In his third annual state of the campus address today, Chancellor Richard Byyny spoke of the accomplishments and challenges that confront the University of Colorado at Boulder. Specific Quality for Colorado initiatives were addressed and identified for funding this year.
"Despite the monumental financial challenges that the university faced in the past 18 months, its faculty and students, the creative engine of the campus, never stopped what they do best," Byyny said. "They continued to pursue new knowledge."
Basic infrastructure, enrollment growth impacts and quality enhancements were the three major areas identified for selective investment in year one of Quality for Colorado.
Infrastructure initiatives included a seven-day schedule and collection additions for Norlin Library, $1 million per year to renovate or upgrade existing research facilities in each of the next several years, a 45,000-square-foot expansion to the LASP complex and the assignment of space in the newly acquired 85,000-square-foot Exabyte building. About $700,000 will be invested in academic advising over the next three years.
Capital construction, which was largely halted by the state's budgetary constraints, is still a priority. The Law School is the CU System's highest capital priority. Some projects moved ahead with alternative funding models this year, such as the Bear Creek Apartments at Williams Village, and the Folsom Field club seats that were privately funded.
The Student Portal project, an information pipeline tailored to each individual student, will be an enhancement to technology infrastructure. The demand for faculty and graduate student housing also will be assessed in a recruiting and retention effort for those groups.
After continual record-setting years in the number of undergraduate applications, enrollment growth impacts also are being addressed. Next year's incoming class will be targeted for a five percent reduction in size, followed by a tentative five percent reduction for the class entering in fall 2005. The College of Arts and Sciences budget was increased by $2 million last year and will be increased again this year by a similar amount to cope with increased enrollment demands in CU-Boulder's largest college.
Quality enhancements include investments in undergraduate and graduate learning, financial aid, faculty recruitment and retention, and selective programs of excellence.
A mandatory undergraduate capstone project for every student and a Campus Learning Laboratory are two proposals being explored for future implementation. The writing program will benefit from a $1.1 million investment over the next three years, and $600,000 will be invested in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, Norlin Scholars and the Undergraduate Academy. A new Residential Academic Program focused on the arts will receive $100,000.
Thirty percent of Quality for Colorado revenue has been targeted for financial aid this year, resulting in $1.7 million being directed to address tuition increases for need-based resident students. An additional $1.5 million will be added to support graduate tuition waivers this year.
Ten new faculty positions in core disciplines will be created to strengthen key academic areas. A faculty start-up support fund of $1 million will be created to help recruit high-caliber faculty to campus. The faculty compensation gap, currently 5.7 percent below peer institutions, will continue to be addressed through a compensation pool commitment of one percent above inflation plus one percent for Quality for Colorado.
Support for programs of excellence will be enhanced. Those include core areas such as the sciences and the arts, programs of distinction such as research institutes, space and atmospheric sciences and environmental sciences and emerging areas of excellence on campus. Chemical/biotechnology will receive five new positions -- other emerging programs include micro/nanotechnology, information sciences and neurosciences.
According to Byyny, "Private funding, tuition revenues and entrepreneurial approaches will become our principle methods of funding these investments to move our campus from 'very good' to 'great.' "
More information on the state of the campus address can be found at .