CHAPTER 4

Organization and Resources

Administration

The University of Colorado at Boulder is one of four campuses of the University of Colorado system, the largest institution of higher education in the state of Colorado. The CU system includes general campuses at Boulder, Colorado Springs and Denver, and a Health Sciences Center in Denver. Each of CU’s individual campuses is administered by a chancellor, who reports to the president of the University of Colorado system.

Campus Administration

Chancellor. The chancellor of the Boulder campus serves as the chief academic and executive officer of the campus, with primary responsibility for administering all aspects of the educational, research, and service programs of the campus. In that capacity, the chancellor is responsible for ensuring that all campus programs meet the university's standards in terms of quality, access, and cost-effectiveness.

The CU-Boulder chancellor contributes to the development of strategic plans and institutional policies regarding all aspects of the life of the university and provides leadership in the development and promotion of a vision consistent with CU-Boulder’s mission as the flagship campus of the university system.

As chief spokesperson for the Boulder campus, the chancellor supports and articulates the institution’s mission both within and outside the university. In that role, he or she represents the campus to elected and appointed officials, including the Board of Regents, members of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, and, on occasion, members of the Colorado General Assembly.

The chancellor is responsible for involving faculty, staff, and students in the collaborative consideration of major decisions and for building consensus among campus officers. In addition, the chancellor takes a leadership role in developing and implementing programs to enhance student life on campus.

For more information, a description of the CU-Boulder administrative structure may be found at the following web site: www.colorado.edu/FacultyStaff/#governance.

Vice Chancellors. The CU-Boulder administrative structure includes four vice chancellors to whom the chancellor delegates certain responsibilities. With the chancellor, these officers form the primary administrative team for the Boulder campus.

• The Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculties is responsible for administering the academic policies and programs of the Boulder campus and for providing intellectual leadership for excellence in teaching, scholarship, and creative work. In that capacity, the vice chancellor is responsible for: the recruitment, development, and promotion of faculty, deans, and other academic leaders; coordination of academic planning with budget preparation and capital development needs; implementation of diversity plans; and the allocation of resources to assure high-quality teaching, research and creative work, and service.

  The vice chancellor for academic affairs serves as the senior vice chancellor and deputy to the chancellor. This position works closely with the chancellor, other administrative officers, and faculty to formulate the Boulder campus long-range academic, capital development, and financial plans, including fundraising priorities and strategies. The deans, who report directly to the vice chancellor, meet as a group under his leadership at least every other week during the academic year. The Council of Deans serves as the chief academic policy-making body on campus.

  In addition to administering the campus’s academic programs, the vice chancellor is responsible for the newly created Office of Enrollment Management Services. In July 1998, the Boulder campus consolidated the Offices of Admissions, Financial Aid, and New Student Orientation under the direction of an executive director who reports to the vice chancellor for academic affairs. A year later, the registrar’s office also moved to academic affairs under the direction of the executive director of enrollment management.

  The vice chancellor is supported in achieving the division’s goals by a group of associate vice chancellors, with responsibilities in faculty affairs, research, academic and campus technology, budget and planning, diversity, summer session, and undergraduate education.

• The Vice Chancellor for Administration provides leadership for the business and administrative affairs of the campus. The vice chancellor is responsible for such functions as financial services, business services, facilities management, public safety, human resources, the bookstore, and employee development. This position also plays an important role in representing the campus to external constituencies concerning such issues as university/community relations, campus outreach, and legislative and regulatory affairs.

• The Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs provides leadership for campus student life. The Division of Student Affairs is responsible for initiating, developing, and maintaining programs and services that contribute to the intellectual and personal development of students. The division’s activities are intended to build a strong sense of community among all campus constituencies; meet the needs of a diverse student body; and prepare students to be responsible citizens in society. In doing so, the division is guided by a conceptual model that addresses such student development dimensions as self-identity, intellectual growth, career development, moral/ethical development, intimacy, personal wellness, and multicultural perspective. The vice chancellor also maintains an important relationship with the leadership of the campus and community.

• The Vice Chancellor for Budget and Finance, a position newly created in 1999, incorporates the responsibilities formerly under the purview of the executive director of planning, budget, and analysis. The vice chancellor provides leadership in the financial management and planning activities of the campus. The position serves as the campus’s chief financial and budget officer with responsibilities for institutional planning, institutional research, budget operations, capital planning and budgeting, space management, and policy analysis. The position also has oversight of intercollegiate athletics finances and operations, information technology and systems management for offices reporting to the chancellor, and campus liaison responsibilities for all internal and external audits.

Chancellor's Executive Committee. The chancellor also is assisted in campus leadership and decision-making by the Chancellor’s Executive Committee (CEC), the campus’s principal policy advisory group. The CEC agenda includes such issues as budget, capital planning, information technology, and diversity. Members include:

• Chancellor (chair)
• Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
• Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
• Vice Chancellor for Administration
• Vice Chancellor for Budget and Finance
• Executive Director of Institutional Relations
• Senior Associate University Counsel
• CU Foundation Vice President for Boulder Campus Development
• Associate Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Equity
• Executive Assistant to the Chancellor
• Dean of the Graduate School and Associate Vice Chancellor for Research
• Dean of Arts and Sciences
• Associate Vice Chancellor for Technology
• Boulder Faculty Assembly representative
• Staff Council representative
• University of Colorado Student Union representative

Organizational effectiveness. In general, the organization of the Boulder campus is viewed as rational and effective. The CU-Boulder community continues to review and assess the organizational structure on an ongoing basis, seeking to enhance the campus’s effectiveness. Significant changes in the organizational structure generally occur after careful consideration at several levels of review, before proposals are prepared for approval by the Board of Regents.

Campus organizational charts may be found in Chapter XII and at www.colorado.edu/Chancellor/charts.html.

University System Administration

President. The president serves as the chief executive officer of the University of Colorado system, which includes four campuses and a coordinating "system administration." The system office provides a variety of centralized services to the four campuses and coordinates universitywide policy development and strategic initiatives.

As the chief spokesperson for and interpreter of university policy, the president represents and interprets the roles, goals, and needs of the university throughout the state and nation. In the past 10 years, three different presidents have served the University of Colorado, each with his/her own particular style and priorities. It is generally accepted that the present course and representation of the university system is one of positive direction and initiative.

In 1996-97, President John C. Buechner launched the systemwide initiative called the Total Learning Environment (TLE), designed to propel the University of Colorado into the 21st century. Beginning with the integration of new technologies into all aspects of the university, the multi-faceted TLE involves enhancement of the learning experience at all levels in the university and the building of partnerships with state and local governments, other universities, and the private sector. By combining public and private funds, it is the goal of TLE to increase the CU system’s resource base by $2.4 billion over the next seven years. As the flagship campus, CU-Boulder plays a pivotal role in helping achieve the goals of the Total Learning Environment. Additional information about President Buechner is available at www.cusys.edu/Message/About.

In October 1999, President Buechner announced plans to resign his position, effective June 2000. A committee was formed immediately to conduct a national search for selection of the university’s next president.

System Administrative Structure. The CU system administration serves to coordinate the four campuses, establish priorities for programs, and oversee the efficient administration of the university. An organizational chart is provided in Chapter XII. Information about the individuals who serve in the various offices and descriptions of their responsibilities may be obtained at www.cusys.edu/Pres_Ofc/Overview/Organization.

In recent years, the system administration has promoted the independence of some campus programs and has brought others together under a more centralized organization. For example, the coordination of graduate programs under the central authority of the CU-Boulder Graduate School is presently being decentralized with the formation of independent graduate administrations at the campuses in Denver and Colorado Springs.

On the other hand, the system administration has initiated the Administrative Streamlining Project (ASP) that consolidates such functions as payroll, benefits, budget, and other administrative activities across the four campuses. Utilizing PeopleSoft software, ASP is intended to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the financial and human resource transaction processes for the university. Implementation is scheduled for completion by December 31, 2000. More on the ASP initiative can be found under Administrative Services in this chapter.

CU Board of Regents

The governing board for the University of Colorado system is an elected Board of Regents. Power is vested in the Board of Regents by the state legislature through a document known as the Laws of the Regents. The laws are consistent with national norms in delegating responsibility for the operation and governance of the university to the faculty and senior administrators. All budgetary, personnel, and policy decisions are subject to approval by the board upon recommendation by appropriate officers, with concurrence of the president.

The Board of Regents consists of nine members serving staggered six-year terms, one elected from each of the state's six congressional districts and three from the state at large. The members elect their own chair and vice chair. Meetings, scheduled on a monthly basis (except July), are held two times on each of the four campuses and in various locations throughout the state on a rotating basis. An annual budget retreat is held each June.

An aggregate of decisions and procedures established by the Board of Regents, known as the Policies of the Board of Regents, has been compiled and maintained as a de facto governing document for the University of Colorado system. Laws and policies of the Board of Regents, meeting schedules and minutes, as well as biographical information on each of the regents, are available on the Board of Regents' web site: www.cu.edu/regents.

Colorado Commission on Higher Education

The Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE) is the central policy and coordinating board for higher education in the state of Colorado. The CCHE consists of 11 commissioners, appointed by the governor to four-year terms; an executive director, also appointed by the governor; and support staff.

Duties and powers of the commission apply to all state-supported institutions of higher education, including junior and community colleges, extension programs of state universities and colleges, local district colleges, and area vocational schools. The governing boards and institutions of the public system of higher education in Colorado are obligated to conform to the policies set by the commission within the authority delegated to it in statute. Additional information is available on the CCHE web site: www.state.co.us/cche_dir/hecche.html.

General Assembly

The Colorado General Assembly provides general fund (taxpayer) support and sets the parameters for tuition, fees, enrollment, and performance for all public higher education institutions in the state. Funding from the General Assembly makes up approximately 12 percent of CU-Boulder’s total budget, a percentage substantially less than that of peer institutions. A significant factor affecting state funding of higher education is the TABOR (Taxpayers Bill of Rights) Amendment, which places strict limits on state appropriations and collections, including tuition.

Reporting to the full legislature are two key committees that have a significant impact on higher education: the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) and the Capital Development Committee (CDC). The Joint Budget Committee is the permanent fiscal and budget review agency of the Colorado General Assembly. The committee studies the programs, operations, and fiscal needs of all state agencies. The JBC reviews budget requests, conducts budget hearings, and prepares appropriation recommendations for the House and Senate Appropriations Committee.

The Capital Development Committee studies capital construction proposals and holds hearings to consider the requests of each state department, institution, and agency, including CU-Boulder. CDC determines the number of projects on the list that may be funded from money available in the capital construction fund. Recommendations from the Colorado Commission on Higher Education are considered in the prioritization of capital construction projects; however, CDC determines the relative priorities for all state-agency capital projects.

In the 1998 general election, a new governor was elected to Colorado for the first time in 12 years. Also, the governor and legislative majority now are from the same political party for the first time in 24 years. The change in political parties and accompanying gubernatorial appointments to cabinet positions and the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE) have led to significant changes in the oversight of higher education in the state. This, combined with recent term limits enacted in the state, has created the need for higher education to establish new relationships at the state level.

High School Students Get Preview of CU-Boulder Course Work

Approximately 40 percent of high school students enrolled in concurrent courses through CU-Boulder's Continuing Education eventually enroll in regular CU degree programs. The High School Concurrent Program provides access for eligible high school students to take on-campus courses. Colorado high school juniors and seniors who meet the Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act guidelines may enroll in two courses each fall and spring, at the expense of their high school districts.