CU shared governance leaders advocate for continued state investment
Higher education must remain a critical investment for the state of Colorado, even in the face of a daunting $800 million state budget shortfall. This was the prevailing message of CU President Todd Saliman and the university’s shared governance leaders who testified last week before the state’s Joint Budget Committee (JBC) at its annual hearing on higher education.
Saliman invited CU’s shared governance leaders to participate in the hearing again this year – the only Colorado university leader to do so – with each offering brief testimony about the importance of state funding for CU and higher education statewide, and the value CU brings to Colorado. The Jan. 9 hearing preceded Wednesday’s start of the 2026 state legislative session.
Joining Saliman at the hearing were Faculty Council Chair Jorge Chavez, Staff Council Co-Chairs Ja’Net Hurt and Kimberly Slavsky, and Intercampus Student Forum Vice Chair Camden Sharkey. CU Board of Regents Chair Callie Rennison also testified before the committee.
“Investments from the state are critical to support our students,” Rennison said after expressing gratitude to the JBC for providing funding last year at a level that allowed CU and other institutions statewide to keep tuition in check. “The Board of Regents is focused on student success – in particular, improving student retention and graduation rates for all our students – and supporting our employees to recognize the incredible work of our staff and faculty. This is paramount, as we want to do all we can to ensure that CU reflects all of Colorado’s communities and is a top choice for Colorado high school graduates.”
The governor’s proposed budget request for the 2026-27 fiscal year falls more than $58 million short of covering the base core minimum costs for institutions statewide. The funding challenges for higher education exacerbate issues with competitive salaries and basic cost of living raises for thousands of CU employees, as well as managing tuition increases for students and their families.
“Your support in funding the full base core minimum cost increase will help the university recruit and, more importantly, retain talented and dedicated staff who serve our students and support our faculty,” Hurt said. “To remain a competitive employer and economic driver in the state, we must adequately compensate our employees.”
State lawmakers ultimately develop and approve the state’s budget in consultation with the governor. Initial recommendations for state funding levels are developed by the JBC and must be approved by a majority of state lawmakers before being forwarded to the governor for his final approval.
“It takes people to educate people, and in partnership with university staff and leadership, faculty maintains a core focus on supporting student success,” Chavez said. “Faculty face the same inflationary salary pressures that our non-faculty staff face. The university also has the added challenge of competing with the pay offered by peer institutions and outside industries.”
Sharkey offered JBC members the student perspective.
“Many students take out loans to afford an education. Your investment keeps college accessible and tuition stable for me, my friends and fellow students,” he said. “Additionally, your support helps fund compensation for the faculty we learn from and staff we rely on … who help us pursue our dreams.”
Joining Saliman in representing the state’s higher education institutions at the hearing were Colorado School of Mines President Paul Johnson, Colorado State University Chancellor Tony Frank and University of Northern Colorado President Andy Feinstein. Each leader thanked JBC members and their predecessors for supporting higher education and Colorado students in previous years and requested sufficient funding to cover their institutions’ base core minimum costs despite budget challenges.
“We understand the pressure you’re under. Our request is that you consider (higher education) the same way you consider other state agencies when you’re thinking about the core components of operating: compensation, benefits and inflation,” Saliman told JBC members. “You know better than anyone that your decisions have a direct impact on us and our ability to keep tuition in check, pay our employees and maintain our facilities. We thank you for your support in the past and humbly ask that you do what you can to dig deep for us again this year.”
During the hearing, Saliman and his colleagues noted the significant economic impact their institutions have on the state – the CU system alone generated $12.2 billion in economic impact across Colorado last year – as well as the vital role they play in educating and training the state’s workforce.
Saliman and his colleagues reiterated points at the hearing that were outlined in a joint letter sent to the JBC at the start of the year from higher education leaders statewide.
The 2026 Colorado state legislative session began Wednesday and is expected to conclude May 13. For information about CU’s State Government Relations Team, the lead legislative liaison for the university, as well as current state legislation, visit cu.edu/office-government-relations/state-relations.