Regents considering rates of salary increases, tuition changes

Editor’s note: A version of this story first appeared as an update to CU Connections on Feb. 21.

The University of Colorado Board of Regents on Feb. 20 began considering campus and system recommendations for faculty and staff raises and for increases in tuition.

Todd Saliman, vice president and chief financial officer, and campus financial officers presented reports during the board’s meeting at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. For the coming fiscal year, he said administrators are recommending 4.5 percent raises for classified staff, to match the Joint Budget Committee’s stipulation for state employees. For faculty and exempt professionals, CU administrators are recommending a 3 percent merit pool, meaning potential raises for individuals would vary below and above that figure. One exception is for the president’s cabinet members and campus chancellors, whose increases would be limited to 3 percent total.

The campuses also presented the regents with recommended options for tuition increases in the coming year; the following increases would apply to resident undergraduates, unless otherwise noted:

CU-Boulder: 3.6 percent or 4.1 percent

UCCS: 3.6 percent or 4 percent

CU Denver: 3.5 percent

CU Anschutz Medical Campus: 6 percent in the College of Nursing (only undergraduate program); range for graduate programs from no increase to 36 percent (actual increase of about $65 in those programs)

Regent James Geddes, R-Sedalia, said he would like to see a budget proposal that does not include tuition increases, or at least no tuition increase at CU-Boulder. In doing so, he said, the university would be making a strong statement that would improve the image of the university.

In other action during the Feb. 19-20 board meeting at UCCS:

• The board heard a presentation from Abby Benson, assistant vice president of research and federal relations, about President Bruce Benson’s involvement in a new national higher education task force (see story here).
• The board unanimously approved CU’s sale of property at the former Health Sciences Center in Denver (see story here).
• In a 7-2 vote, the regents approved CU-Boulder’s proposal to build a 105,000-square-foot building atop the Euclid Avenue Autopark. The building will be used to consolidate several student-oriented academic services – including admissions, academic advising, precollegiate outreach and the International English Center -- in a single, convenient location. Those and other entities currently are scattered, and not all are located on campus. The project, with an estimated cost between $37.8 million and $43 million, will be financed with a combination of non-state, campus cash funds repaid from leased space within the building. Construction is scheduled to begin in August, with a targeted completion date of December 2015. Regents Geddes and Joe Neguse, D-Broomfield, voted no after expressing concern over needs for maintenance in existing buildings.
• The board approved one appointment with tenure: Mark Gross, computer science professor in the College of Engineering and Applied Science, CU-Boulder, effective Feb. 24.
• A video promoting diversity at CU, “Be You @ CU,” a collaboration of the CU system and CU Denver, was screened for the board.
• The board was presented with information on two new degree proposals at CU Denver: master of arts in applied geography and geo-spatial science; master of science in taxation.
• CU-Boulder Athletic Director Rick George updated the Board of Regents’ Intercollegiate Athletic Committee on a $143 million facilities project. More than half of the $50 million required to begin construction has been raised; groundbreaking is planned for April (see story here.)