Regents roundup: Tenure list, livestreaming update, governor’s budget request

The CU Board of Regents moved a step closer to livestreaming its meetings after a presentation on technology that would enable it.

During its meeting Nov. 6 at CU South Denver, the board heard about Swagit, a technology that interacts with the BoardDocs platform already in use. Its estimated annual cost is $2,800, which would not include the cost of cameras. It would include close captioning.

“I’m not entirely convinced this is a good idea,” said Regent Chance Hill, R-Colorado Springs. “It may lead to more grandstanding.”

Regent Sue Sharkey, R-Castle Rock, said she also worries about the “grandstanding aspect,” but said the regents have a duty to conduct their business as if there were no cameras in the room.

The board will determine if it intends to livestream its meetings, then decide if Swagit is the right platform to do so. The board’s February meeting would be the earliest to be livestreamed.

In other business at the board meeting, Nov. 6-7 at CU South Denver:

• Tanya Kelly-Bowry, vice president, government relations, said university leadership is closely monitoring possible changes to the state budget proposal of Gov. Jared Polis. The governor announced his request four days before Colorado voters rejected Proposition CC, which would have boosted funding for CU and other higher education institutions. Earlier this week, the governor released a roadmap to make college more affordable, and was expected to make a formal 2020-21 budget presentation to the Joint Budget Committee on Wednesday. Kelly-Bowry said she and her government relations team are working with university leadership to determine legislative priorities for the 2020 session that begins in January.
   
• The board authorized CU Boulder to enter into a ground lease with HRV Hotel Partners to develop an on-campus hotel and conference center on 2.95 acres straddling Grandview Avenue in the northwest corner of the main campus. The resolution passed 5-2, with Regents John Carson, R-Highlands Ranch, and Jack Kroll, D-Denver, voting no; Chair Glen Gallegos, R-Grand Junction, did not vote, and Regent Irene Griego, D-Lakewood, was not present. Read more in CU Boulder Today.
   
• Two appointments with tenure were approved by the board: Iain Boyd and Massimo Ruzzene, both professors in the CU Boulder College of Engineering and Applied Science, effective Nov. 7, 2019.
   
• The regents debated a civics education initiative, as reported last week in CU Connections.