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On Jan. 26, the Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØAdvocates program and the University of Colorado’s Office of Government Relations hosted the 2016 Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØAdvocacy Day at the state Capitol. Attendees received updates on the university’s recent educational, research and economic contributions. LawmakersÌýand Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØofficials also briefed advocatesÌýon CU’s legislative priorities, higher education’s funding outlook for this year and Colorado’s budget situation.

Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØAdvocates, including donor, supporters, students, alumni, faculty and staff from CU’s four campuses attended a program at the Colorado state Capitol featuring:

• Bruce Benson, Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØPresident
• Michele McKinney, Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØAssistant Vice President of Advocacy and External Relations
• Todd Saliman, Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØVice President of Budget and Finance
• Tanya Kelly-Bowry, Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØVice President of Government Relations
• Chris Pacheco, Director of CU’s Pre-Collegiate Development Program
• Dr. David Brain, Assistant Professor, CU-Boulder’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP)

TheÌýprogram,Ìýwhich also featured students from LASP and alumni of CU’s Pre-Collegiate Development Program,Ìýwas interspersed by appearances and remarks from U.S. Senator Cory Gardner as well as State Senators Rollie Heath, Jack Tate, Matt Jones, Jesse Ulibarri and State Representative Joe Salazar.ÌýSenator Ulibarri and Representative Salazar are both alumni of CU’s Pre-Collegiate Development Program.

Following the program at theÌýStateÌýCapitol, Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØPresident Bruce Benson andÌýÂ鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØRegent Chairman Kyle Hybl and Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØRegent Sue SharkeyÌýwelcomed dozens of legislators and over 100 attendees for an evening reception at the Benson Mineral Group. Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØAdvocates were able to interface directly with legislators on bills of interest and promote CU’s legislative priorities for this year.Ìý

Photo courtesy: Jon Arnold, Office of the President