The University of Colorado regents may form a committee that will give more attention to the athletic department. The proposal was presented at a regents meeting Friday and has been tabled until November.
The committee will not have anything to do regarding a review of the on-field performance of coaches.
“From an academic or budgetary perspective, athletics is probably about 2 percent of what the university does,” regent Michael Carrigan said. “However, our athletic programs seem to get about 50 percent of the public’s attention. For this reason, perhaps it deserves more of the regents’ attention as well.”
Carrigan said some of the goals of the committee would be exploring finances of various departments to determine if they’re profitable, ways the regents can help with fundraising and whether the Colorado-Denver campus should start an athletics program.
Also, if the committee had formed before summer began, the regents could be more instrumental regarding the school’s current negotiations with the Big 12 over its exit fee.
Friday’s meeting came one day before Colorado’s home football game with Hawaii. Coach Dan Hawkins is 17-34 in his fifth year. There is widespread speculation that this could be his final season unless the team’s fortunes turn around soon.
Carrigan said the Hawkins’ situation has nothing to do with why the regents are looking at being more involved in athletics. “This was an issue raised before the football season started,” he said. “It encompasses much broader issues.”
Many issues must still be determined before a committee is formed. Regent Steve Bosley made the motion to table the discussion for that reason. The committee would not oversee athletic director Mike Bohn.
“He’d still report to the chancellor, and no one suggests that change,” Carrigan said.
