It must be determined if CCHE has authority to grant dependent tuition assistance. Next, it must be determined if the power of the state controller to authorize prerequisites for university employees supersedes the authority of CCHE to grant dependent tuition assistance. CCHE has authority to coordinate programs and policies among various State universities, including the University of Northern Colorado. The CCHE has specific authority to fund scholarship, grants and other financial assistance. Courts have consistently held that statutory terms are to be given effect according to their plain and obvious meaning.
Financial assistance includes loans and rebates.
Moreover, financial assistance may be authorized for reasons other than need or merit. Thus financial assistance may be given to dependents of UNC employees solely on the basis of their status as dependents of employees. CCHE's authority to grant financial assistance in the form of remissions is not contravened by the authority of the state controller to promulgate rules controlling the types of perquisites for all state employees, including employees in the institutions of higher education. Statutes upon the same subject are to be construed together and reconciled if possible. Moreover, even if the authority of the state controller and CCHE could not be reconciled, CCHE's authority must prevail.