Regents vote to approve plan for tuition, fees, compensation
CU’s budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year came into sharper focus Friday with the Board of Regents voting to approve the administration’s recommendations on tuition, student fees, and faculty and staff compensation. The figures will be used to determine CU’s annual budget, which the board will vote on in June.
Chad Marturano, vice president and chief financial officer, presented the plan during the board’s April 10-11 meeting at CU Denver. It calls for varying tuition increases for undergraduate resident students. Rates for new students at CU Boulder will increase 3.5%; continuing students won’t see an increase over last year, based on the four-year tuition and fee guarantee. CU Denver undergraduate resident students will see an increase of 3.3%; at UCCS, 3.5%. Resident undergraduate nursing tuition at CU Anschutz is slated to increase 2.1%.
Fees as approved vary by campus.
For compensation, the board approved a 2.5% increase for classified staff across the system matches the state requirement. For non-classified staff, salary merit pools will vary by campus. CU Boulder plans a 2.5% merit pool for faculty and staff, and a 1.5% pool for compression, retention and adjustment pay. CU Denver set a 2.5% pool for merit, compression, retention and adjustment pay, assuming the campus reaches its enrollment thresholds. UCCS set a 1.3% pool for compression, retention and adjustment pay, plus a 1.3% merit pool for faculty and staff ($700 per employee), assuming an enrollment threshold is reached. CU Anschutz set a 2.5% merit pool for faculty and staff, and a 1.0% pool for compression, retention and adjustment pay. The CU system administration salary adjustment is limited to a 2.5% pool.
Marturano noted that the non-classified increases for faculty apply to all faculty categories, including tenure and tenure-track faculty; instructional, research and clinical (IRC) faculty; and contingent faculty.
CU’s ability to keep tuition in check is made possible by the state’s investment, which is expected to bring CU an operating increase of 2.5%, or $8.7 million in state funding.
For more campus details, see coverage in CU Boulder Today and Communique.
In other business at last week’s meeting, the board formally recognized four members of the newest cohort of Distinguished Professors, first named last November. CU Anschutz faculty members Nancy F. Krebs, Donald Y.M. Leung, Jill M. Norris and Kurt R. Stenmark attended and received the official awards, CU’s highest honor for faculty across the system’s four campuses.
CU Distinguished Professors are tenured faculty members who demonstrate exemplary performance in research or creative work; a record of excellence in promoting learning and student attainment of knowledge and skills; and outstanding service to the profession, the university and its affiliates.
The five members of the 2024 cohort from CU Boulder and CU Denver were honored at the board’s February meeting.
The Board of Regents also honored Michelle Marks with a resolution of appreciation.
Marks, who served CU Denver as chancellor from 2020 to 2024, was recognized for her significant and distinctive service, and was granted the title of Chancellor Emerita of the campus. She is a faculty member in the CU Denver Business School.
A memorial resolution was passed honoring Regent Emeritus Eric Schmidt, who died earlier this year.