Hundreds of faculty, staff and students across the University of Colorado system have signed a letter opposing the campuswide rollout of ChatGPT Edu, which the university purchased in a multi‑year, $2 million‑a‑year contract. Critics say the deal lacked transparency and sufficient technical oversight; they raised concerns about student privacy, academic integrity, corporate influence and the environmental impact of large‑scale AI deployments. CU plans to launch the system March 31; dissenters argue the contract and governance process failed to address key infrastructure, data‑protection and pedagogical safeguards. The episode highlights growing campus demand for clear AI governance frameworks and peer review before wholesale adoption of vendor systems. Universities nationwide are watching how institutions balance operational AI contracts with faculty and student trust—an unresolved governance challenge for higher education technology leaders.