Lianna Bodzin

The board meeting included an executive session to discuss employee matters, honorary awards, legal advice, and negotiations. Key actions included the approval of faculty promotion and tenure recommendations, the Board of Trustees' Outstanding Faculty Award, sabbatical requests for the 2026-2027 academic year, and emeritus faculty appointments. Presentations were provided regarding the 2027 budget preview, covering tuition rates, financial aid, and strategic budgeting, along with updates on capital projects such as the Lookout Apartments and the Energy and Minerals Research Facility.

The Board approved the awarding of an honorary degree, delegated authority regarding intellectual property to the President, and authorized the acceptance of a temporary easement from the City of Golden. Additionally, the Board approved a line of credit, administered the oath of office to new trustees, and reviewed reports including financial status for the fiscal year, an update on the Quantum Commons project, the Career Center annual report, student government initiatives, and findings from a campus climate survey conducted by the Faculty Senate.

The board meeting agenda included several key action items, such as the Xcel Energy and City of Golden trail easements, graduation list approvals, the FY27 budget request, the state five-year capital plan, lease agreements, pre-approval for a Sodexo contract, United HealthCare student health insurance, and proposed faculty handbook revisions. The meeting also featured reports and updates regarding athletics programs, the faculty senate, admissions and enrollment, and a Beyond 150 institutional update. Additionally, an executive session was scheduled to discuss employee matters, naming rights proposals, negotiation strategies, and legal advice.

This economic analysis, commissioned by The Great Plains Institute, outlines the national economic benefits and strategic direction for carbon capture retrofit opportunities across the contiguous United States from 2021 to 2050. The plan identifies significant investment opportunities ranging from $330 billion to $500 billion through midcentury, alongside substantial job creation, projecting up to 64,000 jobs from capital investment and 43,000 from operations in the near-term (2021-2035). A key strategic outcome is achieving net-zero emissions, with projected annual CO2 capture targets of 704 million metric tons in the near-term and an additional 408 million metric tons in the long-term (2036-2050), emphasizing carbon capture as a critical technology.

The Board convened with an Executive Session to discuss property purchase, legal advice, confidential matters, honorary awards, and personnel issues. During the Regular Meeting, the Board unanimously approved the September 26, 2025, Minutes. The President's Welcome included recognizing a Trustee's service as a keynote speaker and presenting a Silver Diploma for advocacy contributions. The financial report provided the 2026 financial forecast. Action items included the unanimous approval of a strategic property acquisition in Golden, Colorado, for $5,850,000, and the approval of the December 2025 graduation lists. Furthermore, the Board approved granting a posthumous Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Physics. A new undergraduate degree program, Bachelor of Science in Quantum Systems Engineering, proposed to start in Fall 2026, was also approved. Discussions covered updates on Technology Transfer management, the Mines@150 campaign recap, the Earth 2.0 strategic initiative to restructure earth-focused departments, admissions and enrollment data, progress on international projects including a potential campus in Guam, and the Faculty Senate Report.