We must reject this vote and what it represents. We must defend the right to speak out, to challenge injustice, and to lead with principle. Our students, our communities, and our democracy deserve nothing less.

If you care about CU. If you believe in racial justice. If you want students to have Regents who fight for them, not punish them. Then step up. We need leadership rooted in values, not appeasement. This moment is a test.

I want to end by thanking Regent Nolbert Chavez for standing firm and voting against the censure. That is what courage and integrity look like.

Without corrective action or further explanation, it would not surprise me if they face electoral challenges in the future. Denver and CD1 deserve representation on the Regents and grassroots Democrats should consider their options to rectify this.

And I say this as someone who has supported Elliot Hood and Ilana Spiegel in the past. I reached out privately to them to express my concerns before speaking out publicly. I disagree with their reasoning and I’ve implored them to change their position.

Regardless of political leanings, Regents must retain the right to speak freely. I strongly oppose many Republican Regents’ views, but I firmly support their right to express them. However, with this new precedent, Regents can only speak about whatever the majority allows.

To be clear, I reject the Board’s constricted definition of "duties of care and loyalty" and believe Regents have broad authority and responsibility to advocate publicly and represent the values of their constituents.

This is not a stretch. This is exactly the trajectory this vote enables.

Will Regents be punished for challenging campus police or opposing state-sanctioned violence? Will Regents be punished for calling on the University to reject appropriations that would fund ICE hit squads, whose sole purpose is to raid campus, kidnap foreign-born students, and disappear them to unknown countries?

This vote also sets a dangerous precedent. It is not hard to imagine a future where ICE targets undocumented students near campus. If a regent speaks out and calls for the University to stop cooperating, will they be accused of disloyalty too?