Auraria Higher Education Center Appropriations

Joint Budget Committee. The bill imposes requirements related to money appropriated to the department of higher education to be used by the Auraria higher education center in the 2025-26 state fiscal year. Money appropriated for operational costs must be used as agreed upon by the constituent institutions in baseline service level agreements. Any service or performance level agreement that the Auraria higher education center enters into using money appropriated for the 2025-26 state fiscal year must:

• Be executed by all contracting parties no later than September 1, 2025;
• Clearly describe the services, service and staffing levels, and performance expectations that are contracted for; and
• Provide that, if costs for services exceed the prices provided for in the contract, those excessive costs will not be assumed or incurred until an additional contract is executed or the original contract is amended.

In the 2025-26 state fiscal year, the Auraria higher education center shall manage all resources related to baseline service level agreements and goals and shall present quarterly updates to the constituent institutions regarding baseline service level agreements and goals. For other services for the 2025-26 state fiscal year that are not already contracted for in the baseline service level agreements, the Auraria higher education center shall establish fee structures, and the constituent institutions shall enter into agreements with the Auraria higher education center for the provision of those services.

The bill requires the constituent organizations to contract with an independent third-party entity that shall conduct the Auraria comprehensive study (study). The constituent institutions and the Auraria higher education center shall agree upon which independent third-party entity will conduct the study before executing a contract to select the independent third-party entity. If the constituent institutions and the Auraria higher education center do not agree upon an independent third-party entity by August 1, 2025, the Colorado commission on higher education shall, no later than December 31, 2025, select the independent third-party entity from options proposed by the constituent institutions.

The study must examine the operations of the Auraria campus and the services provided to students by the constituent institutions and by the Auraria board of directors through the Auraria higher education center. The independent third-party entity shall present a report on the findings of the study.

The study must include the following:

• A review of all plans and studies conducted in the past 15 years regarding the mission, vision, and development of the Auraria campus;
• An evaluation of the statutory design and mission of the Auraria campus;
• An evaluation of the current governance model of the Auraria campus;
• An evaluation of the operations and management structures under the current governance model of the Auraria campus;
• A comparison of the current governance model to alternative governance models which may yield greater efficiencies in service delivery; and
• An evaluation of the financial supports and structures of Auraria campus governance and operations.

The constituent institutions shall enter into a cost-sharing agreement to pay for the study using gifts, grants, and donations.

The bill reduces the general fund appropriation made in the annual general appropriation act for the 2025-26 state fiscal year to the department of higher education for the college opportunity fund program for fee-for-service contracts with state institutions by $31,435,042. The bill appropriates $31,435,042 from the general fund to the department of higher education for use by the Auraria higher education center.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)