Published: Dec. 10, 2021

As reported today in CU Connections, the CU system has allocated one-time funding to further CU system strategic plan implementation and campus strategic goals. This support for the implementation of the strategic plan, according to an update shared in a special meeting of the University of Colorado Board of Regents on Wednesday, Dec. 8, is a result of returns on university investments that were 3.4 times higher than the historical average. 

As shared in the CU Connections story, a portion of the investment returns––approximately $436 million––will be available to address one-time strategic needs among the four CU campuses over time, of which approximately $225 million will be allocated over the next two years. Another portion of the gains will be used to build a treasury pool to buffer against market fluctuations. 

CU Boulder’s portion of the initial allocations is $128 million. CU Boulder will use these one-time dollars to make significant investments aligned to the CU system strategic plan pillars, as well as our campus priorities: supporting student success; improving diversity, equity and inclusion; sustaining our campus and our community; and aligning our resources to our mission. 

Targeted investments will support increased scholarships and grants; programs to enable student enrollment; recruitment and development of diverse faculty and staff; student fee reductions; and more. A full list of the activities approved for the CU Boulder campus can be found in the CU Board of Regents briefing document (PDF) shared this week. 

While these one-time funds allow CU Boulder to address critical strategic needs, they do not provide sustained funding for continuing budgetary challenges related to employee compensation and other ongoing institutional costs. 

Additional details on each of these activities will be announced as they are rolled out over the course of the calendar year.