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Updated 2/6/2026

The University of Colorado Board of Regents received an overview of the preliminary 2026–27 budget, including tuition and compensation proposals, during its Feb. 5–6 meeting. Chancellor Justin Schwartz shared campus updates, including the announcement of new investments in faculty and staff well-being. The board also approved infrastructure projects and recognized С���� Boulder faculty members.

���� Boulder budget proposals

Chad Marturano, chief financial officer for the ���� system, presented budget proposals for all four campuses. For ���� Boulder, the following key elements were discussed.

Tuition

Regents were presented with tuition scenarios ranging from 2.6% to 4.5% increases, with final approval expected for April.

Compensation and student wages

• Budget planning includes a 3.1% merit pool for faculty and university staff and a 3.1% increase for classified staff, pending state approval.
  • The campus proposed setting aside an additional pool for compression, retention and adjustment of 0.5%.
• Student employee minimum wage is proposed to increase to $18.17 per hour.
• Final approval for compensation changes is expected for April.

Enrollment

• С���� Boulder is projecting an incoming first-year class of 7,400, nearly unchanged from this year’s first-year class of 7,397.
• Overall enrollment is projected to increase by about 1.3%, largely driven by ongoing strong retention of continuing students.

The board is expected to vote on the budget proposals during its April meeting. The 2026–27 fiscal year begins on July 1, 2026.

Chancellor remarks and campus updates

During remarks to the board, Schwartz highlighted��new investments in employee health and well-being, including expanded mental health, financial wellness and community-building resources to support faculty and staff success and belonging.��Campus leaders are committing $2.2 million in one-time funding and about $2.5 million in annual recurring funding to grow services and strengthen what Schwartz described as a campuswide “culture of care and well-being.”

He also noted progress on recommendations from the Faculty Salary Task Force aimed at improving faculty salary competitiveness and addressing salary compression, with additional updates expected later this year.

Infrastructure projects approved for ���� Boulder

The board approved infrastructure projects previously advanced by the Regents Finance Committee, highlighted by plans to construct the National Quantum Nanofabrication Facility, a new research cleanroom at the Sustainability, Energy and Environment Laboratory on East Campus, that will expand С���� Boulder’s quantum research and workforce training capacity.

Additional projects approved include:

• Renovation of Farrand Hall on Main Campus, modernizing the historic residence hall while maintaining existing student housing capacity
• Renovation of the Housing System Services Center on East Campus to support expanded campus program and operational needs

More information about these projects is available in a previous������ Boulder Today article.

���� Boulder distinguished professors recognized

2026 ���� Boulder distinguished professors with Chancellor Justin Schwartz

The board recognized the following faculty members from ���� Boulder as distinguished professors:

• Kristen Carpenter, JD, American Indian Law, Colorado Law
• Russell Cropanzano, PhD, Organizational Behavior
• Marcia Douglas, PhD, English and Creative Writing
• Noah Finkelstein, PhD, Physics and Physics Education Research
• Karl Linden, PhD, Environmental Engineering
• Jade Morton, PhD, Astrodynamics

More about the honorees is available in a��.

Other business��

During public comment session, members of the campus community spoke in support of unionization of university employees.

Additional speakers raised concerns about С���� Boulder’s contract with Key Lime Air, citing the airline’s reported contracts with ICE to transport detainees and voicing opposition to the partnership. All contracts for the university, including air charters, are awarded through a competitive bidding process that includes guidelines intended to create fair and consistent contracting processes across all companies with which the university does business. The airline was selected through the university’s standard competitive process, which occurred in September 2023. The company’s contract is in effect with the university through 2028, renewed annually.

The board also voted and approved changes to��. Additionally,�� to Former Regent Henry "Hank" Anton Jr.

The next regular board meeting will be held April 16–17 at С���� Denver.