Auraria Higher Education Center

C.R.S. tit. 23, art. 70
in effect

C.R.S. § 23-70-101 Legislative declaration

23-70-101. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that this article is necessary to: (a) Provide for the coordination of the planning and construction of a multiinstitutional higher education complex located in the city and county of Denver on land designated therefor and on land now occupied by the university of Colorado at Denver, collectively known as the Auraria higher education center and referred to in this article as the "center"; (b) Provide for the land, physical plant, and facilities necessary to accommodate and house Metropolitan state university of Denver, the university of Colorado at Denver, and the community college of Denver, Auraria campus, referred to in this article as the "constituent institutions", at and within the center; (c) Facilitate the execution and performance of the constitutional and statutory responsibilities of the governing boards of the constituent institutions; (d) Establish a new board to plan, construct, maintain, and manage the land and physical facilities of the center and perform the duties and exercise the powers otherwise set forth in this article; (e) Provide a system for facilitating cooperation among the constituent institutions, their governing boards, and the governing board created by this article; and (f) Facilitate, in conjunction with the private sector, the development of facilities at and within the center for the purposes of providing moneys to the center, providing occupational and educational opportunities consistent with the mission of the constituent institutions, and integrating the center with the adjacent Denver area.

C.R.S. § 23-70-101.5 Board abolished

23-70-101.5. Board abolished. Effective July 1, 1989, the existing board of directors of the Auraria higher education center is abolished, and the terms of members of the board then serving are terminated.

C.R.S. § 23-70-102 Auraria board - membership - terms - oath or affirmation - voting

23-70-102. Auraria board - membership - terms - oath or affirmation - voting. (1) Effective July 1, 1989, there is created a new board of directors of the Auraria higher education center, referred to in this article 70 as the "Auraria board", which consists of nine voting members and two ex officio nonvoting members. The members of the Auraria board shall be chosen in the following manner: (a) (I) Three members of the public, appointed by the governor. Gubernatorial appointments shall be for three-year terms; except that the terms shall be staggered so that no more than one member's term expires in one year. All members appointed by the governor must be residents of the Denver metropolitan area. (II) In the event of death, resignation, or inability or refusal to act of any such appointed member, the governor shall fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term. (b) (I) The chief executive officers, respectively, of the regents of the university of Colorado, the board of trustees for Metropolitan state university of Denver, and the state board for community colleges and occupational education, or their designees, who shall be limited to the chancellor of the university of Colorado at Denver, the president of Metropolitan state university of Denver, and the president of the community college of Denver, respectively. (II) Three members, one appointed by, and from among the members of, each of the following boards: The state board for community colleges and occupational education, the board of trustees for Metropolitan state university of Denver, and the regents of the university of Colorado, each such member to serve at the pleasure of the appointing board so long as he or she is a member of the appointing board. (c) (I) An advisory committee of six members who are full-time students shall be elected, two from each of the student bodies of each of the three institutions governed by the Auraria board, and it shall elect one of its members to fill one office on the Auraria board to serve for one term beginning July 1. The elected student office is advisory, without the right to vote. The elected student member of the board must have resided in the state of Colorado not less than three years prior to the member's election. A vacancy in the office of the elected student member shall be filled by reelection for the unexpired term. (II) Repealed. (III) In the event of death, resignation, or inability or refusal to act of any such elected member of the student advisory committee, the student governing body of the institution with the vacancy shall appoint a full-time student from that institution to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term. (d) (I) An advisory committee of six members who are full-time faculty members shall be elected, two from each of the faculties of each of the three institutions governed by the Auraria board, and it shall elect one of its members to fill the remaining office on the Auraria board to serve for one-year terms beginning each July 1. The committee shall select such a member from the same institution only once in the same three-year period. The elected faculty office is advisory, without the right to vote. The elected faculty member of the board must have resided in the state of Colorado not less than three years prior to the member's election. A vacancy in the office of the elected faculty member shall be filled by reelection for the unexpired term. (II) Repealed. (III) In the event of death, resignation, or inability or refusal to act of any such elected member of the faculty advisory committee, the faculty governing body of the institution with the vacancy shall appoint a full-time faculty member from that institution to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term. (2) Each member of the Auraria board shall take an oath or affirmation in accordance with section 24-12-101. death, resignation, or inability or refusal to act of any such elected member of the faculty advisory committee, the faculty governing body of the institution with the vacancy shall appoint a full-time faculty member from that institution to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term. (2) Each member of the Auraria board shall take an oath or affirmation in accordance with section 24-12-101. (3) All actions by the Auraria board shall be by majority vote, but, on all actions taken in which both representatives from any single system or institution have voted in the minority, the majority opinion shall prevail only if it is supported by a majority of the lay members of the Auraria board. (4) In any instance in which no majority opinion can prevail under the terms of subsection (3) of this section, the Auraria board shall have sixty days in which to reach a determination by prevailing majority vote. If no majority determination is reached within sixty days, the commission on higher education shall thereafter consider and determine the issue at its next meeting. (5) The Auraria board shall elect a chair from among the members of the public appointed by the governor who shall act as chair at meetings of said board and as such board's representative in official dealings with third parties. (6) Repealed.

C.R.S. § 23-70-103 Responsibility of governing boards of constituent institutions

23-70-103. Responsibility of governing boards of constituent institutions. (1) Except as may be expressly provided in this article, the respective governing boards of the constituent institutions are charged with the responsibility for, and shall plan, initiate, manage, and control, their respective programs within the Colorado system of higher education as provided in this article; and, in addition, said respective boards shall initiate and control joint academic and vocational programs among two or more of the constituent institutions at the center. (2) The respective governing boards of the constituent institutions shall provide for a common academic calendar which is sufficient so that students may begin, make progress toward, and complete a course at a time which will allow full opportunity for enrollment in courses offered at any of the three constituent institutions. Registration periods shall coincide and the academic year shall commence and terminate simultaneously. (3) The respective governing boards of the constituent institutions shall ensure that credits earned at each of the constituent institutions are transferable between institutions as required by section 23-1-108.5. (4) The governing boards, through their respective chief executive officers, with the participation of the executive director of the commission on higher education, shall jointly draft a memorandum of agreement covering interinstitutional issues at the Auraria campus. The memorandum of agreement shall provide guidance and direction to the Auraria board in the determination of operationally related matters but shall not bind or otherwise limit the board in its authority to manage the Auraria campus. An initial memorandum of agreement shall be submitted to the commission on higher education to be forwarded to the general assembly not later than January 15, 1990.

C.R.S. § 23-70-104 Duties of the Auraria board

23-70-104. Duties of the Auraria board. (1) The Auraria board has the duty: (a) To acquire, plan, construct, own, lease, operate, maintain, manage, or dispose of all of the physical plant, facilities, buildings, and grounds in the center (except that land owned at the Auraria center by the regents of the university of Colorado shall continue under such ownership but shall be maintained and managed in a similar manner to the other facilities in the Auraria center) and such additional land and facilities as the Colorado commission on higher education may from time to time designate and approve and to accept and hold for the use of the center and its constituent institutions such property as was designated or used prior to May 13, 1974, for purposes of the center or its constituent institutions; (b) To allocate among and assign to the constituent institutions, in accordance with needs, suitable space within the center for the use of such institutions and for such joint or cooperative educational, vocational, and other activities and programs as may be provided by the constituent institutions; (c) To facilitate effective coordination and economies of operation of physical facilities by designating joint facilities of the constituent institutions, to include, but not be limited to, auxiliary facilities, as defined in section 23-5-101.5 (2)(a); (d) To determine and designate the nonacademic and nonvocational joint programs or joint activities of the constituent institutions, to include, but not be limited to, security and fire protection, maintenance, and purchasing; (e) To continually develop, review, and update annually a long-range plan for operation of the center. There shall be a five-year forecast of the operational costs and capital construction costs, which shall be submitted to the general assembly no later than January 1 of each year, commencing January 1, 1975. (f) To decide interinstitutional disputes presented to the Auraria board by any one or more of the constituent institutions pursuant to section 23-70-106.5; and (g) To investigate supplementary or alternative methods for delivery of selected higher educational services through the use of existing campuses and facilities in Denver and the metropolitan area.

C.R.S. § 23-70-105 General powers of the Auraria board

23-70-105. General powers of the Auraria board. (1) The Auraria board is a body corporate by the name and style of the board of directors of the Auraria higher education center and, as such and by its said name, has the power to: (a) Sue or be sued to the extent permitted by law; (b) Contract or be contracted with; (c) Acquire, hold, lease as lessor or lessee, or dispose of property, both real and personal; (d) Have a common seal which it may change and alter at its pleasure; (e) Elect officers of the board, appoint a chairman, and promulgate bylaws and rules of procedure to govern the transaction of its business as provided in this article; (f) Employ, within funds appropriated for such purpose or otherwise made available therefor, such employees as are necessary to perform the functions and carry out the duties of the Auraria board, including a chief executive officer who shall report directly to the Auraria board; (g) Assess, after approval of the governing boards of the constituent institutions, a special student fee, which may be pledged as provided in section 23-70-108 and shall be collected as prescribed by the Auraria board; and (h) Do all things necessary to carry out the provisions of this article in like manner as municipal corporations of this state, including but not limited to the power to approve special districts wholly contained within the boundaries of the center in accordance with section 32-1-204.5, C.R.S., as if the board were a municipal corporation.

C.R.S. § 23-70-105.5 Public-private developments - definitions

23-70-105.5. Public-private developments - definitions. (1) As used in this article, unless the context otherwise requires, "complementary facility" means a facility, located at or within the center, that may provide moneys for the center, provide occupational and educational opportunities consistent with the respective missions of the constituent institutions, or facilitate integration of the center with the adjacent Denver area. "Complementary facility" may include, but need not be limited to, an office, retail, restaurant, residential, or mixed-use facility. (2) The Auraria board shall have the power and authority to develop, construct, hold, lease, and dispose of complementary facilities and to facilitate the development and construction of complementary facilities by entering into leases or other contractual arrangements with private persons or entities. (3) The Auraria board shall have the same powers with respect to a complementary facility as it has with respect to auxiliary facilities under this article and under article 5 of this title. (4) Without limiting the scope of any other power granted to the Auraria board in this article, the Auraria board shall have the power and authority to enter into one or more ground leases for portions of the center with private persons or entities, which lease shall require the lessee to develop a complementary facility upon the leased premises. The Auraria board shall not subordinate its interest in land subject to such a ground lease but may enter into attornment and nondisturbance agreements with any party providing financing to the lessee. (5) Any moneys derived from a complementary facility shall be devoted first to payment of any debt service on bonds that are secured by the moneys and all expenses connected with the complementary facility and then to furthering the mission of the Auraria board and the center, including but not limited to applying the moneys pursuant to subsection (3) of this section. Moneys derived from a complementary facility shall be continuously appropriated to the Auraria board and shall remain in the control of the Auraria board and shall not be transferred or revert to the general fund of the state at the end of any fiscal year.

C.R.S. § 23-70-106 Auraria board to have certain powers similar to powers exercised by the governing bodies of other state institutions of higher education

23-70-106. Auraria board to have certain powers similar to powers exercised by the governing bodies of other state institutions of higher education. (1) The Auraria board may exercise the following powers to the same extent and in the same manner as may be provided or extended by law to the governing boards of state institutions of higher education: (a) To promulgate rules and regulations for the safety of students, employees, and property located within the center; (b) To promulgate rules and regulations providing for the operation and parking of vehicles upon the grounds, driveways, or roadways within the center under the control of the Auraria board; (c) To cede jurisdiction for the enforcement of traffic laws; (d) To institute and carry out a system of registration and identification of vehicles owned or operated by students, faculty, and staff attending or employed by the constituent institutions and the Auraria staff located at the center; and (e) To receive gifts and bequests of money or property which may be tendered to the Auraria board.

C.R.S. § 23-70-106.5 Resolution of disputes at Auraria center

23-70-106.5. Resolution of disputes at Auraria center. (1) After notification to the affected chief executive officers, which notification provides for a deadline of not more than ten days for the resolution of a dispute, the chief executive officer of any governing board at the Auraria center, including the Auraria board, may request the Colorado commission on higher education to resolve a conflict concerning an academically related issue at the Auraria center. The commission shall have the authority to make the final decision to resolve the issue presented to it or may delegate its responsibility and authority for the final decision of the issue to the Auraria board. The decision of either the commission or the Auraria board shall be binding on all of the governing boards and institutions and on the Auraria board. It is the policy of the general assembly that the commission is encouraged to delegate to the Auraria board, to as great an extent as possible, its authority for making final decisions at the Auraria center. (2) The chief executive officer of any governing board at the Auraria center, including the Auraria board, may request the Auraria board to resolve a conflict concerning the operation, administration, or use of the physical facilities at the Auraria center. The Auraria board shall have the authority to make the final decision to resolve the issue presented to it, and such decision shall be binding on all of the governing boards and institutions and on the Auraria board. (3) All issues involving interinstitutional disputes at the Auraria center shall be considered as either academically related or operationally related, and the commission is authorized to determine whether it or the Auraria board shall have jurisdiction in regard to the resolution of the dispute.

C.R.S. § 23-70-107 Borrowing funds for auxiliary or complementary facilities

23-70-107. Borrowing funds for auxiliary or complementary facilities. (1) For the purposes of obtaining funds for constructing, otherwise acquiring, and equipping auxiliary facilities, as defined in section 23-5-101.5 (2)(a), for the use of students and employees at the center, the Auraria board is authorized, after approval by the Colorado commission on higher education and subsequent affirmative vote by the combined student bodies of the Auraria campus if student fees are to be used in financing such projects, to enter into contracts with any one or more persons or corporations or state or federal government agencies for the advancement of moneys for such purposes and to provide for the repayment of such advancements with interest at a specified net effective interest rate. (2) (a) The Auraria board, by resolution, may issue revenue bonds on behalf of any auxiliary facility or group of auxiliary facilities managed by the Auraria board for the purpose of obtaining funds for constructing, otherwise acquiring, equipping, or operating such auxiliary facility or group of auxiliary facilities. Any bonds issued on behalf of any auxiliary facility or group of auxiliary facilities other than dining facilities, recreational facilities, health facilities, parking facilities, student center facilities, or research facilities which are funded from a revolving fund may be issued only after approval by both houses of the general assembly either by bill or by joint resolution and after approval by the governor in accordance with section 39 of article V of the state constitution. Except as provided in subsection (2)(b) of this section, bonds issued pursuant to this subsection (2) shall be payable only from revenues generated by the auxiliary facility or group of auxiliary facilities on behalf of which such bonds are issued. Such bonds shall be issued in accordance with the provisions of section 23-70-108 (2). (b) (I) For the 2020-21 and 2021-22 state fiscal years only, existing bonds for auxiliary facilities or group of auxiliary facilities managed by the Auraria board and issued under subsection (2)(a) of this section may be payable from other sources, including money contributed by constituent institutions from whatever source, and from money appropriated to the board by the general assembly. (II) For the 2020-21 state fiscal year, the amounts contributed by constituent institutions, from whatever source, are as follows: (A) One million three hundred eighty-nine thousand three hundred dollars from the board of trustees for the Metropolitan state university of Denver; (B) Nine hundred eighty thousand seven hundred dollars from the board of regents of the university of Colorado; and (C) Three hundred eighty thousand dollars from the state board for community colleges and occupational education. (3) The Auraria board, by resolution, may issue revenue bonds secured by a pledge of lease payments or any other revenues derived from a complementary facility or group of complementary facilities for the purpose of raising moneys for constructing or otherwise acquiring and equipping any facility necessary or useful to the accomplishment of the mission of the Auraria board and the center. Bonds issued pursuant to this subsection (3) shall be payable only from revenues generated by the lease payments or by the complementary facility or group of complementary facilities that are subject to the pledge. The bonds shall be issued in accordance with the provisions of section 23-70-108 (2). ility necessary or useful to the accomplishment of the mission of the Auraria board and the center. Bonds issued pursuant to this subsection (3) shall be payable only from revenues generated by the lease payments or by the complementary facility or group of complementary facilities that are subject to the pledge. The bonds shall be issued in accordance with the provisions of section 23-70-108 (2). (4) The Auraria board, by resolution, may issue revenue bonds secured by a pledge of rental payments or other payments to be received from a constituent institution or constituent institutions. The Auraria board shall use the proceeds of said bonds to acquire, construct, or equip any physical plant, facility, building, or ground within the center for the use of one or more constituent institutions pursuant to section 23-70-104. Bonds issued pursuant to this subsection (4) shall be payable only from payments received by the Auraria board from the constituent institutions for the acquisition, construction, or equipping of the physical plant, facility, building, or ground for which the bonds are issued. The bonds shall be issued in accordance with the provisions of section 23-70-108 (2).

C.R.S. § 23-70-108 Pledge of income

23-70-108. Pledge of income. (1) When the Auraria board enters into a contract for the advancement of moneys described in section 23-70-107, the board is authorized, in connection with or as a part of such contract, to pledge special student fees or the net income derived or to be derived from such land or facilities so constructed, acquired, and equipped or special student fees and said net income as security for the repayment of the moneys advanced therefor, together with interest thereon, and for the establishment and maintenance of reserves in connection therewith; and, for the same purpose, the Auraria board is also authorized to use the net income derived from the Tivoli brewery and parking areas associated with the Tivoli brewery and to pledge the net income derived from any other auxiliary facility which is not individually designated as an enterprise and which is not acquired and not to be acquired with moneys appropriated to the Auraria board by the state of Colorado and to pledge the net income, fees, and revenues derived from said sources, if such be unpledged, or, if pledged, the net income, fees, and revenues currently in excess of the amount required to meet principal, interest, and reserve requirements in connection with outstanding obligations to which such net income, fees, and revenues have theretofore been pledged. (2) Any advancement of moneys may be evidenced by interim warrants, if necessary, and bonds to be executed by and on behalf of the Auraria board containing such terms and provisions, including provisions for redemption prior to maturity, as may be determined by the Auraria board. Such warrants or bonds may, at the discretion of the Auraria board, be registrable as to principal or interest, or both, and shall never be sold at less than ninety-five percent of the principal amount thereof and accrued interest thereon to the date of delivery or at a price which will result in a net effective interest rate which exceeds that specified in the contract for the advancement of moneys. Any of the warrants or bonds of the Auraria board issued pursuant to this section or any other law may be refunded pursuant to article 54 of title 11, C.R.S., if in the judgment of the Auraria board such refunding shall be to its best interests. Such refunding obligations may be made payable from any source which may be legally pledged for the payment of the obligations being refunded at the time of the issuance of the obligations so refunded or from any of the sources described in subsection (1) of this section, notwithstanding that the pledge for the payment of the outstanding obligations being refunded is thereby modified. (3) In the event that the pledged net income, fees, and revenues exceed the amount required to meet principal, interest, and reserve requirements in connection with revenue bonds of the institution to which such income has been pledged, the Auraria board may retain such surplus and utilize the same for such purposes as in its judgment shall be in the best interests of the center, including, but not limited to, rehabilitation, alteration, addition to, or equipping of any existing auxiliary facilities, as defined in section 23-5-101.5 (2)(a), acquired pursuant to the provisions of this section and the acquisition of sites for the construction, acquisition, and equipping of additional auxiliary facilities pursuant to such provisions or for prior redemption of outstanding bonds. Use of such surplus shall be reviewed in advance by the student advisory committee to the Auraria board. (4) Anticipation warrants or bonds issued pursuant to this section may be used as security for any depository bond or obligation where any kind of bond or other security must or may, by law, be deposited as security.

C.R.S. § 23-70-109 No property lien

23-70-109. No property lien. The Auraria board shall not create a mortgage upon any property belonging to the board or to the state of Colorado or to any constituent institution, nor shall the state be obligated to secure or repay any funds advanced pursuant to the provisions of sections 23-70-107 and 23-70-108 or the interest on such funds.

C.R.S. § 23-70-110 Tax exemption

23-70-110. Tax exemption. Any bonds, certificates, or warrants issued pursuant to the provisions of sections 23-70-107 and 23-70-108 by the Auraria board shall be exempt from taxation for any state, county, school district, special district, municipal, or other purpose in the state of Colorado.

C.R.S. § 23-70-111 Certain debts and expenses prohibited

23-70-111. Certain debts and expenses prohibited. The Auraria board is prohibited from creating any debt as against the state of Colorado or the governing boards of the constituent institutions or from incurring any expense beyond its ability to pay the same from the annual income or appropriated funds for the then current year.

C.R.S. § 23-70-112 Limitation of actions

23-70-112. Limitation of actions. No action shall be brought questioning the legality of any contract, proceeding, or warrants or bonds executed or to be executed by the Auraria board in connection with the provision of any auxiliary facilities, as defined in section 23-5-101.5 (2)(a), provided or to be provided for the purposes authorized by this article after thirty days have expired after the effective date of any resolution or other official action authorizing such contract, adopting such proceedings, or authorizing the issuance of such warrants or bonds.

C.R.S. § 23-70-113 Possible change of Auraria higher education center

23-70-113. Possible change of Auraria higher education center. (Repealed)

C.R.S. § 23-70-114 Powers of board not limited

23-70-114. Powers of board not limited. Subject to the approval of the Colorado commission on higher education, the Auraria board may exercise any and all powers conferred by this article with respect to any land or facility not otherwise a part of the Auraria center. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the powers of governing boards of constituent institutions to acquire or dispose of facilities not otherwise part of the Auraria center; however, any building or facility acquired by a constituent institution in support of academic programs shall be subject to the approval of the Auraria board, including the renewal of existing leases.

C.R.S. § 23-70-115 Directive - master plans

23-70-115. Directive - master plans. (1) In order to maximize economic and administrative efficiency at the Auraria center and to further the goals articulated in section 23-1-101, the general assembly finds it necessary that there be comprehensive academic and facilities master planning for the use and development of the Auraria center constituent institutions. Therefore, the governing boards of the constituent institutions and the Auraria board, in consultation with the Colorado commission on higher education, shall prepare comprehensive master plans according to the following requirements and schedule: (a) On or before a date to be set by the Colorado commission on higher education, and in accordance with commission policies and procedures, the commission shall coordinate, and the governing boards of the constituent institutions shall submit to the commission, academic master plans for the constituent institutions. The coordinated academic master plans shall address all Auraria multiinstitutional issues that the commission determines to be relevant to the role and mission of each institution and academic program requirements for fulfilling that role and mission. (b) The commission shall review the master plans and shall, after consultation with the governing boards, order revisions to the extent that the plans fail to maximize efficiency and academic program effectiveness. When approved by the commission, the academic master plans shall be submitted to the Auraria board which shall prepare a comprehensive facilities master plan for the Auraria constituent institutions. The facilities master plan shall be submitted to the commission at a date to be established by the commission.

C.R.S. § 23-70-116 Auraria library - economic development database

23-70-116. Auraria library - economic development database. (1) The library located at the center, which is administered by the university of Colorado at Denver and which serves Metropolitan state university of Denver and the community college of Denver, is hereby designated and shall be the site of the state economic development database. The library shall compile data which is useful and relevant to persons concerned with economic development in the state, including but not limited to statistical and demographic profiles of Colorado communities, labor and market statistics, statutory and regulatory requirements for business formation, and such other information as will assist the creation, expansion, and relocation of business in Colorado. The library is authorized to receive and expend all moneys, public and private, tendered to it for the performance of its duties under this section. The department of local affairs shall assist the library in the performance of such duties. (2) No policy shall be established that would prevent equal access by any individual or organization in the state of Colorado to the database relating to economic development.

C.R.S. § 23-70-117 Displaced Aurarian scholarship - created - appropriation - legislative declaration - definitions

23-70-117. Displaced Aurarian scholarship - created - appropriation - legislative declaration - definitions. (1) (a) The general assembly finds and declares that: (I) When the Auraria higher education center was built in the 1970s, a well-established, close-knit, largely Hispanic community of more than three hundred households were displaced; (II) As part of the forced relocation, the residents were compensated for their homes and promised free education for the years to come; (III) The displaced Aurarian scholarship program began in the 1990s and provided funds for tuition and fees for former residents of the Auraria neighborhood, their children, and their grandchildren; and (IV) An expansion of the scholarship will allow all lineal descendants of people who lived in the Auraria neighborhood from 1955 to 1973 to be eligible and will fund scholarships for undergraduate and graduate programs. (b) Therefore, the general assembly declares that the creation of the displaced Aurarian scholarship for descendants of people who lived in the Auraria neighborhood will make attending Metropolitan state university of Denver, the university of Colorado at Denver, or the community college of Denver more accessible. The displaced Aurarian scholarship reaffirms the state's commitment to equity and restorative justice by supporting and making educational opportunities accessible to the descendants of those displaced by the Auraria higher education center. (2) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires: (a) "Auraria higher education center" or "Auraria center" means the multi-institutional higher education complex described in section 23-70-101. (b) "Department" means the department of higher education created in section 24-1-114. (c) "Displaced Aurarian" means a person whose family was displaced by the development of the Auraria center. (d) "Displaced Aurarian scholarship" or "scholarship" means the displaced Aurarian scholarship created in subsection (3)(a) of this section. (3) (a) There is created the displaced Aurarian scholarship. The purpose of the scholarship is to fully fund the tuition of descendants of displaced Aurarians to attend Metropolitan state university of Denver, the university of Colorado at Denver, or the community college of Denver. (b) To the extent that money is available, Metropolitan state university of Denver, the university of Colorado at Denver, and the community college of Denver must supplement and support the investment of scholarship funds for the scholarship. (c) Metropolitan state university of Denver, the university of Colorado at Denver, and the community college of Denver shall, in collaboration, establish criteria for scholarship recipients, including, but not limited to: (I) Defining "eligible recipient"; (II) Defining "lineal descendants"; (III) Defining "Auraria neighborhood"; (IV) Defining "qualified degree programs"; and (V) Determining the documentation required to receive a scholarship. (4) (a) For the 2022-23 state fiscal year, the general assembly shall appropriate two million dollars from the general fund for scholarships to the department to be allocated in the following manner: (I) Six hundred sixty-six thousand six hundred sixty-six dollars and sixty-seven cents to the board of trustees for Metropolitan state university of Denver, as established in section 23-54-103; (II) Six hundred sixty-six thousand six hundred sixty-six dollars and sixty-six cents to the board of regents, as established by section 12 of article IX of the state constitution, of the university of Colorado at Denver; and (III) Six hundred sixty-six thousand six hundred sixty-six dollars and sixty-seven cents to the state board for community colleges and occupational education, as established in section 23-60-104, for the community college of Denver. ollars and sixty-six cents to the board of regents, as established by section 12 of article IX of the state constitution, of the university of Colorado at Denver; and (III) Six hundred sixty-six thousand six hundred sixty-six dollars and sixty-seven cents to the state board for community colleges and occupational education, as established in section 23-60-104, for the community college of Denver. (b) Metropolitan state university of Denver, the university of Colorado at Denver, and the community college of Denver shall each hold the funds in trust or transfer the funds to the institutional foundation of the institutions, and shall only use the funds for the purpose of the scholarship and any administrative costs of the scholarship. Any interest, income, and profit must be used for the scholarship.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2024-title-23.docxFetched: 10/6/2026

Starting a business in Colorado? Colorado LLC guide: costs and requirements