University of Colorado Student Union
Legislative Council
December 4, 2003 60LCR#1 State Funding FY2004/05
Sponsored by: Jessie Ulibarrí First Vice President
Sergio Gonzales Tri-Executive
Joe Kaiser Engineering Senator
Courtney Law Representative
Eugene Pearson A & S Senator
Stephen Fenberg Representative
Naomi Lopez Representative
Courtney Kramer Representative
Hilary O'Brien Representative
Larissa Teipner Representative
Travis Fawcett Representative
Michelle Yom Music Senator
Jessica Bralish Journalism Senator
Meg Rapp Arch. & Planning Senator
Authored by: Jessie Ulibarrí First Vice President
Sergio Gonzales Tri-Executive
Laura Reinsch President
Ageno Otii State Affairs Director
Juana-Rosa Cavero Federal Affairs Director
A Resolution
Resolution History
Over the last few years, due to many varying circumstances, funding for higher education in the state of Colorado has decreased dramatically. Due to the hindering effects of the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) and other legislation that pertains to higher education funding, the CU-System is looking for ways to maintain a high educational standard while upholding public accessibility to the university. A component of this plan, which is to be presented in the 2004 Colorado state legislative session, is general fund budget requests from the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE) to 1.) recapture lost State funded financial aid; 2.) restore enrollment funding, and; 3.) begin the construction project on the CU-Boulder Law School.
Resolution Summary
WHEREAS; in FY 2004, CU lost more than $3.8 million of State financial aid, and;
WHEREAS; during the last two years, the State has not funded resident enrollment growth, and;
WHEREAS; from FY 2002 to FY 2004, the University will have added 4,474 resident full-time enrolled students, without any additional general fund revenue, and;
WHEREAS; CCHE is requesting a total of $26,937,366 from the State legislature for enrollment funding for all higher education institutions, and;
WHEREAS; the Governor is only offering $3,199,826 in response to CCHE’s request, and;
WHEREAS; the American Bar Association (ABA) recently reviewed the status of Colorado’s public law school and found four major areas of concern, including poorly configured classroom space and lack of library space, that may affect its accreditation, and;
WHEREAS; CU may lose up to $7 million pledged by donors for the Law School construction project due to concerns about the State’s commitment, and;
WHEREAS; CU law students must absorb a $5.6 million tuition differential to secure bonds for the new building, and;
WHEREAS; the tuition at the University of Colorado at Boulder will continue to increase in lieu of low State funding and students will also bear additional fee increases in order to compensate for lost revenues, and;
WHEREAS; General Fund Appropriations have decreased from 20.3% in 1990 to 10.5% in 2004, and;
WHEREAS; the last ten-year period of State budget allocations for higher education and other state agencies, which are dramatically affected by various legislation, including TABOR, Gallagher, and Amendment 23, indicate that there may not be enough General Fund revenues for higher education within the next 5 years, and;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Legislative Council of the University of Colorado Student Union, THAT,
SECTION 1: The students of the University of Colorado at Boulder support the CU-System request from CCHE for $5.5 million for the next five years to recapture lost State funded financial aid.
SECTION 2: The students of the University of Colorado at Boulder support the CU-System request from CCHE for $6.03 million for additional enrollment funding.
SECTION 3: The students of the University of Colorado at Boulder support the CU-System request from CCHE for $21.2 million in State funds for the CU-Boulder Law School construction project.
SECTION 4: The students of the University of Colorado at Boulder demandt the accessibility of higher education in the state of Colorado through ensuring the continued existence and vitality of the public university through imperative state funding.
SECTION 5: This resolution will be sent to the Regents of the University of Colorado, CU-System President Elizabeth Hoffman, CU-Boulder Chancellor Richard Byyny, Governor Bill Owens, and the legislators of the state of Colorado, the Colorado Commission on Higher Education and any other parties requesting said resolution.
SECTION 6: This resolution takes effect special order upon passage by Legislative Council and upon obtaining the signatures of the Council President and Tri-Executives.
12/04/03 Passed Special Order 14-0-0
Laura Reinsch Vershara Suddeth-Lott
Legislative Council President Tri- Executive
Richard Murray Sergio Gonzales
Tri-Executive Tri- Executive