Policy 2: Regents of the University

Consistent with a regent's fiduciary responsibility, a regent serves the public trust and exercises their powers and duties in the interest of the public, the university, and the board. A regent's independent judgment in the discharge of board responsibilities must not be impaired as a result of conflicts between the interests of the university and the regent's own financial interest or personal interest, or the financial interests or personal interests of the regent's family or associates.  If a regent believes that they have a conflict of interest, the regent shall disclose the conflict to the board and refrain from participating in the matter to which the conflict relates. The minutes of the meeting where the disclosure is made will reflect the disclosure and regent’s abstention from participation in the matter.

A regent is not deemed to have a conflict of interest if the matter affects the entire membership of a class to which the regent belongs.

A regent shall not use confidential information acquired in the course of the performance of regent responsibilities to further the regent's own financial interest or personal interest, or the financial interests or personal interests of the regent's family or associates.

For purposes of this policy:

(A) "Associate" means a person, entity, or enterprise with respect to which the regent:

(1) is a director, officer, employee, member, partner, or trustee; or
(2) has a financial interest that represents five percent or more of the regent’s assets or any interest that enables the regent to exercise control or to influence policy significantly; or 
(3) has any other material association.

(B) The "Family" means a regent’s spouse, dependents and, if living in the same household and sharing expenses, other individuals.

(C) "Financial interest"¹ means a substantial interest held by an individual, including:

(1) an ownership interest in a business;
(2) a creditor interest in an insolvent business;
(3) an employment or prospective employment for which negotiations have begun;
(4) an ownership interest in real or personal property;
(5) a loan or other debtor interest;
(6) a directorship or officership in a business; or
(7) a personal and material economic interest in a transaction.

In the application of this policy, a regent should avoid the appearance of impropriety, which includes any conduct that might lead members of the public to conclude that the regent is using their official position to further the financial or personal interests of the regent or the members of the regent's family, or the financial interests of the regent's associates or non-dependent children, parents, or siblings. To avoid the appearance of impropriety, a regent should disclose to the board any financial, personal, or other interest of the regent or regent's family or associates in a matter that might reasonably be perceived either as adversely affecting the regent's exercise of independent judgment on behalf of the university, the board, and the public or as a breach of the regent's public trust. In the case of an associate or family member, the regent's disclosure is necessarily limited to those financial interests of which the regent has knowledge since the regent may not have access to full information about all financial interests.

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¹This definition of financial interest is from the State Code of Ethics, Section 24‑18‑102, C.R.S.

The University of Colorado shall not have any business relationship with any company, corporation, partnership, or other entity or venture in which a member of the Board of Regents serves, directly or indirectly, in an executive or policymaking position, provided however that, after an affirmative vote at a regular or special meeting of the board by six members, the provisions of this resolution may be waived as to any particular business relationship.

Regents shall disclose on an annual basis any financial interests or personal interests that may create an actual or potential conflict of interest and shall supplement the disclosure as new interests appear. University counsel shall develop an appropriate form for the regents' individual use in making such disclosure and advise on the development of a management plan for disclosed conflicts.

• Adopted:  April 26, 1975.
• Revised:  August 21, 1975; October 30, 2003, including rescinding the August 21, 1975 action; February 24, 2005; March 2, 2006; June 22, 2023.
• Last Reviewed:  June 22, 2023.

(A) Regent standing committees shall meet no less than quarterly; determine the dates and times of its meetings, unless otherwise directed by the board; post notices of its meetings as required by law and board policy; take minutes of its meetings and report at regular board meetings; and may, upon compliance with state statutory requirements, meet in executive session. 

(B) Regent standing committees may have members who are not members of the board if authorized by the board action establishing the committee.

(C) Regent standing committees shall have the authority to make recommendations to the board, unless otherwise directed by the board, but shall not have the authority to act on behalf of the board unless the board has expressly delegated authority to it.

(D) Regent standing committees shall have a chair and may have a vice chair, with the chair and vice chair to be appointed annually by the chair of the Board of Regents.  Effective January 1, 2025, the chair and vice chair of regent committees shall be appointed after the first regularly scheduled board meeting of each calendar year and shall assume these roles before the second regularly scheduled board meeting of the calendar year.  Unless seven or more regents are members of the same political party, the chair and vice chair of regent committees shall not be members of the same political party.  Unless otherwise limited by these provisions, any regent is eligible to be appointed to the chair or vice chair of a regent committee irrespective of that regent’s party affiliation.  In making chair and vice chair appointments, the chair of the Board of Regents should consider continuity of experience on the committees with the goal of building and maintaining institutional knowledge.

(E) Regent standing committees may have between three and five members.  Effective January 1, 2025, members of regent committees shall be appointed after the first regularly scheduled board meeting of each calendar year and shall assume these roles before the second regularly scheduled board meeting of the calendar year. Unless seven or more regents are members of the same political party and the committee consists of an even number of members, those members shall be divided equally between regents of different political parties.  Unless seven or more regents are members of the same political party and the committee consists of an odd number of regents, the number of regents appointed to serve as members of the committee from any political party must be within one of the members appointed from another political party.  Unless otherwise limited by these provisions, any regent is eligible to be a member of a regent committee irrespective of that regent’s party affiliation.  In making committee appointments, the chair of the Board of Regents should consider continuity of experience on the committees with the goal of building and maintaining institutional knowledge.

(F) Regent committees shall approve an annual work plan and provide that work plan to the Board of Regents for its review.  At each committee meeting, the members shall review the work plan and make any necessary modifications.

(A) Board/System/Institution Governance:

(1) Periodically examine the effectiveness of relationships and communications among the various governance institutions of CU, including the Board of Regents, the president, and shared governance bodies.

(2) Periodically review and recommend improvements to the processes associated with regent laws and policies.

(3) Oversee the development and maintenance by each of the board's standing committees of a written committee charter defining its role, responsibilities, and authority.

(4) If requested by the Board of Regents, and in consultation with the administration, make recommendations to the board on the strategic vision of the university. The strategic vision is encompassed in the mission statement, vision statement, and guiding principles of the university, and is further outlined in the strategic framework. The framework is used to inform the development of the administration’s strategic plan.

(5) At least annually, review the schedule for ongoing review of regent laws and policies, and periodically review any amendments to the schedule that may have been made.

(B) Board of Regents Effectiveness:

(1) Approve a board orientation process, ensuring that new board members have a clear understanding of the missions of the four campuses for which they are responsible and are aware of the role of regents in the governance of a university system.

(2) Develop and support ongoing education of all regents, including the annual retreat and other opportunities.

(3) Establish, coordinate, and review with the board chair the criteria and method for improving the performance of the board.

(4) Oversee the development and implementation of conflict of interest, financial disclosure, and other policies relating to the efficient, effective, and ethical operation of the Board of Regents.

(A) The Finance Committee shall recommend to the Board of Regents:

(1) long-range financial planning strategies;

(2) long-range facilities planning strategies, including facilities plans for each campus, the annual and five-year and ten-year capital construction plans, ten-year master plans and financing, and capital construction proposals, including those for auxiliaries;

(3) financial performance and asset allocation guidelines and other policies related to the university's treasury function;

(4) real estate transactions, including acquisition, disposal, operating and life cycle costs, the maintenance of facilities, and the use of university grounds, buildings, and other property; and

(5) projects included in the university capital budget and capital budget amendments.

(B) The Finance Committee shall review and report to the Board of Regents as necessary, informed by the annual finance committee work plan outlined at the first meeting of the fiscal year, which may include:

(1) selected financial metrics that measure the university's fiscal condition;

(2) periodic reports, including, but are not limited to: enrollment, financial aid, fundraising, research, procurement activity and University Risk Management;

(3) the annual report on unrestricted net position, unless otherwise presented to the full board;

(4) total indebtedness of the university;

(5) quarterly capital planning and project management reports;

(6) quarterly information technology planning and project management reports;

(7) the investment portfolio, unless otherwise presented to the full board;

(8) regular updates to the state revenue and expenditure forecast maintained by the system CFO;

(9) the role, impact and management of university-related entities and supporting organizations; and

(10) other financial reports as requested by the committee.

(A) Annual Work Plan

(1) Develop an annual committee work plan that contains:

(a) Any items required for presentation and/or approval; and
(b) Committee-selected topics relevant to the educational mission of the university, and not under the purview of other regent committees.

(2) Academic Program Planning Review and Recommendation

(a) Review and evaluate proposals for new degrees, departments, colleges, institutes, and other educational initiatives and provide recommendations to the Board of Regents.

(b) Review proposals to terminate degrees, departments, colleges, institutes, and other educational initiatives and provide recommendations to the Board of Regents.

(3) Diversity (unless presented to the full board)

(a) Review programs and progress toward achieving the faculty, staff, and student diversity objectives of the university. 

(4) Students (unless presented to the full board)

(a) Provide a venue for student governance input to the Board of Regents on academic issues and educational experiences.

(b) Receive and review annual reports on student retention and graduation rates.

(5) Faculty (unless presented to the full board)

(a) Provide a venue for faculty governance input to the Board of Regents on academic issues and educational experiences.

(6) Accreditation

(a) Receive accreditation updates as required in regent policy 4.B.2.

(b) Act as the primary contact between the administration and Board of Regents in support of accreditation activities.

(7) Intercollegiate Athletics (unless presented to the full board, or the Finance Committee)

(a) Consider university athletics programs and related matters.

(b) Review the campus athletics budgets and student fees, facilities plans (including new construction, renovations, and major repair and replacement projects) within established limits.

(c) Provide review of the Annual Intercollegiate Athletic Program report and offer the Board of Regents updates on conference and NCAA affiliations, e.g., conference structures, NCAA restructuring.

(8) Regent Awards

(a) The Regent Awards committee is composed of the four University Affairs  regent members,  and four members of the University Faculty Council's Educational Policy and University Standards (EPUS) committee.  It meets once a year to review the nominations for the three categories of regents awards and makes recommendations to the full Board of Regents.

(A) Oversee the university Department of Internal Audit (Internal Audit), which will report directly to the Audit Committee.

(B) Oversee the work of the independent registered public accounting firm (external auditor) contracted by the Colorado Office of the State Auditor to conduct the university’s annual financial and compliance audit.  In addition to reporting directly to the Colorado Office of the State Auditor, this firm will report regularly and directly to the Regent Audit Committee.

(C) In consultation with the president, resolve any disagreements between management and the external auditor regarding financial reporting.

(D) Direct university officers to select, retain, terminate, and compensate legal, accounting, auditing, and other experts it deems necessary in the performance of its duties, including in connection with any investigation undertaken by the Audit Committee, on such terms and conditions as the Audit Committee shall determine and at the university’s expense.

(E) Seek any information it requires from external parties or from employees, all of whom are directed to cooperate with the Regent Audit Committee's requests.

(F) In consultation with the Board of Regents, request the university’s associate vice president of Internal Audit to conduct an audit or investigation. Such requests shall be carried out by Internal Audit in accordance with the Global Internal Audit Standards.

• Adopted:  September 18, 1980, as Regent Committee Roles and Authority.
• Adopted:  October 30, 2003, as Regent Policy 2.C Regent Committees.
• Revised:  June 1, 2006; December 5, 2006; January 16, 2007; November 19, 2010; January 9, 2011; September 12, 2011; June 20, 2012; February 20, 2015; September 7, 2017; September 8, 2023 (updates were made to section 2.C.1); April 11, 2024 (updates were made to 2.C.1 and 2.C.2); June 20, 2024 (updates were made to 2.C.3, 2.C.4; and 2.C.5).
• Last Reviewed:  June 20, 2024.