Chancellor's Communiqué
What's New at CU Denver, 3-27-2016
Dear friends,
Warm greetings from the University of Colorado Denver, where I have been privileged to serve as chancellor since the beginning of January. I am grateful for the kind welcome I've received, and honored to be the first permanent chancellor dedicated solely
to CU Denver since 2004. You can read about my background here.
Hearing multiple perspectives
In January I launched the Reach Out and Listen Tour to meet face-to-face with CU Denver constituents across the university and the city. My ultimate goal -- after listening to the needs, priorities and diverse viewpoints of the community -- is to develop a shared vision for CU Denver in the months and years ahead. We're a little more than half-way into the 80-day tour, which includes 25 stops and ends in mid-April. I've met with more than 600 people so far, and each stop has provided an opportunity for open, in-depth discussions about the university's unique strengths and opportunities. If you would like to share your thoughts about CU Denver, you are welcome to complete our brief online questionnaire.
A campus on the rise
I'm hopeful that the outcome of the listening tour will enable us to build on the positive momentum already underway here at CU Denver. The physical facility of the campus has experienced remarkable growth and change in recent
years, from the 2012 opening of the Business School building at 15th and Lawrence to the 2014 opening of the Student Commons building at Speer and Larimer. New renovations last fall at the historic Tivoli Student Union created a new community theatre
for events, screenings and classes as well as video production labs for the College of Arts & Media. We're about to begin renovations on the North Classroom building (the one on Speer with the big, visible clock), which has seen few updates since
its 1987 construction. Finally, we are anticipating breaking ground this summer on the new CU Denver Wellness Center. Students conceived this project and last year led an ambitious campaign for it, voting to pay for the building with student fees.
Maximizing learning in the digital age
As a leading urban public research university, CU Denver works to develop academic programs that are relevant in today's rapidly changing world. With students at all levels only a smartphone query away from
an answer to any problem, CU Denver's School of Education & Human Development has been working to define the role of the teacher when knowledge is so easily accessible. The new undergraduate Digital Media and Learning minor, launched this semester,
is open to students from any discipline and designed to promote the use of emerging technologies in their chosen majors and careers.
Philanthropy supports engineering students
Just as our faculty are working on the leading edge, donors to CU Denver are accelerating our ability to innovate and support our diverse, purpose-driven students. Here's an example. The new Grover W. Hall, Jr., Memorial Endowed Engineering Scholarship
in the College of Engineering and Applied Science simultaneously honors the life of a Denver leader and extends the accessibility of undergraduate engineering education at CU Denver. Mr. Hall, former vice president of technical operations for Lockheed
Martin's astronautics division, was a first-generation college student and an advocate for the value of higher education. He developed numerous collaborative arrangements between Lockheed Martin and CU Denver, including student internships and faculty
research on corporate projects. His $370,000 bequest is the legacy of his lifetime commitment to ensuring that talented students have the financial assistance they need to surmount obstacles to their progress.
Speaking of empowering talented students to thrive, I'd like to wrap up this update by inviting you to read about some of the remarkable students in our University Honors and Leadership program. Thanks for reading, and for your continued support of CU Denver. Please do pass along this information to others you know who may have an interest. Once again, feel free to share your thoughts on CU Denver through the online survey.
Dorothy Horrell
Chancellor