Valuable. Fulfilling. Impactful.
Tomorrow is going to ask much of today’s students. Preparing them to rise tenaciously to challenges is our purpose—our commitment—at the University of Denver. We fulfill this commitment in our classrooms, labs and studios, on the field, mat or rink, in our career services facilities, health and counseling center, and in our dorms and community spaces. The degree they earn at DU must be valuable; it must prepare them to build the lives they desire. The experience students have at DU must be meaningful; it must help them discover their purpose, so they can find fulfillment, personally and in their chosen fields and careers.
For the world, the past year has presented incredible challenges, but the DU community will emerge from this singular moment in history with renewed confidence in our ability to provide an excellent education to our students. Supporting this work, DU strives to be a community where the right to dignity is pervasive and where all can thrive and contribute, a community defined by its diversity, and dedication equity to inclusion. As well, DU serves the public good through the graduates we produce, the impactful research and scholarship by our world-class faculty and through forward-thinking partnerships in Denver, across Colorado and globally.
DU is strong because those who learn and work here possess incredible strength—of mind and character. DU thrives because we are committed and resilient in the face of obstacles. DU leads because we are creative, equitable, and curious. These are the very same traits we aim to imbue in every DU student as they become the leaders tomorrow needs.
At the University of Denver, we build a better future for all by the work we do today.
Together, we create our future
Strategic Imperatives
Informed by DU IMPACT 2025, our five strategic areas prioritize our grandest ambitions. They align our work with how we want DU and the campus community to grow and evolve so we may continually better serve our students and produce knowledge that improves society.
Leadership
Through a system of shared leadership, the offices of the chancellor and provost, the board of trustees, the chancellor’s cabinet and the deans work together to ensure the institution’s sustainable future and commitment to the university’s mission.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Action Plan
Our action plan was created to address long-asked-for and meaningful changes at DU. In this important work, there is always more to do, but we are proud of how far we have come—most especially during one of the most challenging and fraught years in recent memory.
“What I believe makes DU stand out is our history of strength and resilience. From our early years until now, this community has never shirked from challenge. In fact, we have always used challenge as opportunity.”
Chanceller Haefner New Student Convocation, 2019
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Creating a diverse and inclusive community isn’t only the right thing to do; it’s critical to the successful implementation of our mission. The greatest challenges facing us in the century ahead are incredibly complex and will require diverse teams who can work collaboratively and innovatively.
We Will DU Better
In January 2020, DU students and alumni bravely began sharing their stories of sexual assault and gender violence. These stories were disturbing, gut-wrenching and deeply impactful. This movement is a call to action. Our culture must change.
University leadership has met with students, faculty experts, external experts and alumni. With their input, we have developed a detailed and comprehensive action plan to help make DU a safe campus—a safe community—for everyone.
It is our responsibility to address the enormous harm caused by sexual assault and gender violence. We start by listening to survivors, and then we take action.
Community + Values
DU is exploring what it means to be an academic community. We will create and participate in collective experiences while striving to understand how best to evolve our culture and systems and re-examine our values.
DU IMPACT 2025
Born from the ideas, aspirations and vision of the entire campus community, DU IMPACT 2025 is our north star, a bold declaration of what we know we can achieve. Through our strategic plan, DU will continue to lead by transforming the student experience, championing cross-discipline collaboration, engaging with partners locally and globally, and coming together as OneDU.
Nineteen
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Messages from Leadership
February 2020
I’m proud to join the campus this year in celebrating Black History Month. For much of American history, the achievements of our black community members have gone unrecognized. This robs far too many of their rightful place in our halls of fame, history books and collective memory. -
Messages from Leadership
January 2020
Over the coming months, which will be busy, I look forward to using this space—my Nineteen newsletter—to keep in touch with you about what I’m thinking, where the University is going, and how you can get involved. -
Messages from Leadership
November 2019
One thing that distinguishes this university from so many others is its strategic plan, DU IMPACT 2025. The plan, and all we have accomplished so far, is a tribute to so many of you who have devoted yourselves to this ambitious, rigorous effort to build on DU’s strengths.