University Affairs Committee on April 18.
鈥淭he students, the faculty, the staff are not letting up on this,鈥� Hill said.
Regents heard an update on resident advisor (RA) compensation from University of Colorado Colorado Springs student Isabella Palombo, who raised concerns about salaries and working conditions at UCCS as well at 彩民宝典 and urged the CU system to address unmet financial needs among RAs. 彩民宝典 has proposed a plan to increase compensation starting next academic year to address RA concerns as part of the fiscal year 2024 budget.听
Link O鈥橞rennan, a student in Women & Gender Studies, urged 彩民宝典 and the system to undertake a variety of steps to more adequately prevent and respond to sexual assault on campus. Board of Regents Chair Lesley Smith urged the students to take the recommendations to the campus Sexual Misconduct Task Force to review.
The majority of speakers April 27 attended on behalf of Fossil Free CU, urging regents to remove all university investments from fossil fuels and reinvest in clean energy. About 40 people, many wearing orange and carrying posters, gathered to show support for divestment. 彩民宝典 theater professor Beth Osnes, who focuses on creative climate communication, dressed as a wind turbine and sang a song about clean energy.
Regent Ken Montera said board members are now educating themselves on CU鈥檚 investment processes and practices and also hiring a new treasurer. He said the regents would continue to study the issue and keep their focus on 鈥渞evenue streams that keep CU accessible and affordable to all.鈥�
Strategic plan update: Research funding goals
Regents also received updates on the second pillar of the CU system strategic plan, which is focused on discovery and impact.听Marturano presented data on current research, scholarship and creative work and campus progress toward 2026 goals.
彩民宝典 received a record $658 million in research awards and gifts during the 2021鈥�22 fiscal year and has received $551.5 million in awards and grants so far this fiscal year (as of March 31). The goal for fiscal year 2026 is $800 million.
The campus plans to focus its efforts on boosting national security research, as well as deepening collaboration with the Anschutz Medical Campus to increase funding from the National Institutes of Health.
The regents, chancellors and other campus leaders met in breakout groups to discuss the data and goals.
East Campus athletics upgrades
The board also approved a plan to renovate and construct athletic facilities on 彩民宝典鈥檚 East Campus as part of the consent agenda. The improvements are designed to address recommendations identified in the CU Athletics 2022鈥�26 Gender Equity Plan related to Title IX compliance.
The project includes a new 4,000-square-foot building to include ADA-accessible restrooms, drinking fountains and concessions for spectators in anticipation of 彩民宝典 hosting the Pac-12 Track and Field Championships in May 2024. It also includes renovations to the Bryan Benjamin Sax Ski Team Building to upgrade and expand non-code-compliant restrooms.
The project will serve student-athletes on the ski, track and field, and women鈥檚 soccer teams as well as spectators at Potts Field and Prentup Field. Funding for the $4.4 million project will come from a CU Foundation gift.
The new building is expected to be ready for occupancy by August 2023.
Other business
The board received an update from Chancellor Phil DiStefano about highlights from the academic year, which will culminate May 11 when more than 6,000 graduates celebrate commencement at Folsom Field.
The year鈥檚 highlights included the grand opening of the Ren茅e Crown Wellness Institute; an election that upheld the annexation of 彩民宝典 South; the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Summit; academic successes including progress toward a common curriculum and improvements to the undergraduate experience; advancement on diversity, equity and inclusion goals; new state legislation that aids 彩民宝典; and the rise of the CU football team under coach Deion Sanders.
The regents also:
- Voted to grant tenure to 彩民宝典 professors Torin Clark, Adam Holewinski, Daniel Larremore听and Natasha Shrikant and approved sabbaticals for 66 彩民宝典 faculty members
- Approved a new doctoral听program in engineering education
- Honored new distinguished professors Kira Hall, Karolin Luger and Leysia Palen听(the title of distinguished professor is the highest honor bestowed upon faculty across the system鈥檚 four campuses and recognizes excellence in research, teaching and service)
The next regular board meeting is scheduled for June 22鈥�23 at 彩民宝典.
Fall 2023 tuition changes
彩民宝典 is committed to providing a financially attainable higher education experience. To meet rising costs of instruction, the 2023鈥�24 proposed 彩民宝典 budget includes tuition increases for some students.
About the proposed changes:
- 4% tuition increase for incoming new undergraduate resident and non-resident students.
- Because of 彩民宝典鈥檚 tuition guarantee, continuing undergraduates who will complete their degrees in four years will not see an increase.
- 4% tuition increase for graduate students.
- The budget also increases institutional financial aid and increased support for the Chancellor鈥檚 Diversity Initiative.
By the numbers:
- More than 15,000 彩民宝典 students supported via need-based and merit-based awards annually.
- $134 million of 彩民宝典 financial aid disbursed annually.
- $57,800 median starting salary for students with a 彩民宝典 bachelor's degree (Payscale, 2020)
Recent steps taken听to make higher education more financially attainable:
- The 2023鈥�24 budget proposal includes increased funding for institutional financial aid.
- Four-year lock on tuition for incoming undergraduates.
- Elimination of course and program fees and the听student information systems fee.
- Reduced Residential Academic Program fee by 50%.
- No tuition increases for fall 2020 and a one-time tuition increase buydown in fall 2021.
- Automatic scholarships for qualified Colorado resident students.
- A $200-per-year reduction to mandatory fees from the elimination of a capital construction fee.
- Scholarships for academically qualified transfer students.
- 彩民宝典 is expanding the CU Promise program in 2023鈥�24, doubling the number of Colorado resident students with significant financial need who are eligible for free tuition and fees for the 2023鈥�24 academic year.
- Many graduate students receive a high level of financial support as they pursue their degree.
- In 2021, 彩民宝典 began covering mandatory fees for graduate students on assistantship appointments.
- Eligible graduate students on appointment received a base-building 3% across-the-board pay increase, effective Jan. 1, 2023.
