Efficiency legislation awaits governor's signature

Lawmakers end session today; CU sought streamlined processes

As the Colorado General Assembly today concludes its four-month session, lawmakers are finishing work on several bills affecting the University of Colorado and other institutions of higher education.

On Tuesday, May 10, the House and Senate each gave unanimous approval to House Bill 11-1301, higher education efficiency legislation aimed at reducing red tape for CU and other institutions.

After the success of last year's legislation, which improved efficiency at CU and other institutions, CU President Bruce Benson asked campus leadership to search for other areas where similar provisions could be made.

The legislation keys on four areas:

• Capital construction and facilities
• Student issues
• Employee issues
• Operational flexibility

Among the changes to capital construction are a streamlining of the approval process for cash-funded capital construction projects, an increase in flexibility to use surplus revenue for a broader array of items as allowed by current law, and removal of purchases of land and education-related science equipment from the current definition of "capital construction."

For students, changes would include a streamlined process for implementation of a guaranteed tuition program, where students lock in a tuition rate for four years.

Employee issues include a proposed expansion of health plan choices. Institutions would be allowed to offer group benefit plans to classified staff in addition to or in place of state plans.

Proposed changes related to operational flexibility include exempting higher education institutions from the requirement to use the Department of Corrections when disposing of surplus state property, and requirements that goods and services be purchased from Colorado Correctional Industries.

To read the entire bill, which now awaits the governor's signature, click here.

Also expected to receive the governor's signature is Senate Bill 11-052, which would make some funding for higher education dependent on performance. Such performance-based funding only would apply to 25 percent of budgets, and would not be triggered until state support of higher ed reaches $706 million; the 2011-12 budget has state support at $519 million.

Next week's Faculty and Staff Newsletter will include a post-session roundup of new laws affecting CU.