March 16, 2012

To the Members of the Student Government Association: I regret that I am unable to attend your meeting in person today and share my support for the concerns raised in SR06-11/12 as it is currently drafted. I was already scheduled to be in Denver and to meet with members of the Colorado General Assembly to talk about some of the very issues raised in your resolution. Since its inception, UCCS has been dedicated to being an accessible institution of higher learning. Our campus foundation was built with the idea that the citizens of southern Colorado deserve both a high-quality post-secondary education and one they can afford. As chancellor, this is a foundation that I support personally and have supported through my tenure. An additional core value, both of UCCS and for me personally, is transparency of action. The universitys budget, including discussions about tuition rates, is routinely discussed with the University Budget Advisory Committee of which SGA has voting members along with all other governance groups on campus. The universitys budget is also routinely discussed in open forums attended by student leaders. Finally, the universitys budget documents, including salary reports, are available for general checkout at the Kraemer Family Library. Further, I affirm to you that all allocations of tuition dollars and other university resources have proceeded exactly as represented to our various constituents. These actions are intentional as is my standing commitment to all members of the campus community to provide details on any campus project or to answer any question. I, and other UCCS leaders, have worked diligently to make the university both efficient and effective. During recent difficult statewide economic times and reductions in state support for education, many changes were implemented to improve the universitys efficiency while preserving a high-quality classroom experience. Our actions included abolishing some positions the withholding of faculty and staff salary increases for two years, decreases in retirement contributions for some employees for two years, salary reductions for selected top administrators, and efforts to reduce the increased costs of health insurance. While I personally dislike any tuition increase, I am proud that the result of these efforts is that for the past four years, UCCS tuition increases have been 2 percent below the 9 percent cap set by the General Assembly and among the lowest among universities in Colorado, including other CU campuses. On average, UCCS tuition increases have been two to three percent above the national inflation rate which represents clear direction that we are working to keep UCCS affordable.

March 16, 2012 Page 2 Members of the Student Government Association

This year, we are again advocating for UCCS to provide affordable, accessible high-quality education. A proposed 7 percent increase for Fiscal Year 2012-13 in UCCS resident tuition will be less than that of many campuses and likely the lowest increase of the CU general campuses. We will continue to increase institutional student financial aid as part of our continued mission to be accessible to the residents of southern Colorado. The 7% figure is based on a 4% inflation factor, an approximate 4% cut in our state funding, and a 3% salary increase pool for student workers and most faculty and staff. Higher paid faculty and staff, including some administrators are not proposed to have an increase in salary. I do share your concerns that an increasing part of the total cost of a quality education is shifted to individual students and their families from state funding. I do believe a college education is both a public and a private good. I look forward to discussing with you in person our upcoming proposals and the university budget for next year. Respectfully,

Pam Shockley-Zalabak Chancellor