Board of Regents censures Regent Gallegos

The CU Board of Regents on Wednesday approved a resolution to censure Regent Glen Gallegos, R-Grand Junction, for violations of regent policy related to interactions with colleagues and staff. The vote was 9-0, with Gallegos joining in the unanimous vote.

The resolution states that Gallegos “has engaged in conduct in his public and private communications and interactions with university employees, fellow Regents, and others that has been disparaging, disrespectful and, at times, has been perceived as threatening.” It notes that he violated some provisions of four separate regent policies. As a result, the board has removed him from regent committee assignments and representational activities for an unspecified time period.

The measure does not prevent Gallegos from attending full board meetings and voting on matters before the regents. The resolution states that the board may revise or remove the sanctions by a majority vote of the board. His six-year term runs through 2024. Since regents are elected officials, they can only be removed from office by a vote of the people.

After the vote, Board of Regents Chair Lesley Smith issued a statement: “The Board of Regents has high expectations for how our students, faculty and staff conduct themselves and engage with each other, along with policies and practices that embody those expectations. It is important for board members to exemplify what we expect of others in the university community. This censure recognizes that one of our members, who otherwise has been a strong advocate and passionate board member for CU, on more than one occasion has fallen short of our expectations and obligations in some instances. Yet we hope this action will not only address issues in this case, but also continue to remind us of our obligation to adhere to high standards of behavior and engagement with members of the university community.”

Gallegos said he understands the board’s action. “I respect the board’s decision and I know I can do better,” Gallegos said. “I intend to continue to both advocate for the university and to hold it accountable when necessary, and to keep doing my best to represent the people of Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District on the board, as I’ve done for the past decade.”