Task Force to Sponsor Public Forums around State

By Joan Johnson

February 27, 2004

The Governor's Task Force to Strengthen and Improve the Community College System will sponsor a series of public forums hosted by various community colleges around the state in the next two weeks. The 16-member Task Force will be seeking public comment and input on the Governor's charge to examine the community college's system office, its organization, the possibility of restructuring the system’s governance and if such changes would provide more funds for the 13 individual colleges within the system and their students.

The local forums will be held Thursday, March 4, 1-3 p.m., at the Otero Junior College Banquet Room in the Student Center, La Junta. (Trinidad State Junior College, and Lamar, Pueblo and Pikes Peak Community Colleges will join in via closed-circuit television.)

The Task Force has held eight meetings since January 9"' and will submit its report to the Governor on April 5th. The group decided at the beginning of the process that it wanted to have public comment prior to the report being drafted. Written comments will also be accepted by e-mail at: CCCSTaskForce@cchexchange.state.co.us. E-mails need to include both a name and phone number to be considered. Comments from both the public forums and the e-mails will be part of the Task Force's discussion when making their recommendations to the Governor. For further information, please contact Joan Johnson, Colorado Commission on Higher Education (303) 866-2723.