With a simple stroke of the pen, Colorado Governor made life a little easier for Colorado’s universities on Monday, signing Senate bill 17-041 into law. The law will make self-funded auxiliary departments, such as athletics, exempt from the state stipulation that universities can only have six multiyear contracts, capped at five years each.
The law will go into effect on Aug. 9, 90 days after the general assembly adjourns.
The new law could have a big impact on state schools such as the University of Colorado, Colorado State and Northern Colorado. CU athletic director Rick George told Buffzone.com, that they were put at a “competitive disadvantage” compared to schools in other states, where they can signing entire staffs to multiyear deals. Currently, CU uses all six of their multiyear contracts in athletics.