Hello, Lynx community,

As we prepare for summer—our busiest time of the year in Finance and Administration—I wanted to provide some last budget updates before the end of the semester.

On April 29, Governor Jared Polis signed a $44 billion budget for the state’s upcoming fiscal year, including an increase of $39 million for higher education. For CU Denver, this translates into a 2.9% increase in state support and a 3.3% increase in undergraduate resident tuition rates. The Board of Regents will ratify CU's budget in June. This is good news for the 25% portion of our general fund that is supported by the state. Another 70% of our revenue comes from tuition and is generated by student enrollment. The slowly declining enrollment and retention trend of the past few years is forecast to continue, leading to a 1.8% decrease in budgeted enrollment revenue. This projection mitigates any tuition revenue increase that we might expect, and flattens our financial outcomes, even as our expenses continue to escalate.

If the fall 2025 census is positive and we achieve a projected total revenue threshold of $250.9 million, the Board of Regents has approved a 2.5% pool of money earmarked for merit and compression, retention, and adjustment pay. CU Denver’s precise percentage will be determined after the fall census and after considering other salary recommendations.

As I have previously communicated, CU Denver has delivered an initial balanced budget for 2025-26 to the Board of Regents. I am grateful for the foresight and planning that allowed us to avoid another set of budget reductions and offer a shout-out to everyone involved in the Academic Transformation projects, the National Institute for Student Success (NISS) study, the Council of Graduate Schools report, and the Budget Allocation Review Committee (BARC), to name just a few of this year’s initiatives.

May 1 marked my two-year anniversary here at CU Denver. In the short time that I’ve served in this role, I have come to appreciate both the uniqueness of our campus and the students we teach and support. Whatever the future holds, I am certain that the CU Denver community will rise to any challenge and capitalize on every opportunity.

Thank you, and warm regards to you all.

Ann Sherman 
Executive Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration