Good morning, Lynx community,

As we approach spring break and a well-earned respite at the midpoint of the semester, I wanted to update you on the search for our next Vice Chancellor for Strategic Enrollment and Student Success (SESS). This role bears significant responsibility for developing and implementing a comprehensive enrollment strategy and coordinating a wide range of professionals and campuswide efforts that support that work. It oversees vital student success and support initiatives that facilitate students’ journeys toward the attainment of degrees and opportunities beyond our campus. Importantly, this leader also has a critical role in the development and deployment of strategy in partnership with the provost, as well as deans, faculty, and staff in the schools and colleges, whose work is central to the delivery of our core academic mission.

Last month, we hosted four finalists on our campus for an intensive week of visits and feedback sessions. I appreciate the time and care of everyone who engaged in this important stage in the search process. Following those visits and after a review of our community feedback, I began negotiations with a lead finalist. Unfortunately, these efforts did not conclude with an appointment. In determining a path forward and acting on the extensive feedback we received from the community, I decided not to extend an offer to one of the other finalists who visited campus. In consultation with our search firm, we instead reached the decision to reexamine the original pool of candidates who had expressed interest in the role. In doing so, we identified a limited set of highly qualified leaders who had previously declined the opportunity to apply for a variety of reasons, including not knowing at the time who the next chancellor would be.

I did not know any of these candidates prior to reopening the candidate review phase, but have since taken brief calls with each. In doing so, I have been able to personally share my vision for the role and our campus—and also determine the depth of their interest in this unique opportunity.

This morning, I convened the search committee to provide them with these same updates and the next steps, including issuing a renewed charge for their engagement in this phase of the search. The committee will now have an opportunity to review candidate materials, conduct Zoom interviews, and help us to select a limited number of finalists to come to campus for visits, hopefully before the spring semester concludes.

Engaging in this process, especially hearing your ambitions for the role and thoughtful feedback during the first set of finalist visits, has reinforced for me the critical importance of identifying the right leader. Our next vice chancellor will need to not only provide strong leadership and guidance for the division, but also bring the strategic expertise needed to stabilize and grow our enrollment in close collaboration with the provost and the academic enterprise. This role is absolutely pivotal to CU Denver’s future and we remain committed to ensuring we find the right individual to lead this effort. As we proceed from here, I am committed to keeping you all apprised of developments and will invite your participation as we bring the next round of candidates to campus in a few weeks.

Thank you all for your commitment to the success of our students and community, and especially to the members of the search committee whose extended efforts to hire the right leader for this role are greatly appreciated.

With gratitude for your work in service of our students and mission,