Senate OKs bill to expand faculty and student voting on Auraria board

Senate Bill 34, which expands participation by faculty and student members on the Auraria higher-education governing board, passed the Colorado Senate on Feb. 12 after committee amendments and floor consideration.

Sponsor Senator Marchman said the bill allows faculty and student board members to participate fully in major decisions about classrooms, safety, construction and parking, noting the bill responds to extensive testimony: “We had over 30 people testifying,” one sponsor observed, citing a broad mix of students and faculty who supported expanded voice on governance.

A technical amendment to the committee report (L7) was adopted to fix language in the report. Senator Rich explained his no vote on principle: he cautioned that expanding voting membership and reducing residency requirements could politicize the board and suggested the board should remain insulated from partisan pressures.

The committee report was adopted and the bill passed on the floor following the committee of the whole’s recommendation.

What happens next SB34 was ordered engrossed and placed on the calendar for third reading and final passage steps as recorded in committee report actions; as of the floor action it advanced in the legislative process.