Dear Lynx community,

I was recently asked to share the best advice I’ve ever been given. The advice, which I received nearly a decade ago as I was beginning my transition from a research-active faculty member to an academic leader, was to stay true to the moment.

For me, staying true to the moment is a simple reminder to seek clarity, especially during times of heightened uncertainty. Change in higher education can feel relentless, especially now as demographic changes, political unease, funding volatility, and polarization all seemingly converge at once. In such an environment, working to increase clarity provides us the space we need to ideate and focus, while also helping to quiet the noise that too often surrounds our work. Collectively addressing these challenges is critical as we create the momentum to shift from surviving to thriving.

Upholding our purpose, to make education work for all, will also never be more important. Critical to this purpose, CU Denver will continue to foster an environment where everyone—students, faculty, and staff—feels welcome, supported, and empowered to succeed.

As we look forward, and as I’ve articulated in my summer community messages, staying true to the moment is at the core of the unifying message I’ve heralded since I came to CU Denver: to improve the student experience and outcomes. Simple and clear, this message is the essence of what our faculty and staff strive to do. A student-centered approach has been ingrained in our community since CU Denver's founding more than five decades ago and is manifested today in our commitment to enabling the dreams and aspirations of all students.

For those who might not be aware, yesterday was census day—the point at which our enrollment numbers are locked in, providing us clarity on headcount as well as the financial consequences thereof. Based on these numbers, we are already seeing real change take hold. For fall 2025, we have officially enrolled 13,854 students, which is 125 more than in fall 2024 and, most importantly, 366 above the enrollment base on which our budget was built. This achievement marks CU Denver’s first enrollment increase since 2020, reversing the slide and opening the door to renewed growth and opportunity. Equally significant, preliminary data indicates that our first-to-second-year retention rate has reached a record high of more than 76%.

Staying true to the moment will also guide the refinement of our 2030 Strategic Plan, as we adapt our goals to meet the current and future needs of our learners and our campus community. The impact of the plan’s first five years has been immense, as was recently highlighted in a series of student-voiced videos.

I was particularly drawn to the story of Diddiery Santana. Diddiery is the embodiment of what we seek in the partnership between student and university. The student explores, guided by their personal values and thirst for knowledge, in pursuit of their academic goals and ambitions. The university, in turn, supports the student’s growth, nurtures their interests, increases their engagement, and prepares them to excel in a professional career.

Diddiery entered CU Denver in 2019 at the precipice of the pandemic as the first in her family to attend college. While earning her undergraduate degree in Communication, she began working as a writer in the College of Engineering, Design and Computing and later worked for two years within University Communications. After graduating in 2023, she began a master’s degree in Communication, while also working as a teaching assistant. Today, she works full time in the Graduate Admissions Department and is scheduled to complete her master’s degree this December.

Diddiery said that what drove her forward as a student, and now as an employee, was feeling seen and supported by faculty and staff and the opportunity to help other first-generation students like her.

As we prepare to gather on Sept. 16 to begin to plan our path forward, there is much we can learn from Diddiery. Her willingness to engage, learn, serve others, look forward, and, of course, create lasting change, are all attributes we should emulate in our public servant roles.

It has been five years since we came together to launch our 2030 Strategic Plan. As we reengage with the plan, I challenge us to think like Diddiery. We charted a bold path and have made impressive gains to date. A shifting landscape has created a new set of challenges, while also providing us an opportunity to seek clarity in our mission amidst changing times. These challenges call on us to refine how we meet the learning needs of the students and communities we serve—from high school students through our new direct admissions agreement with Denver Public Schools to retirees through our Change Makers program—making CU Denver accessible in new and innovative ways.

I continue to believe that thriving institutions will be those that figure out how to do this well. In meeting this moment, we can set the standard for what it means to be a public urban research university in 2030 (and beyond). One that makes education work for all by rallying around a common purpose, meeting the individual needs of our students, and committing to an outcome-driven approach. This is the spirit of our public service mission and obligation.

As we press forward, I’m delighted to share that Dan Maxey will be taking on an expanded role as vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and chief of staff. In addition to his current responsibilities, Dan will be integral in providing chancellor-level support to the refresh of our 2030 Strategic Plan and other university-wide projects that will drive measurable and sustainable change. He’ll also spearhead a renewed focus on community and external engagement, convening stakeholders from across our institution to facilitate greater awareness of and collaboratively maximize partnerships with metro Denver stakeholders in service to them and our institutional mission.

I hope to see you at the Chancellor Forum on Sept. 16 to discuss our path forward as we recommit to the public service roots on which we were founded.