Regents University Affairs Committee considers reestablishing Athletics Committee

The Board of Regents next week is expected to discuss the possibility of reestablishing a committee on intercollegiate athletics, which most recently met circa 2010-17.

During the Aug. 27 Regents University Affairs Committee meeting, held virtually, Regent Wanda James formally proposed a policy change that would call for an Intercollegiate Athletics Committee. She said such a committee makes sense given dramatic changes taking place nationally in college athletics that affect CU Boulder and the university as a whole.

The suggested policy change received a split 2-2 vote from the committee members, meaning the matter does not advance to the consent agenda at the Sept. 12-13 Board of Regents meeting at CU Anschutz. The regents still may discuss the matter and potentially vote to make the change.

Since 2017, the board’s structure includes four committees: Governance, Finance, University Affairs and Audit. Athletics currently falls under the purview of University Affairs.

In other business at last week’s University Affairs meeting, the committee voted to advance the proposed discontinuation of the French language major at CU Denver.

Richard Allen, senior associate dean for academic and strategic planning in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said demand has declined steadily for more than a decade, with a low point of just one primary major student in fall 2021. The program’s three tenured faculty retired in recent years.

French language and culture courses will continue, and the French minor still will be available. The Board of Regents will vote on the matter as part of the consent agenda at next week’s meeting.

The committee last week also voted to approve its work plan for the year. The next University Affairs Committee meeting is set for Oct. 22.