Following the Faculty Assembly’s special election resulting in a vote of no confidence in three members of the executive leadership team, members of the University of Colorado system and community leaders issued statements regarding the outcome and the university’s path forward. These statements acknowledged concerns raised by faculty and reaffirmed their confidence in UCCS leadership and their commitment to working together to address the challenges facing the campus.
Chancellor Sobanet said she respects the faculty assembly’s right to conduct the vote and expressed optimism that upcoming facilitated conversations with shared governance leaders will help build a shared understanding of key issues and inform the future direction of the university.
CU President Todd Saliman and Board of Regents Chairman Ken Montera both issued statements of support for Sobanet’s leadership, citing the difficult work underway to address financial challenges – accumulated over the last decade — and position the campus for long-term success. Both emphasized the importance of collaboration among campus stakeholders and the development of a shared vision for UCCS’s future.
Community leaders Becky Medved, Board Chair of the University of Colorado Foundation; John Suthers, Former Mayor of Colorado Springs; and Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC; similarly highlighted the university’s significance to the Pikes Peak region, pointing to its role in workforce development, research and military engagement. They expressed support for ongoing efforts to address budget challenges while encouraging continued partnership between the university and the broader community.
Collectively, the statements emphasized a shared commitment to ensuring UCCS remains financially sustainable, academically strong and responsive to the needs of students, faculty, staff and the region it serves.
Read the responses:
Statement of Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet
I respect the faculty assembly’s right to conduct the vote. I’m optimistic that the upcoming facilitated conversations between our shared governance leaders and me will help us reach a shared understanding of facts and issues as we create the UCCS of the future on a stable, sustainable foundation.
Statement of CU President Todd Saliman
Let me state first that Chancellor Sobanet has my support in the critical work she is doing on the Colorado Springs campus. Clearly, it has been challenging for her, her leadership teams and the entire campus community. The budget problem developed over many years and won’t be fixed overnight, but it is critical we move forward together, in a productive manner. I speak with the chancellor almost daily as she engages in the work at hand while she also works to ensure a stable, respected and effective team. The facilitated process she has committed to will help bridge communication and information gaps to shore up the foundation upon which we can all move forward. Importantly, she is already working to collaboratively build a plan that enhances the campus’ strengths and identifies areas where changes will be needed.
One thing I have seen over my years at CU is that everyone at UCCS loves UCCS. I understand the faculty vote comes from that common feeling. Many of the faculty have spoken. I hear them and will continue to listen. I will, of course, also listen to the staff, students and community as well. All voices matter and are important. It is my hope that the entire campus community, and broader community, will work together in good faith to define a new path for UCCS that will put the campus not only on stable financial footing but one that also shows the world that UCCS is an extraordinary place to learn and work, and that it is forever and always dedicated to our mission and our great state.
I also want to restate my commitment – and that of the entire system office – to the success of UCCS. I will continue to provide resources, both financial and human, to ensure that the difficult work ahead is well supported and that the campus moves into its next evolution strong and even more equipped to meet its mission.
Statement of Ken Montera, CU Board of Regents Chairman
Chancellor Sobanet and her leadership teams have the support of board members in the tough work they are tackling on behalf of the campus and the entire university. It is my hope that the development of a shared vision for the next evolution of the campus, along with ongoing collaboration with faculty and staff governance will serve to more deeply focus and enhance that work. As a member of the Colorado Springs community myself, I know the incredible value UCCS has always brought to our entire region. The campus’ contributions to the workforce of our region, the support of our military affiliated community members and its focus on first generation learners are just a few of the ways that it contributes to the lifeblood of our city and the region. The work to create the UCCS of the future is not easy, but it is essential. I look forward to supporting it in any way I can.
GUEST OPINION: Colorado Springs and UCCS have a strong, essential connection
Published in the Colorado Springs Gazette on May 31, 2026
by Becky Medved, Board Chair of the University of Colorado Foundation; John Suthers, Former Mayor of Colorado Springs; and Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC
Since UCCS’s founding some 60 years ago, Colorado Springs has been integral to its success. Over those 60 years, UCCS has repaid the community by driving growth in the Pikes Peak region.
Today, UCCS serves more than 11,000 students and employs more than 1,500 dedicated faculty and staff. Among its other contributions, the campus is integral in educating our workforce and responding to the needs of business and citizens to ensure we have the tools to thrive in an ever-changing and competitive world.
The reality is that 80 percent of UCCS graduates stay in Colorado and contribute directly to our state. The economic impact of UCCS exceeds more than $560 million annually. The ties that bind are too numerous to capture here, so let’s just agree that we depend upon each other to be great.
Fast forward to this moment. Almost daily, there is a newspaper article or media story about colleges across the country cutting programs and jobs due to lower enrollment and higher costs. Each institution has its reasons resulting in some schools merging or even closing its doors entirely. Often there is a comment regretting the failure to take action sooner.
John Suthers will join Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck as a shareholder, focusing on government relations and matters involving state attorneys general.
If you have been following the recent UCCS announcements, you know the campus is working to address a $27.7 million shortfall over the next five years. Like other institutions, declining enrollment trends, rising operational costs, reduced state support and unfunded regulatory mandates are major factors.
Facing these facts, this spring, UCCS Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet, campus leaders, faculty, and staff made the difficult decision to act now. Their five-year approach allows for immediate reductions as well as efforts to strategically identify future reductions. For the past six months, we have observed their work to diligently reduce the current year planned $11.7 million reduction down to $10.3 million. Real progress like this means, for the moment, virtually no job losses. Some administrative staff have taken pay cuts and reduced overhead, and even the state of Colorado provided welcome relief by restoring some state funding. We appreciate and support Chancellor Sobanet’s leadership during this time.
With this breathing room, the leadership – partnering with faculty and staff – can thoughtfully and strategically review the programs and have hard discussions about what is no longer in demand or is not core to being a regional research campus. Doing this work now aligns resources and strengthens the foundation of the campus to ensure long-term sustainability and investment in future growth.
Moving the campus towards a sustainable size and structure will mean that our UCCS campus will continue to provide vital opportunities to traditional and non-traditional students alike.
This is where the Colorado Springs community can come alongside the campus as partners:
– Support the university leadership when they have to make impossible decisions
– Engage students as paid interns or employees
– Mentor students and staff and partner with faculty
– Donate to support scholarships or other student-focused efforts that help students stay in school and complete their degree
– Help find new jobs for those whose positions are eliminated
At a recent meeting of the CU Trustees on the UCCS campus we were reminded of all the good happening there. UCCS has been named a First Generation-Serving Institution for the second year in a row. An Air Force ROTC Operating Location will launch at UCCS this fall, acknowledging again that nearly 30 percent of students who attend are military-affiliated. The UCCS Center for Student Research supported more than 330 student researchers across every college, underscoring the campus’ Carnegie R2 research designation. UCCS Mountain Lion athletics continue to shine ranking number one in the NCAA Division II for overall athletic success.
While some faculty have made their opposition to change public, doing nothing now will not change the facts. The university must face the financial gaps while also focusing on meeting the needs of students and employers to strengthen what a regional comprehensive university can be. We don’t have the answers to the hard questions, but we believe working as partners will generate the best outcome for all of us.