Dear Lynx community,

Last October, I traveled to Aurora Central High School to formally sign our guaranteed admissions agreement with Aurora Public Schools (APS) and superintendent Michael Giles Jr. The event was part of a half-day bus tour that also included a stop at the Community College of Aurora.

Spending time that afternoon with students, educators, and community leaders from across Aurora reinforced a belief I’ve long held: Universities cannot simply show up and expect meaningful relationships to follow.

That is particularly true in Aurora, where CU Denver has not historically recruited as well as we should. Aurora students match the characteristics of learners who have thrived at CU Denver: local, first-generation students who view higher education as a pathway to greater opportunity for themselves and their families. The work ahead remains significant, but we are beginning to see encouraging signs that deeper community investment can strengthen both access and opportunity for these students.

Across our first three CU Denver Direct partners—APS, Denver Public Schools, and Jeffco Public Schools—admissions are up 10% over last year. In mid-May, we also signed our fourth agreement with Littleton Public Schools. But, specifically in Aurora, we have seen a 24% increase in admits.

Those numbers matter not simply because they support enrollment growth, but also because they reinforce an intentional shift for our university. Importantly, when we deepen relationships, widen access, and meet our learners where they feel they can find the greatest success, we also reinforce the long-term financial sustainability of the university.

We can no longer solve long-term challenges by continually dividing the same revenue pie into different-sized pieces. We must grow the recurring revenue pie. Partnerships like that between APS and CU Denver are one example of this strategy in action.

Another exists in our ongoing exploration in India. Last month, we formally submitted our application materials to India’s University Grants Commission. Early feedback has been encouraging, and we have been invited to participate in a standing committee visit later this month.

In many respects, this work mirrors the mission we already live each day in Denver, where we are focused on expanding access for learners seeking academic opportunity and economic mobility. If similar success materializes in India, in addition to expanding access, it will also bolster the university’s recurring revenue base over time. This revenue would allow us to make longer-term investments locally in student support, academic excellence, and employee capacity and development.

The same strategy is also shaping our focus on lifelong learning. A few weeks ago, as I stood before our graduates at commencement, I reflected on how quickly knowledge and workforce expectations are progressing. Some of what our graduates learned as first- or second-year students has already lost some of its relevance, and the demands placed before them over the next five to 10 years will advance only more so.

Continuing education, cohort-based programs, industry partnerships, upskilling, and reskilling represent a rapidly growing space that higher education can no longer afford to treat as peripheral. Today, lifelong learning accounts for less than 10% of our recurring revenue. Over time, I believe that figure should grow to 25% or more.

And lastly, as shared in a campuswide message last month, we are also thinking about evolving our physical footprint and how our spaces can best support learner needs, research and creative works, and innovation. I want to start by thanking you for your feedback and questions regarding the potential acquisition of Independence Plaza.

Many of the themes you raised are ones I share as well. Perspectives related to financial sustainability, space utilization, and campus cohesion, as well as the opportunity to strengthen CU Denver’s identity, deepen connections with workforce and industry partners, and create spaces that better reflect our ambitions as a public urban research university.

To this end, should we move forward with the purchase of Independence Plaza, in August we will establish a campus space utilization working group. This group, including shared governance representation and complemented by broad campus engagement, will help develop a plan for our long-term physical space utilization, both in the new building as well as across our other physical assets, to better serve our mission and needs.

Exploring each of these opportunities, from CU Denver Direct partnerships and lifelong learning to new markets and future space planning, requires us to challenge assumptions and think beyond historical norms and the constraints that limit our ability to reach a thriving state.

Ultimately, this work is not only about growth but also about improving how we operate and build more stable sources of recurring revenue. If successful, these efforts will allow us to invest more consistently in our mission, our learners, and all of you.

I remain deeply grateful for your dedication toward making these ambitions possible. Your work shapes the experiences of our students, strengthens our partnerships, and advances our institution in meaningful and measurable ways.

I hope the summer months provide an opportunity for relaxation and time with your families and loved ones. Thank you for the work you do every day to make CU Denver an institution worth growing!