The University of Colorado has opened a public comment period for its revised Consensual Amorous Relationships Policy, previously known as the Conflict of Interest in Amorous Relationships Policy (APS 5015). The university is seeking feedback from students, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders until March 13, 2026. The updated policy is expected to take effect on July 1, 2026.
Valerie Simons, vice president of compliance and equity and system Title IX coordinator, led a working group composed of staff and faculty from the Equity Offices, Human Resources, Intercollegiate Athletics, and Office of University Counsel to review the policy at the request of CU President Todd Saliman.
The group shared initial drafts with campus offices and university leadership. The review process now continues through the system Office of Policy and Efficiency to engage further with students, faculty, staff, campus governance groups, and external stakeholders. Each campus will also organize student focus groups to gather additional input before finalizing the policy.
According to the university’s announcement: “The policy was drafted with the following goals in mind:
Expand definition of ‘evaluative authority’ to remove any concerns about favoritism, abuses of power or perceived or real conflicts of interest, particularly involving students, when the power dynamic between two individuals is in question.
Establish clear prohibitions for defined consensual amorous relationships and protocol for how to disclose and remove any potential conflicts of interest.
Explain differences between relationships between consenting individuals pursuant to the Consensual Amorous Relationships Policy and those relationships that involve harassment, coercion, intimidation, force, threats or intimidation or ‘quid pro quo’ that are addressed under the Sexual Misconduct, Intimate Partner Violence, and Stalking Policy.”
Feedback collected by March 13 will be reviewed by the Office of Policy and Efficiency before being shared with university leadership. Final revisions will be made prior to presentation to campus chancellors and the president for approval. The draft policy is available for review online (https://www.cu.edu/ope/forms/feedback), where community members can also submit their comments.
Once finalized through this process by university officials including the president and campus chancellors, the revised policy will become effective later this year.
