§ 23-77-104. Colorado Student Leaders Institute – Executive Board – Duties

1. An executive board appointed pursuant to subsection (2) of this section shall oversee the operations of the institute, including contracting through the department of higher education with the host institution and annually selecting students to participate in the institute.
2. 1. The executive board consists of eleven members as follows:
      1. The governor, with the consent of the senate, shall appoint eight persons to serve as members of the executive board as follows:
         1. Two persons who are employed as educators in high schools in Colorado, one of whom is employed in a rural school district;
         2. Two persons who are employed as teaching faculty or administrators in an institution of higher education in Colorado; and
         3. Four persons from the community who have interest or experience in education; and
      2. The commissioner of education or his or her designee, the executive director of the department of higher education or his or her designee, and the chief executive officer of the host institution or his or her designee shall serve as members of the executive board.
   2. The appointed members of the executive board serve two-year terms and may be appointed to successive two-year terms; except that, of the members first appointed, the governor shall select four members to serve one-year terms. The appointed members of the executive board serve at the pleasure of the governor. If a vacancy arises on the executive board, the governor shall appoint a person to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term.
   3. The members of the executive board serve without compensation and without reimbursement for expenses.
   4. The governor shall appoint the initial members to the executive board as soon as possible after June 6, 2015. In making appointments, the governor shall attempt to appoint persons who are representative of the gender and racial diversity within the state and who represent areas throughout the state.
   5. Repealed.
3. The executive board has the following duties and powers:
   1. The executive board shall oversee and direct the operations of the institute, including reviewing the student applications received, annually selecting students to participate in the institute, and annually selecting the faculty and courses for the institute, taking into account the recommendations of the host institution. In reviewing applications and selecting students to participate in the institute, the executive board shall ensure that:
      1. At least fifty percent of the students selected to attend the institute each year:
         1. Are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch pursuant to the federal “Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act”, 42 U.S.C. sec. 1751 et seq.; or
         2. Would be the first generation in their immediate families to attend an institution of higher education;
      2. The students who are selected reside in areas throughout the state; are representative of the gender, ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic diversity of the state; and are representative of the educational program options available throughout the state; and
      3. The students who are selected demonstrate, through their individual career and academic plans for students enrolled in public schools, a commitment to continuing in postsecondary education after high school graduation.
   2. 1. The department of higher education, on behalf of the executive board, shall issue a request for proposals for a public or private institution of higher education to host the institute. The department, working with the executive board, shall select and enter into a contract on behalf of the executive board and the institute with the public or private institution of higher education in accordance with the applicable provisions of the “Procurement Code”, articles 101 to 112 of title 24. The department may enter into a multi-year contract with a public or private institution of higher education, subject to annual review and renewal.
      2. The contract to host the institute must require the host institution, at a minimum, to provide the following services in managing the institute:
         1. Establish requirements for and create the form of the applications that students submit to participate in the institute and establish the timelines for submitting applications and selecting participants;
         2. Review applications received from students and recommend participants to the executive board;
         3. Annually solicit educators to participate as faculty for the institute and annually recommend to the executive board faculty and courses for the institute;
         4. Provide space for classes, lectures, and seminars; and
         5. Provide living and eating facilities for students who participate in the institute.
   3. The executive board may appoint an advisory board consisting of persons in the community who are supportive of education to assist the executive board in marketing the institute and soliciting public and private gifts, grants, and donations for the institute. Any persons appointed to an advisory board pursuant to this subsection (3)(c) serve without compensation and without reimbursement for expenses.
   4. Beginning in the 2017 regular legislative session, the executive board shall annually report to the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate, or any successor committees, the executive board’s progress and success in implementing the institute. The executive board must, at a minimum, report the success of the institute as measured by the enrollment and progress of institute alumni in postsecondary educational programs.

Source: L. 2017: Entire article added with relocations, (SB 17-060), ch. 54, p. 169, § 1, effective March 20.

Editor’s note:

1. This section is similar to former § 24-44.3-104 as it existed prior to 2017.
2. Subsection (2)(e)(II) provided for the repeal of subsection (2)(e), effective July 1, 2018. (See L. 2017, p. 169 .)