The CU Student Government headquarters located in the University Memorial Center. (James Bradbury/CU Independent File)
The University of Colorado Boulder Student Government (CUSG) passed a resolution during legislative council on Thursday night criticizing the Board of Regents’ process for selecting Mark Kennedy as the next CU system president.
Kennedy was announced as the only finalist for CU president on April 10. He will be visiting all four CU campuses next week, including Boulder on Friday, April 26. The university plans to hold an open forum discussion between students, faculty and Kennedy that day.
Members of CUSG raised concerns during the legislative council session about the Regents’ decision — ultimately, they will stand by the majority views of the student body.
“I think the students have spoken as loud as they possibly can,” said Representative-at-Large Michael Robinson.
The resolution reiterates that CUSG passed a resolution on Nov. 1 opposing the make-up of the search committee for having no undergraduate representative. The resolution asserts CUSG’s “opposition” to the search and vetting process for the next CU president.
The resolution reads: “While there was student representation in this process, the singular undergraduate student on the search committee was not from CU Boulder, the university’s flagship campus.”
Kennedy’s appointment prohibited “adequate public and student input
into the final selection process” according to the resolution. The resolution states that a 14-day period is not enough to sufficiently vet Kennedy for the position.
The resolution lays out three sections that CUSG hopes the Regents will consider:
- Section 1: Legislative Council formally recommends and encourages the Regents of
the University of Colorado to withhold their votes until after Mark Kennedy has visited all four campuses, spending ample time communicating with students, staff, and faculty. - Section 2: Legislative Council formally rejects the nomination of Mark R. Kennedy as
the “sole finalist” for the president of the university without further action from the
Administration, citing lack of student input and specific reasoning for the selection of a sole candidate. - Section 3: This resolution shall take effect upon final passage by the Legislative
Council and upon either obtaining the signatures of two Tri-Executives or the lapse of six days without actions by the Tri-Executives.
The CU Regents have stood by their decision to name Kennedy as the sole finalist, citing his qualifications for the position. The resolution put forward by CUSG does not concern his political opinions but rather the Regents’ process in selecting Kennedy.
“I think there has been a systematized effort to minimize student voices in this process,” said Chad Brock, a CU student, during the public open hearing.
United Government of Graduate Students (UGGS), Staff Council and Faculty Senate have also passed resolutions on special order regarding Kennedy.
“We need a president who represents the students not just the regents,” said CU student Dylan Robinson Ruet during the public open hearing.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Tory Lysik at tory.lysik@colorado.edu.
