Executive Committee Meeting

Monday, September 13, 2004

Guests:  Rick O’Donnell, Executive Director of Colorado Commission of Higher Education

O’Donnell spent a few minutes discussing the current priorities of the CCHE, what is happening with higher education across the state, and the fiscal situation.  Performance contracts will be created to focus on undergraduate education and will help to ensure that students graduate at the end of four years; these contracts will be negotiated this fall with the Board of Regents and will focus on undergraduate education.   The perception of many in state government that it’s good that UCB is so “lean,” the reality is the campus is “undernourished.”  Nauenberg asked whether the latest tuition increases would allow CU to increase quality and reduce the student body and O’Donnell replied that there is hope but no expectation to continue to achieve some things Quality for Colorado was designed to achieve despite no additional money.