University of Colorado
Student Union
Legislative Council
Sponsored by: Veronica
Crespin
Tri-Executive
Joseph Neguse Tri-Executive
Garrett Stanton Tri-Executive
Eugene
Pearson Legislative
Council 2nd Vice-President
Rita
Cohen Representative
Valeria
Morales Representative
Jessie
Ulibarri Representative
Scott
Larson Business
Senator
Brian
Tannenbaum A & S
Senator
Rae
Ann Armijo Journalism
Senator
Brian
Mason Law
Senator
Ashley
Moore Rep
Council Speaker
Authored
by: Joseph Neguse Tri-Executive
A
Resolution
Resolution History
As a world-class research
University, the University of Colorado at Boulder is charged with fostering an
environment of life-long learning, both in and outside of the classroom. One of
the most essential pieces to creating this type of an environment is ensuring
that there is diversity within all aspects of the institution, including the
students, staff, faculty, and administration. In addition, the University must
create an atmosphere that is conducive to toleration and embraces the diversity
of different people and their different backgrounds. Though the University of
Colorado at Boulder has had a history of racist incidents occur on the campus,
these incidents have increased significantly during the spring semester of
2005, and the reporting of these incidents has increased as well. Students,
including members of UCSU, have had their safety threatened and racist acts of
violence and disrespect continue to be prevalent on our campus, at times
happening on a daily basis. Students, and UCSU, have made continual requests of
the administration to increase their efforts at recruiting and retaining
students of color on the Boulder campus, in an effort to change this
atmosphere. Most recently, students have taken it upon themselves, organizing
the Shoulder 2 Shoulder campaign aimed at preventing racist acts and raising
awareness, and the Student Outreach and Retention Center’s (SORCE) efforts to
bring more minority students to CU. UCSU has a vested interest in ensuring that
students are safe and free from prejudice and bigotry, and this resolution
seeks to assert this by requesting the Administration increase their efforts at
recruiting and retaining students of color on the UCB campus.
Resolution Summary
WHEREAS; UCSU has a vested interest in ensuring
that the University of Colorado-Boulder campus embraces diverse students,
staff, and faculty, and;
WHEREAS: In recent months there has been a
significant rise in racist incidents on and off campus in the City of Boulder,
creating an unsafe environment for all students, and;
WHEREAS:
UCSU has shown a
continued interest in increasing the diversity of the student body through
supporting the works of different UCSU Diversity programs, including but not
limited to, the Diversity Commission, the Under-Represented Student Group
Council (USGC), SORCE, and;
WHEREAS: The University of Colorado at Boulder has
a students of color population of 14%, which has stayed relatively constant
during the last three years and is among the lowest of their AAU peers, and;
WHEREAS:
It is essential
that the University support existing CU programs that have had success in
retaining and recruiting students of color for the CU campus.
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 request that the
Chancellor of the Boulder campus allocate more funds towards programs that aim
at recruiting and retaining students of color, including but not limited to,
the Minority Arts and Sciences Program (MASP), the CU LEAD program, Ethnic
Living and Learning Community (ELLC), Chancellors Leadership Residential
Academic Program (CLRAP), Minority Engineering Program (MEP), Pre-Collegiate
Program, and others.
SECTION
2: The students of the University of Colorado
at Boulder request
that the Board of Regents support an increase in the funding of the programs
listed above as they approve the University of Colorado FY 2005-06 Budget at
their Budget Retreat on June 3rd and 4th of 2005.
SECTION 3: The students of the University of Colorado
at Boulder request
that University of Colorado President Elizabeth Hoffman and Vice President
Carmen Williams restore the amount of funds in the President’s Diversity Fund,
which has seen a drastic cut in recent years.
SECTION 4: The students of the University of Colorado
at Boulder charge the
UCSU Diversity Commission to work with the CU administration to enact different
potential institutional changes that will help create a more tolerant and diverse
atmosphere at the UCB campus.
SECTION 5: This resolution will be
sent to the President Elizabeth Hoffman, Vice-President Carmen Williams,
Vice-President Steven Golding, the Board of Regents, Interim Chancellor Phil
Distefano, Chief Financial Officer Ric Porrecca, Vice Chancellor Ron Stump,
Dean of Students Elease Robbins, all Directors of the programs listed above,
and any other parties requesting the said resolution.
SECTION 5: This resolution takes effect upon passage by
the Legislative Council and upon obtaining the signatures of the Council
President and the Tri-Executives.
4/21/05 Passed 12-1-1
4/28/05 Passed 11-1-1
Naomi Lopez Garrett
Stanton
Legislative Council President Tri-Executive
Joseph Neguse Veronica
Crespin
Tri-Executive Tri-Executive