Weekly Letter from the Provost鈥擬ay 8 Edition鈥
This weekly newsletter will serve as one of many tools my office will use to keep you informed and engaged as we make progress toward our three goals for Academic Affairs. We are grateful for your interest and support. Previous newsletters can be found on the provost鈥檚 communication center on the University鈥檚 website.听
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If you have suggestions for what we should include in future communications, please . Suggestions received before noon on Monday will be reviewed and considered for publication in that week鈥檚 newsletter. Others will be held for consideration until the following week. 听
Today鈥檚 update falls into four categories: 听听
- Campus news and happenings 听听
- Goal 1: Shape enrollment and improve retention and graduation rates for all students 听
- Goal 2: Improve career outcomes and better prepare our students to succeed and lead in an AI-transformed workforce 听
- Goal 3: Strengthen academic excellence听
Campus News and Happenings
An Evening with Lee Bollinger
Teacher-Scholar Lecture and Reception Featuring Rebecca鈥疓alemba鈥痑nd听Lisa Martinez
吃瓜大本营 hosted听the 11th Teacher-Scholar Lecture and Reception听on Tuesday evening,听which featured听Rebecca鈥疓alemba鈥痑nd Lisa Martinez, co-directors of the Center for Immigration Policy and Research. In their听lecture, 鈥淏eyond the Classroom and Courtroom: Student and Community-Centered Immigration Research and Policy Work,鈥澨齈rofessors鈥疓alemba鈥痑nd Martinez explored听how community-engaged learning integrates teaching, scholarship, and public听purpose.听Thank you to the members of the 吃瓜大本营 community who were able to attend.听
4D Symposium: Future of Work
Yesterday, I had the honor of hosting a panel discussion, which was听entitled听鈥淭he Future of Work,鈥澨齛s听a part听of 吃瓜大本营鈥檚听annual听4D Symposium.听The panel鈥檚听focus was on preparing听students for a听workforce听facing听significant disruptions听such as听the rise of AI,听emerging technologies, and shifting workforce expectations.听Panelists included:听
- Adrina Gibson,听executive听director, General Services, City of Denver听
- Anslem听Elumogo-Gardner听(MBA 鈥16),听founder and CEO, Mind for Mission听
- Betsy Fischer,听senior听director, Alvarez & Marsal Corporate Performance听
- Peter Campbell,听founder and听managing听partner, Education Growth Partners听
I express听thanks to Laura Perille, executive director of the 4D听Experience,听for organizing this important and听timely听conversation for the 吃瓜大本营 community.听
吃瓜大本营 Employee Town Hall
Next week,听faculty and staff are听invited to join the spring term in-person鈥痶own鈥痟all, which will be dedicated to a question-and-answer (Q&A) session.鈥
Employee Town Hall听听
May 12,鈥痜rom 11 a.m. to noon听鈥
Community Commons 1700 or鈥
The听chancellor and I, along with听members of the chancellor鈥檚 cabinet and leadership teams,听will be available to answer听questions. The full hour will be dedicated to Q&A. You can submit questions live during the event or anonymously via鈥.鈥
Global Accessibility Awareness Day
Please join us for Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), which highlights the importance of digital access and inclusion for everyone. The 吃瓜大本营 will host a hybrid event on May 21, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in CCOM 1700, featuring听two guest speakers, a 吃瓜大本营 student panel sharing lived experiences, and interactive breakout sessions focused on accessibility, including digital accessibility. Attendees will听learn about听practical strategies for advancing inclusive practices in their work and lunch will be provided. To foster a welcoming and supportive environment, live captioning, generously provided by VZP Digital, will be available, and a sensory room will be offered for those who may听benefit听from a quiet break. Register听.听
Faculty Senate Meeting Recap
Today, chairs of each of the three听Academic听Affairs听committees听joined me to provide updates to the听Faculty听Senate. Having听submitted听their reports on May听1, today鈥檚听meeting听provided a natural opportunity to provide updates. My update centered around the听process and听timeline for听implementing the听Goal 3 Committee's recommendations around academic unit closures and restructuring (see听the听Goal 3 section for听additional听information). As I shared in last week鈥檚 newsletter, I look forward听to听sharing听all three committee reports with the 吃瓜大本营 community听following听the听June Board of Trustees meeting.听
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Goal 1: Shape Enrollment and Improve Retention and Graduation Rates
Fall 2026 Enrollment Update
As I shared in last week鈥檚 newsletter,听May 1 was the deposit deadline for 吃瓜大本营鈥檚 fall 2026 entering class of听first-year, first-time students.听Our goal for next fall鈥檚 entering class is 1,250 students. As of Monday, May 4, we听received听1,154 deposits (down 5% from the same day last year).听The听enrollment team听is听contacting听56 admitted individuals听who received deposit extensions and听are听opening pipelines for new applicants.听We are actively听monitoring听the status of fall enrollments,听and this number changes听frequently.听听
While new graduate enrollments do not have a comparable deposit deadline, we are also actively听monitoring听their progress听relative听to 吃瓜大本营鈥檚 budgeted goal of 1,627 students for fall听2026.听We听are currently modeling 1,401听new graduate students听(86% of the final goal). The听Office of听Graduate听Education听is partnering with the colleges and schools to听increase yield between now and the听start of the summer quarter.听听
While we have not yet achieved our enrollment goals for the next academic year, I am grateful for the significant efforts听across 吃瓜大本营鈥檚 central and academic unit admission teams to听achieve the progress we have made to date in the face of听a very challenging听enrollment market.听We are modeling the budgetary impacts of decreased class sizes to听determine听the听appropriate听response听and听will share more information in听subsequent听newsletters.听听
吃瓜大本营 Women鈥檚 Lacrosse Team Selected for NCAA Tournament
Today, our women's lacrosse team will travel to the Boulder Regional as part of the opening weekend of the听NCAA鈥檚听national tournament.听吃瓜大本营鈥檚 program has reached the NCAA tournament for听the eighth straight year and the tenth time in program history.听They will take on the Florida Gators in the first round in Boulder, Colorado on Friday, May 8 at 7 p.m.听(MT). All games in the tournament鈥檚 first two rounds will be听broadcasted听on ESPN+.听We wish听the team听and the听coaches听great success听this weekend and beyond!听
Graduate Student Experience Survey Now Open听
The Graduate Student Experience Survey is currently underway, and we appreciate your support in encouraging students to听participate. Graduate students (excluding听the听Sturm College of Law听and听the College of Professional Studies) who started at 吃瓜大本营 during or before听fall 2025 received an email invitation with a link to complete the survey from the Office of Student Success on May 4. Their feedback will help inform improvements to graduate programs, resources, and the overall student experience. Thank you for encouraging eligible students to听participate听and share their perspectives.听
Note: Students who started at 吃瓜大本营 after听fall 2025 will have an opportunity to share their feedback听during听a future quarter!听
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Goal 2: Improve Career Outcomes and Better Prepare Our Students to Succeed and Lead in an AI-transformed Workforce
Teaching with AI Showcase
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Goal 3: Strengthen Academic Excellence
Process and Timeline Overview for the Goal 3 Committee鈥檚 Academic Unit Recommendations
I want to first acknowledge that while听the听Goal 3 Committee鈥檚 work will help make鈥怨洗蟊居痑 stronger institution,鈥痠t is not easy, and I encourage folks who have questions about the latest updates to join us next week for the听employee听town hall.听
This week,听on the recommendation of the Goal 3 Committee听and in consultation with the deans,听I听submitted听two academic听departments听to the Academic Unit Review Committee听(AURC)听for听evaluation for closure.听By May 15, the AURC will鈥痵ubmit鈥痠ts reports鈥攚ith听its听recommendations鈥痳egarding鈥痷nit closure鈥攖o鈥痬e, the鈥痗hancellor,鈥痙epartment鈥痟eads,鈥痙eans, the chair of the Faculty Senate Academic Planning Committee, and the chairs of the Graduate and Undergraduate Councils.鈥疘n June, the chancellor and鈥疘鈥痺ill provide final recommendations to the Board of Trustees鈥痳egarding鈥痷nit closures and restructurings. The Board will make final decisions based on these recommendations, and those decisions will be communicated to鈥痶he 吃瓜大本营 community in June following the meeting.听I want to affirm that 吃瓜大本营 is committed to offering students a pathway to complete their current degree programs, including those joining us this fall.鈥疐aculty in closing听units will be considered for rehoming in other departments if possible.听听
The Goal 3 Committee was also charged to evaluate听larger, college/school level restructuring opportunities.听The听chancellor and I will be deliberating on these larger restructuring听opportunities听this month. This will听be a听component听of what is presented to the Board during the June meeting.听Any approved restructures will be communicated听in the same timeline as academic unit closures.听
I am grateful to the deans and their leadership teams, and to the Academic Affairs committee members and their chairs for the tireless, collaborative work that has brought us to this point.鈥疶hroughout this work, our听North听Star鈥痳emains鈥痶he same鈥攖o deliver听an exceptional student experience.听听
Entrepreneurship Week 2026
Entrepreneurship Week returns to campus听on听May 17-22. Join听 Entrepreneurship@吃瓜大本营听for a week of events focused on innovation, creativity,听and real-world problem solving. Featured events include听the听student-led innovation festival,听Pop-up Palooza, the Entrepreneurial Challenge, and a live panel exploring how global systems shape markets,听capital,听and opportunities. All 吃瓜大本营 students, faculty, staff,听alumni,听and the Denver community are welcome. All events are free to attend. Learn more and听.听
I听send my best wishes to you听for the spring term.听听
Sincerely,听听
Elizabeth G. Loboa听
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor听
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