DENVER Action by the Colorado General Assembly and signed into law Thursday by Gov. Bill Owens will allow the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs to more effectively meet regional and national higher education needs.
In May, the General Assembly passed Senate Bill 304. The bill rewrote state statutes outlining the role and mission of the state’s public universities. For CU-Colorado Springs, the bill removed geographic restrictions limiting the university to offering courses needed in the Colorado Springs metropolitan area. The bill also specifically outlined the university’s responsibility to have selective admission standards and to offer liberal arts and sciences, business, engineering, health sciences and teacher preparation undergraduate programs as well as a selected number of master’s and doctoral degrees.
“I am deeply appreciative of the support of the members of the El Paso County delegation, the General Assembly and Governor Owens in making changes in the state statutes that govern CU-Colorado Springs,” Chancellor Pam Shockley said. “These changes will ultimately benefit the people of Colorado who desire to take part in the economic and social benefits that higher education provides.”
Prior to the action by the Legislature, changes in the CU-Colorado Springs’ mission were approved by the CU Board of Regents, the Colorado Commission on Higher Education and a Governor’s Blue Ribbon Panel which studied higher education reforms.
The bill’s prime sponsors were: Sen. Ken Arnold and Rep. Don Lee. Co-sponsors were: Senators Andy McElhany, John Evans and Mark Hillman and Representatives Terrance Carroll, Liane McFadyen, Angela Paccione and John Salazar.
The last statutory mission for CU-Colorado Springs was approved by the General Assembly in 1989 when enrollment at the university was 5,940. In 1997, Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences merged with the university. Enrollment is now more than 7,400 with students from 55 Colorado counties and all 50 states enrolled. CU-Colorado Springs is one of the fastest growing universities in the nation.
As part of the University of Colorado’s Vision 2010 plan, CU-Colorado Springs aims to become America’s top regional comprehensive research university with an enrollment of 10,000-12,000 students. In recent months, the university has added two programs that are unique to Colorado higher education, a doctoral degree in geropsychology, one of only four similar programs in the nation, and a Professional Golf Management program that is certified by the Professional Golfers’ Association. The CU-Colorado Springs PGM program is one of only 14 programs in the nation.
The new mission statement reads:
“The Colorado Springs campus of the University of Colorado shall be a comprehensive baccalaureate university with selective admission standards. The Colorado Springs campus shall offer liberal arts and sciences, business, engineering, health sciences, and teacher preparation undergraduate degree programs, and a selected number of masters and doctoral degree programs.”
A complete copy of Senate Bill 304 is available at http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/stateleg.html.
CU-Colorado Springs, located on Austin Bluffs Parkway in northeast Colorado Springs, is the fastest growing university in Colorado and one of the fastest growing universities in the nation. The university offers 25 bachelor’s degrees, 17 master’s and two doctoral degrees. The campus enrolls more than 7,400 students annually.