Total fall enrollment at the four CU campuses is slightly above that of fall 2022, according to preliminary estimates presented to the Board of Regents during its Sept. 7-8 meeting at CU Denver. The estimated systemwide enrollment of 66,050 is up 0.3% over the total from a year ago, 65,825.
The University of Colorado Board of Regents on Friday elected members Callie Rennison as chair and Ken Montera as vice chair for the coming year. The nine regents elected both by acclamation during the board’s meeting at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Last year, Mark VanDriel successfully ran for the CU Board of Regents in the state’s new 8th Congressional District. “I spent a lot of time talking to voters about the leadership role CU plays in higher education in our state, as well as the ways it uniquely serves all of Colorado,” he said.
When Elizabeth Pugliano, Ph.D., is teaching students, they’re not the only ones who are learning. She is, too. “I am constantly learning through teaching, both about what I teach and how it might be taught,” said Pugliano, a senior instructor of art history in the College of Arts & Media at CU Denver.
Wanda James in November became the first Black woman elected to the CU Board of Regents in over 44 years. The Denver Democrat represents Colorado’s 1st Congressional District. “I feel like I have been preparing for this role as a regent my entire life,” James said. “My work in politics has been a powerful example of what is possible when you decide to get involved.”
The Board of Regents has begun the work of determining the 2023-24 budget for the four-campus system with consideration of three potential budget scenarios for the fiscal year. Chad Marturano, vice president and chief financial officer for the CU system, presented details of the budget proposals on Feb. 9, the first of a two-day board meeting at CU Denver. The proposals differ based on potential variations in state funding, tuition, compensation and fees.
Ken Montera’s first run for a seat on the CU Board of Regents may have fallen short, but it wasn’t without useful lessons. His 2018 campaign for the at-large post led him into all 64 counties, where he met people who embodied the diversity and complexity of Colorado. The experience helped him understand what it would be like to govern, he said.
As votes across Colorado continued to be tallied on Wednesday, three seats on the Board of Regents had been determined, with a fourth too close to call. Candidates Wanda L. James and Frank McNulty were elected to six-year terms in Districts 1 and 4, respectively, while sitting Regent Ken Montera was the victor in District 5.
