University of Denver News Releases
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
DU breaks ground on new home for Morgridge College of Education, Learning Effectiveness Program and Disabilities Services Program
Katherine A. Ruffatto Hall under construction at Evans Avenue and High Street
DENVER— University of Denver officials proudly broke ground today on Katherine A. Ruffatto Hall, which will house the Morgridge College of Education, Learning Effectiveness Program (LEP) and Disabilities Services Program (DSP). The $21.4 million building is under construction at the northeast corner of Evans Avenue and High Street.
The building is named for Katherine Ruffatto—a 2005 graduate of DU—who was a student in the University’s LEP program. Her parents donated $5 million to the project in honor of their daughter. Denver Philanthropists Carrie and John Morgridge donated $10 million toward construction of a new home for the college, which was renamed the Morgridge College of Education in 2007.
“This building and the Morgridge College of Education are the centerpiece for what lies ahead for the University of Denver,” said DU Chancellor Robert Coombe at the groundbreaking ceremony. “We are positioning the college as an agent of change in our society and there is no greater issue before us than education.”
Since 2001, enrollment at the Morgridge College of Education has grown by 66 percent, going from 495 students in fall 2001 to 822 in fall 2008. It has long-standing relationships with local school districts, educational organizations, libraries, businesses and mental health agencies that serve to ground the instructional and research environments within the college. This year is the 110th anniversary of its teacher education programs.
The 27-year-old Learning Effectiveness Program—a recognized leader in the field—offers comprehensive, individualized services to DU students with learning disabilities, including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The LEP provides a variety of services designed to support each student’s academic experience, including individual academic counselors, tutoring, and organizational and study strategies specialists. More than 200 students are currently enrolled in the program.
The DSP is a no-cost program that facilitates delivery of basic accommodations to undergraduate and graduate/law students with documented disabilities of all types.
Construction of Ruffatto Hall should be completed in the late spring of 2010.
-30-
The University of Denver (www.du.edu), the oldest private university in the Rocky Mountain region, enrolls approximately 11,409 students in its undergraduate and graduate programs. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Denver as a Research University with high research activity.
Contact: Jim Berscheidt
Phone: (303) 871-3172
E-mail: Jim.Berscheidt@du.edu