Listen:
CU Denver Faculty Consider Censuring Provost
CU Denver faculty are considering censuring the university’s Provost, Constancio Nakuma, alleging he is mismanaging the university.
Among the faculty’s concerns is Nakuma’s decision to remove the College of Architecture and Planning’s dean, after saying she was not “fit for the job.” According to The Denver Post, faculty members say the dean’s removal was unwarranted and included public humiliation.
Faculty is also accusing Nakuma of mismanaging the financial aid office. They say he caused a delay in the funds, leaving students without the financial aid they needed to pay tuition fees on time.
Along with financial aid, critics point to Nakuma’s mismanagement of mental health services at the university. Keeling & Associates, a higher education consulting firm, reviewed the counseling center at CU Denver and reported that it was understaffed. Their report said university leadership has failed to prioritize mental health among their student body.
Faculty is granting Nakuma time to address their concerns. They will vote on his censure in February.
Boulder Campaign Fund Reports Released
The City of Boulder has released campaign finance records ahead of Election Day.
Ballot measures and candidates have raised more than $70,000, according to the Daily Camera. All but $4,000 of those dollars were already spent over the campaign cycle.
The Yes on 2A committee has raised the most money out of all ballot measure committees, bringing in more than $30,000 and spending about $27,000 of the funds. Ballot Issue 2A proposes an extension of sales tax and allocates it to the city’s arts and general fund.
Safe Zones 4 Kids, a committee calling for the removal of unhoused encampments from zones in close proximity to schools, stands in second place. They fundraised more than $18,000, spending about $17,000 of it.
Committees are required to donate leftover funds to charities after elections, or return them to contributors.
Lyft Introduces A Safer Experience To Women and Nonbinary Individuals
A new and improved Lyft service is coming to Denver and surrounding areas. The Women + Connect service will allow women and nonbinary users to match with drivers who also identify as women or nonbinary.
If no women or nonbinary driver is available, they will be matched with a male-identifying driver. Lyft says it hopes to attract a higher number of female-identifying drivers, as they only make up 23% of current drivers.
The program was launched in more than 50 cities last week. Lyft says they aim to create a more comfortable experience for riders.
El Niño Could Affect Winter
For only the fourth time since 1950, a super El Niño could occur this winter. According to the National Center for Atmospheric Research, the Pacific Ocean’s water temperature is higher than normal and will stay that high into December, alluding to a heightened El Niño.
When a super El Niño occurs, the southwest experiences a more humid winter than usual, while the north experiences a warmer season. Because Colorado sits in the middle of the country, it can be hard to predict El Niño’s effect, but meteorologists say the state will experience a harsher winter than usual.
Colorado experienced more snowfall and colder temperatures than an average winter the last three times super El Niño occurred.
