DENVER -- Most University of Colorado regents say they oppose offering tenured ethnic studies professor Ward Churchill a buyout offer.

Gov. Bill Owens has urged regents to fire Churchill, who wrote a post-Sept. 11 essay containing a comparison of some victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks to a Nazi official. University administrators have been reviewing Churchill's speeches and writings to determine whether he overstepped the bounds of academic freedom and whether that should be grounds to dismiss him.

Six of the nine CU regents had been willing to approve a settlement for Churchill of less than $500,000 late last week until allegations of plagiarism by Dalhousie University professor Fay G. Cohen in Nova Scotia came to light.

Cohen alleged that her work appeared without her permission and without credit to her in an essay with Churchill's name on it. Churchill has denied the allegations.

Some regents said they changed their minds about a settlement in the last week.

"At this point, I've changed my mind," Regent Pat Hayes told the Rocky Mountain News. "Originally, I thought that a settlement would get him (Churchill) off the campus. But as this has gone through all its iterations, I decided last week that I couldn't support it any longer.

"The more I heard about, the more I wondered what else is out there. And when push came to shove, I just could not support giving him a nickel."

Other regents, including Peter Steinhauer, said they opposed a settlement from the start.

Regent Cindy Carlisle said she decided last week to oppose any buyout because she was concerned a buyout could harm the principles of due process and academic freedom.

Several regents said the Churchill case has raised questions about how he was granted tenure in 1991 after working for more than a decade in a program that helps minority students. Professors usually get tenure only after spending six years in a teaching or research position, during which scholars in their field evaluate their work.

"I think we all agree that tenure is important and can be improved and that this was not a model for how it should be done," Regent Michael Carrigan said.

The Denver Post, quoting an unnamed source, also reported that several unidentified people were interested in trying to settle with Churchill without using state money, but with private funds.

Michael Byram, president of the university's private fund-raising arm, The CU Foundation, would not confirm whether he had been approached by the university for private funding.

Churchill's attorney, David Lane, said Sunday he had not heard from CU.

Report On Churchill Delayed

Meanwhile, a report from university administrators reviewing Churchill's work may not be delivered for two more weeks. The review had been expected to wrap up earlier this month.

A three-person committee has been investigating Churchill's works to determine whether he violated the terms of his scholarship, and whether the school has any legal right to dismiss him. A report on the group's findings had been expected last week, then was postponed until at least today.

But on Monday The Denver Post cites unidentified sources in reporting that the delay has raised the possibility the school might resume buyout talks with Churchill -- using money from a private donor.