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Clearly, the intent of HB 04-1086 is to examine the fiscal efficiency of the currently structured Colorado state community college system. Clearly also, HB 04-1086 provides for representation on the interim committee by important constituencies which would have the expertise needed to assess and evaluate committee findings. Additionally, the current proposed membership of this nine member panel represents a legislative attempt to establish a fair and balanced representation of interest groups.

Indeed, the CCAAUP affirms that fair, balanced, and prudent representation of all significant interest groups is mandatory. Fair, balanced, and prudent representation is important because the committee is charged with looking at efficiency within the current structure. It is also important because the committee must report its findings "including, but not limited to any suggestions for legislative changes" to the governor, the Education committees of both the House and the Senate, the Executive Committee and the Joint Budget Committee.

However, close examination of the proposed Interim Committee membership reveals a significant omission of community college faculty, whose exclusion will certainly cause committee work and findings to suffer. This unique and important constituency’s ability to serve their students will necessarily be affected by any legislative action proposed by the Interim Committee’s findings.

Under currently proposed language, HB 04-1086 provides for representation by three members of CCHE, two members of SBCCOE, two community college presidents, and two Colorado state citizens at large. Adding two community college faculty members will give the committee the much needed faculty perspective in as much as faculty are the one group most directly in contact with the students who receive the benefits of the state funded and state governed community college education. Additionally, community college faculty are the curriculum experts who must always provide high quality education to community college students regardless of the limitations of state controlled community college organizational structure, state curriculum mandates, state funding restrictions and other realities.

In fact, Governor Owens’ Community College Task Force (an internal CCHE/SBCCOE investigative body studying CC of C structure which will report to the governor by April 15) has recognized the important role faculty must play in this efficiency study, and the task force has recently added to its membership John Salladay, CFAC member and chair of the Community College Faculty Advisory Group.

Adding faculty to the Interim Committee will bring an important classroom perspective to the committee’s work. Faculty membership will help the committee better understand how system structure impacts students’ lives through its impact on the logistics of attending college (admissions, enrollment, academic support, class offerings and availability). Faculty members will help the committee understand the curriculum costs and benefits (to students, faculty, and institutions) of current structure and alternative structures. And generally speaking, faculty representation on the Interim Committee will enhance the Interim Committee’s productivity as it fulfills the charges specified in HB 04-1086.