University of Denver News Releases
Thursday, August 23, 2007
University of Denver panel to take on state constitution
DU citizens’ panel becomes annual program to study critical state issues
DENVER—University of Denver Chancellor Robert Coombe today announced the formation of a Strategic Issues Panel to study the Colorado Constitution, a document that some say hamstrings the state legislature and has the potential to wreak havoc with state budgets. Moreover, Colorado’s Constitution contains conflicting provisions, excessive detail, and is one of the easiest-to-amend constitutions in the country. For example, Colorado’s Constitution been amended some 47 times since 1980 alone, while the U.S. Constitution has been amended only 27 times in more than 217 years.
With this year’s panel, DU begins an annual process of studying critical state issues. The Chancellor will choose a new issue to study each year, based on its strategic significance, criticality and timeliness. The Strategic Issues Program is another effort to fulfill DU’s commitment to the public good by examining issues, raising the level of public awareness and encouraging informed public discussion.
“If we are to find solutions to the key issues that we face as Coloradans, we’ve got to have inclusive, transparent, informed public debate about those issues in a manner that avoids the pushes and pulls of partisan politics,” said Coombe. “We think that DU can be a catalyst for stimulating this kind of debate, and the Strategic Issues Program is the vehicle we’ve chosen to accomplish this.”
The independent, non-partisan panel studying the constitution is made up of citizens from across Colorado. They will begin their work in September and conclude in early January with a report to the public and to the newly convened state legislature. The panel will take an in-depth look at Colorado’s constitution, analyze its inherent problems, compare it to constitutions of other states and come up with a process, if necessary, to change it.
“Our constitution often reads more like a statute book than a blueprint for governance,” says Jim Griesemer, dean emeritus of the Daniels College of Business and chairman of the panel.
“We want to thoroughly understand any problems with Colorado’s constitution, look at what other states are doing, and then recommend appropriate actions. Essentially, everything is on the table including the possibility of major revisions to the document if that proves necessary.”
This year’s panel follows on the success of the 2005 University of Denver Colorado Economic Futures Panel (CEFP), which issued a report describing the economic challenges and opportunities facing Colorado during the next two decades. Panelists testified before the legislature and informed the public through statewide meetings and media.
In 2006-07, the DU Water Futures Panel studied the state’s water supply and came up with a report that will recommend eight key proposals for a fair, sustainable water future. The water panel’s report will be released to the public in September.
The media are encouraged to attend all panel meetings. Panelists will once again be available to testify to the legislature and present conclusions and recommendations in the media and at public gatherings. A Web site, www.du.edu/issues, will track the panel’s progress. For more information, contact Jim Berscheidt, associate vice chancellor for Communications & Marketing, at (303) 871-3172.
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