Colorado Revised Statutes Title 23. Postsecondary Education § 23-1-143. Commission directive--first-generation-serving institution designation--legislative declaration--definitions

(a) In 2017, the Colorado commission on higher education, in its master plan, Colorado Rises: Advancing Education and Talent Development, set a statewide attainment goal for sixty-six percent of Colorado's adult population to hold a postsecondary credential;

(b) Colorado has made progress, but as of 2023, the state has still not met this goal;

(c) One of the ways to increase the number of people holding a postsecondary credential is to increase the number of first-generation students attending institutions of higher education;

(d) By recognizing and designating institutions of higher education that serve a large number of first-generation students, the state shows incoming students at those institutions that the students may share a sense of belonging with others of similar backgrounds and that the institutions are committed to meeting the needs of first-generation students;

(e) Institutions of higher education serving first-generation students incur increased costs; and

(f) It is therefore necessary to establish a designation to recognize state institutions of higher education serving first-generation students.

(a) “First-generation-serving institution” means a state institution of higher education:

(b) “State institution of higher education” has the same meaning as “public institution of higher education” as defined in section 23-4.5-102.

(a) Identify institutions of higher education that meet the definition of first-generation-serving institutions for that school year;

(b) Post on the department's website the names of the first-generation-serving institutions for that school year; and

(c) Notify each first-generation-serving institution and the Colorado general assembly of the designations.