TABERNASH — Tensions flared Thursday among the University of Colorado regents as they discussed metrics by which they’ll measure system and campus success.

During their annual summer retreat in Tabernash, several of the Republican regents gave impassioned speeches about the need to prioritize encouraging diversity of political thought and measuring how each campus does so. Some said increased support for conservative perspective programs was a critical issue that would also help the university raise money.

Republicans have control of the board with a 5-4 majority.

“We have a crisis in higher education in this country today,” said John Carson, R-Highlands Ranch. “Our faculties are not reflecting the diversity of thought in America. I want the University of Colorado to be a leader in fixing that.”

He added that private donors would raise money for such conservative perspective programs, and the university should respond by matching their contributions.

Board chair Sue Sharkey, R-Castle Rock, added that she’s heard from conservative faculty members who feel the need to conceal their political affiliation to be accepted on their respective campuses.

“Conservative faculty do not want to come out of the closet,” Sharkey said. “They are afraid of how they will be treated and disrespected because of their political philosophies.”

Several Republican regents indicated that diversity encompasses more than political thought, but much of the discussion focused on political diversity Thursday.

Irene Griego, D-Lakewood, urged the regents to have fuller conversations in committee meetings and to have comprehensive research behind their assertions. She also said the regents need to use a shared governance model to involve a broader number of voices.

She later added that she’s not been shy in the past of saying the regents need to raise the importance of diversity and inclusion, and said that encompassed not just political thought but also ethnicity and gender, among other demographics.

“My concern is that we have not moved forward at all in a systemized, organized fashion” to formalize efforts around inclusion overall, she said.

Some regents proposed ideas about how they could examine political diversity or otherwise shift university culture.

Heidi Ganahl, R-at large, said she’d like to see a measurable metric and suggested that the chancellors of each of the campuses identify the measurements they would use. Sharkey suggested looking at candidates’ bodies of work when hiring and aiming for more “diversity in scholarly work.”

Jack Kroll, D-Denver, tossed out the idea that they explore hosting an annual event that brings in prominent political minds from across the spectrum and around the country to debate the big issues of the day. He said it would be a way to restore faith in the institution.

The regents did not come to a consensus about a course of action Thursday, but the matter will be the subject of board discussions in coming months.

Measuring system, campus success

The regents spent much of Thursday morning — the first day of their two-day summer retreat in Tabernash — discussing metrics that will inform the strategic priorities of the university.

Some of the metrics have five-year improvement goals against which campuses will be measured, including institutional aid, graduation and retention rates, enrollment, and CU’s statewide favorability rating. Chancellors presenting budget initiatives will be asked to describe how those initiatives support the metrics.

Political diversity is not among the metrics with five-year goals, but campuses will be asked to list what conservative perspective programs they’ve implemented.

The metrics with five-year goals are the most detailed and structured step the system has taken to track progress and measure it over time, said Todd Saliman, vice president and chief financial officer. He has helped the regents shape the metrics and facilitated the discussion Thursday.

“This is significantly more detailed and structured than it has been in the past,” Saliman said in an interview after the regent discussion. “It’s a big deal — to have five-year goals on so many of the critical things that we do.”

The regents chose five metrics, some with five-year goals and some without, they’d like to discuss in depth with the chancellors at their next five full board meetings over the coming year. The chancellors will be asked to present and discuss what they are doing to improve those metrics.

The regents chose graduation and retention rates; the total cost of a degree and what campuses are doing to make it more affordable; enrollment; economic impact; and diversity, climate and conservative perspective programs.

They’ll discuss those at their meetings in September, November, February, April and June and plan to have a metrics progress report and update at next year’s summer retreat.

This year’s two-day retreat will continue Friday morning with a discussion about the results of personality tests and how the results of that leadership development tool can help the regents and system and campus brass best work together.

Cassa Niedringhaus: 303-473-1106, cniedringhaus@dailycamera.com, twitter.com/CassaMN