At its regular meeting on Thursday, June 18, which was , the University of Colorado Board of Regents approved the fiscal year 2020鈥�21 operating budget; approved five new degrees on the Boulder campus and more.
Operating budget
The board voted to approve the fiscal year 2020鈥�21 operating budget for the 抖阴旅行射 system and all four campuses. The board had previously voted in May to approve a zero percent increase in tuition and fees for the 2020鈥�21 academic year.听
Today鈥檚 vote finalizes the $4.54 billion budget for the 抖阴旅行射 system, including the auxiliary and restricted fund budgets for the Boulder, Colorado Springs, Denver and Anschutz Medical campuses, as well as for the board of regents and system administration. The total budget for the 抖阴旅行射 Boulder campus is $1.86 billion (down 2% from $1.9 billion last year).
鈥淪o far, we have managed to avoid deeper cuts with hiring delays, reductions in discretionary spending and furloughs,鈥� said Chancellor Philip DiStefano. 鈥淥ur campus community has shared in this sacrifice so we can continue to provide quality education for our students.鈥�
Highlights of the campus budget include the following:
- A zero percent increase in tuition for undergraduate students including resident, nonresident and international students.
- A zero percent increase in tuition for graduate and professional students.
- Proposed .听
- The suspension of merit increases for 抖阴旅行射 employees, including the Boulder campus, for the fiscal year 2021.
抖阴旅行射 Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Todd Saliman pointed out in his that the budget may need to be updated throughout the year, depending on revenue.
鈥淲e know less about our revenue picture now than we normally would this time of year,鈥� Saliman said. 鈥淲e will be providing updates throughout the year.鈥�
Saliman reported that Boulder enrollment projections are similar to previous years, with a minor resident undergraduate drop of .6% (approximately -100 students), and a 1.9% (200 students) increase in nonresident undergraduates that offsets much of the 17.6% (-300 students) decrease in international students.
For more information about the 2020-21 budget, the dispersal of federal funds or cost-saving measures taken by the Boulder campus, see coverage of the May Board of Regents meeting.
New degrees in teacher leadership, outdoor recreation economy and more
The board of regents also voted to approve five new degrees, three of which are made possible by interdisciplinary collaboration between colleges and departments, and four of which are online professional master鈥檚 degrees:
- Master of Arts Degree in Teacher Leadership: an online professional master鈥檚 degree offered through the School of Education designed to address the shortage of teachers in Colorado鈥檚 rural communities.
- Master of Arts Degree in Corporate Communication: an online professional master鈥檚 degree offered through the College of Media, Communication and Information designed to train working professionals in skills needed for an increasingly globalized corporate environment, including business, governmental and non-governmental organizations.
- Master of Science Degrees in Data Science: two separate professional master鈥檚 degrees offered through an interdisciplinary effort between the College of Engineering and Applied Science, the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Media, Communication and Information. One degree will be offered online (to be delivered on the Coursera platform) and one as a traditional in-residence program.
- Master of Science Degree in Outdoor Recreation Economy: an online professional master鈥檚 degree offered through the Environmental Studies Program (College of Arts and Sciences) and the Graduate School focusing on three core thematic areas: outdoor recreation, public lands and resilient communities.
Following regent approval, the new degrees are then approved by the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) as a final step.
The master鈥檚 in teacher leadership will be available in fall 2020. The other degrees will be available in 2021.听
Board chair and vice chair election
Immediately preceding the conclusion of the public meeting on Thursday, the board held leadership elections to select the chair and vice chair of the board for the coming year.
Regent , a Republican from Colorado鈥檚 3rd Congressional District, was re-elected board chair for a second one-year term. Gallegos was nominated by Regent Irene Griego, a Democrat from the 7th Congressional District and previous vice chair of the board. He was elected by acclamation, with no other nominees having been brought forward. Gallegos assumed office in 2013 and was re-elected to his current term in 2018.
Regent , an at-large Democrat, was elected board vice chair. Smith was elected to her first six-year term in 2018.
In other board news
- The board considered a resolution proposed by Regent Jack Kroll, a Democrat from the 1st Congressional District, acknowledging racism and making recommendations to improve diversity and inclusion throughout the 抖阴旅行射 system. The board voted 5-4 to refer听Regent Kroll鈥檚 resolution to the university affairs and governance committees for further consideration. Chancellor DiStefano separately announced 抖阴旅行射 Boulder鈥檚 immediate actions for change today to address diversity and inclusion on the Boulder campus.
- The board voted to approve tenure for 44 faculty on the Boulder campus.
- The board voted to approve or amend contracts for six 抖阴旅行射 Boulder assistant football coaches:
- An amended and re-stated three year contract for Offensive Coordinator and Wide Receivers Coach Darrin Chiaverini.
- New two-year contracts for Offensive Line Coach Mitch Rodrigue, Quarterbacks Coach Danny Langsdorf, Defensive Line Coach Chris Wilson, Safeties Coach Brett Maxie and Cornerbacks Coach Demetrice Martin.
- The board approved amendments to the contracts of Athletic Director Rick George and 11 head coaches to reduce their salaries for FY20-21 in line with the pay reductions in April in response to the fiscal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.听
For more details or to see presentations from the meeting, .
