HomeMy WebLinkAbout939 - SUPPORTING increased State funding for the University of Colorado and other higher education iRESOLUTION NO. 939
THE PROTECT HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the City of Boulder is home to the Umversity of Colorado at Boulder (CU),
Front Range Community College and other mstitutions of higher educahon; and
WH~REAS, the General Assembly has cut funding for higher education, from
approximately 25% of the State General Fund m 1994-1995 to less than 8% today, and
with contrnued policies state support for public higher education could run out withm five
years,and
WHEREAS, in FY 2004, CU lost more than $3 8 million of State financiai aid, and
durmg the last two years, the State has not funded resident enrollment growth, and,
WHEREAS, from FY 2002 to FY 2004, the Uruversiry will have added 4,474 resident
full-time enrolled students, without any additional general fund revenue, and;
WHEREAS; the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE) is requeshng a
total of $26,937,366 from the State legislature for enrollment fundmg far all higher
education mst~tutions, yet the Governor is only recommendmg $3,199,826 m funds, and,
WH~REAS, the conhnued fundmg cuts, wrthout some form of rehef, have caused
significant budget cuts to CU and other msritutions, and have also mcreased the financial
burden to the students of such insritutions who must pay more m tuition because state
support has dechned; and
WHEREAS, the City of Boulder has long been an advocate for higher education and the
University of Colorado m particular, and continued cuts will ~eopazdize the great work of
such colleges and umversities, and,
WH~REA5, the City of Boulder acknowledges that the General Assembly is constrained
by TABOR, Amendment 23, federal mandates and other spendmg hmitatrons, but is
wnfident that together the General Assembly and higher education mstitutions can come
up with a better soluhon to the current system of declimng funding; and
WAEREAS, the City of Boulder is willmg to participate in such discussions in order to
protect higher educahon fundmg in Colorado
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF BOULDER, COLORADO, THAT
1. The Boulder City Counctl urges the Governor and the Colorado General Assembly to
review their policies for funding higher education, and to protect Colorado's colleges,
umversrttes and students from further budget cuts.
2 The Crty of Boulder supports the CU-System request from CCHE for $5.5 mtlhon for
the next five years to recapture lost State-funded financial aid
3. The Crty of Boulder supports the CU-System request from CCHE for $6.03 million
for addrttonal enrollment funding.
4. The Ctty of Boulder supports the accessibiltty of higher education in the state of
Colorado through ensuring the continued existence and vrtalrty of the public university
through imperative state funding.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, copies of this resolution will be sent to the
Regents of the Unrverstty of Colorado, University of Colorado System President
Elizabeth Hoffman, Unrverstty of Colorado Student Union, Governor Bill Owens, the
Colorado Commission on Higher Education, the Colorado General Assembly, the Ctttes
of Fort Collins, Greeley, Aurora, Denver and Colorado Springs, and any other interested
parties
RESOLVED this third day of February, 2004.
Mayor
Attest:
.. GCS ,>
City Clerk on behalf of the
Director of Finance and Record