Dec. 5, 2007
Dear Faculty and Staff,
The University of Colorado’s legal team and insurer have settled the Title IX lawsuit Lisa Simpson and Anne Gilmore brought against the university. The case has been ongoing for six years, often casting a shadow on the great work that happens in our classrooms and research labs every day. It is time for us to close this chapter in the university’s history and focus on what makes the university great.
While the classroom and research work are a constant in the life of the university, in many other ways, we are a different place than we were six years ago. We have new people in 11 of the top 12 leadership positions, including the presidency, two campus chancellors, and athletic director. We have implemented substantial reforms in the areas of student safety and intercollegiate athletics. Our athletics recruiting program is now one of the strictest among NCAA Division I universities.
In her statement on the settlement, Ms. Simpson commends CU for these efforts and encourages other universities to follow our lead.
Recent district court rulings led to the likelihood that the case would have dragged on for years, at considerable cost. Considerable deliberation went into authorizing the $2.5 million settlement, which our insurer will pay (the Gilmore portion of the case is an additional $350,000). The decision is in the university’s best interests. It is time for us to focus on the teaching, research and service that make the University of Colorado a great institution.
Sincerely,
Hank Brown
President
