Weekly Letter from the Provost—August 21 Edition
Dear colleagues,
I hope you are enjoying the final days of summer. We are now just a little over two weeks away from the start of the fall quarter, and I am excited to reengage as we build on last year’s transformational momentum. Yesterday was my one-year anniversary as Provost, I remain as inspired and motivated by DU’s trajectory and impact as I have been since day one. Thank you for your dedication and service to DU. You make this the special place that attracts the incredible students, staff, and faculty who choose to be a part of our community.
Today’s update falls into four categories:
I hope you are enjoying the final days of summer. We are now just a little over two weeks away from the start of the fall quarter, and I am excited to reengage as we build on last year’s transformational momentum. Yesterday was my one-year anniversary as Provost, I remain as inspired and motivated by DU’s trajectory and impact as I have been since day one. Thank you for your dedication and service to DU. You make this the special place that attracts the incredible students, staff, and faculty who choose to be a part of our community.
Today’s update falls into four categories:
- Campus news and happenings
- Goal 1: Shape enrollment and improve retention and graduation rates for all students
- Goal 2: Improve career outcomes and better prepare our students to succeed and lead in an AI-transformed workforce
- Goal 3: Strengthen academic excellence
Campus News and Happenings
Invitation to the University Lecture
Each year, my office convenes the University Lecture, an event at which the recipient of the annual University Lecturer Award is invited to give a presentation to the campus community. The University Lecturer Award was first given in 1955 and is one of the University’s most distinguished honors, based solely upon creative contributions and scholarly work.
This year, Professor in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences and 2026 University Lecturer Alison Krögel will give a presentation titled “Musuq Illa: Community-centered Andean Studies in Colorado, the Andean Highlands, and at the University of Denver.” The entire DU community is welcome to attend.
This year, Professor in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences and 2026 University Lecturer Alison Krögel will give a presentation titled “Musuq Illa: Community-centered Andean Studies in Colorado, the Andean Highlands, and at the University of Denver.” The entire DU community is welcome to attend.
Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Lecture 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Reception to follow
Hamilton Recital Hall, Newman Center for the Performing Arts
University of Denver
2344 E. Iliff Ave., Denver, CO 80210
Lecture 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Reception to follow
Hamilton Recital Hall, Newman Center for the Performing Arts
University of Denver
2344 E. Iliff Ave., Denver, CO 80210
Math in Bloom
On Aug. 8, 2026 (Infinity Day), Professors Anh Le and Mei Yin in the Department of Mathematics facilitated three public tours at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Attracting close to 100 visitors, the tours explored the mathematics found in nature, highlighting concepts such as Fibonacci sequences, the golden ratio, pi, and fractal patterns in plants and trees. Participants overwhelmingly appreciated the engaging activities and positive atmosphere and gave the overall experience an A+ rating.
This collaboration is part of Math in Bloom, a national initiative supported by the Simons Foundation, aiming to connect communities across the United States with opportunities to engage with math through cultural experiences. Denver Botanic Gardens is one of only six gardens nationwide selected to participate. The partnership between DU Mathematics and the Gardens began in fall 2025, and we are encouraged by this growing relationship.
This collaboration is part of Math in Bloom, a national initiative supported by the Simons Foundation, aiming to connect communities across the United States with opportunities to engage with math through cultural experiences. Denver Botanic Gardens is one of only six gardens nationwide selected to participate. The partnership between DU Mathematics and the Gardens began in fall 2025, and we are encouraged by this growing relationship.
DU Exclusive Accelerated Leadership Experience (ALX) Cohort
Calling all DU staff, emerging leaders, and people managers! Executive Education is hosting a special session of the Accelerated Leadership Experience (ALX)exclusively for our University of Denver community.
This tuition waiver-eligible cohort is designed to help DU leaders build self-awareness, strengthen decision-making, and lead teams with greater clarity and confidence. DU cohort dates are Sept. 30–Oct. 1 (Mountain Retreat) and Nov. 4–5 (DU Campus).
Take the next step in your leadership journey. Register today.
This tuition waiver-eligible cohort is designed to help DU leaders build self-awareness, strengthen decision-making, and lead teams with greater clarity and confidence. DU cohort dates are Sept. 30–Oct. 1 (Mountain Retreat) and Nov. 4–5 (DU Campus).
Take the next step in your leadership journey. Register today.
Goal 1: Shape Enrollment and Improve Retention and Graduation Rates
Fall 2026 Enrollment Update
The core new student enrollment assumptions for fall 2026 are 1,050 new first-time first-year (FTFY) undergraduate students and 1,642 new graduate students (on-campus and online). For undergraduate students, we are now tracking FTFY registrations to monitor our progress toward the budgeted goal of 1,050. As of this week, we have 1,124 FTFYs registered for fall classes. At this pace, and assuming a melt rate in line with historic trends, we expect to meet or exceed our enrollment goal of 1,050 new FTFY undergraduates for fall 2026.
For graduate student recruiting and retention, current modeling puts us on a path to between 1,600 - 1620 new graduate students for fall 2026, which is slightly under our goal of 1,642. However, I am pleased to report that we outpaced total budgeted graduate student enrollments for summer 2026 (which falls within the current fiscal year) by 245 total graduate students (summer budget = 2,942; summer actuals = 3,187) and are projecting to be 82 enrollments below budget for fall (fall budget = 5,447; fall forecast = 5,365). Accounting for summer’s strong performance, we remain on track to meet our graduate student enrollment goals for fiscal year 2027.
For graduate student recruiting and retention, current modeling puts us on a path to between 1,600 - 1620 new graduate students for fall 2026, which is slightly under our goal of 1,642. However, I am pleased to report that we outpaced total budgeted graduate student enrollments for summer 2026 (which falls within the current fiscal year) by 245 total graduate students (summer budget = 2,942; summer actuals = 3,187) and are projecting to be 82 enrollments below budget for fall (fall budget = 5,447; fall forecast = 5,365). Accounting for summer’s strong performance, we remain on track to meet our graduate student enrollment goals for fiscal year 2027.
RSVP for Academic Advisor Training
DU is committed to student success, and the academic advising experience is a key contributor to a positive student experience. For any undergraduate faculty and staff advisors as well as members of DU’s friends of advising community, I would encourage you to RSVP via Crimson Connect for the upcoming Academic Advisor Training on Thursday, Aug. 27, from 8:30 a.m. to noon in Community Commons. Faculty advisors will receive $150 for attending.
Please reach out to StudentSuccess@du.edu with any questions. We hope to see you there!
Please reach out to StudentSuccess@du.edu with any questions. We hope to see you there!
Goal 2: Improve Career Outcomes and Better Prepare Our Students to Succeed and Lead in an AI-Transformed Workforce
Refreshed Career Outcomes Dashboard and First Destinations Websites Are Now Live
As mentioned in previous summer newsletters, I am pleased to report that the career outcomes dashboard is now live and has been updated to include data from the Class of 2025. In addition to displaying program-specific outcomes (starting salaries, placements) at the undergraduate, master’s/professional, and doctoral levels by college/school for three years (2023, 2024, and 2025), the dashboard now also includes student internship data.
The First Destinations highlights page is another resource designed to tell DU’s compelling outcomes story to prospective students. It has also been updated to include data from the Class of 2025.
My thanks to the offices of Career and Professional Development, Institutional Research, and University Relations for making these data, a core component of DU’s strategic value proposition, available for public viewing.
The First Destinations highlights page is another resource designed to tell DU’s compelling outcomes story to prospective students. It has also been updated to include data from the Class of 2025.
My thanks to the offices of Career and Professional Development, Institutional Research, and University Relations for making these data, a core component of DU’s strategic value proposition, available for public viewing.
4D Annual Impact Report
The 4D Experience team has released their 2025-26 End-of-Year Report. Highlights include the inaugural 4D Faculty Teaching Fellows cohort supported by external grant funding, the scaling of Compassion Lab and the Resilience Lab, and growing national visibility for 4D, featured this past year in The Washington Post, Inside Higher Ed, and the EDUCAUSE 2026 Horizon Report—and much more.
Goal 3: Strengthen Academic Excellence
James C. Kennedy Mountain Campus Receives Grant Funding to Preserve Forest and Riverscapes
In partnership with the Laramie Conservation District (LCD), the James C. Kennedy Mountain Campus (KMC) has received more than $500,000 in grant funding to restore 1.6 miles of South Lone Pine Creek and 174 acres of forest throughout KMC.
The forest project aims to restore the University’s forests through strategic mechanical tree removal, which will emulate historic forest structure and species composition. This process allows sunlight to reach the forest floor, promoting a diversity of understory flora and fauna. Additionally, with the reduction of forest fuel sources, the landscape will be better prepared to safely receive wildfire well into the future.
The forest project aims to restore the University’s forests through strategic mechanical tree removal, which will emulate historic forest structure and species composition. This process allows sunlight to reach the forest floor, promoting a diversity of understory flora and fauna. Additionally, with the reduction of forest fuel sources, the landscape will be better prepared to safely receive wildfire well into the future.
The stream restoration project will utilize low-tech process-based restoration (LTPBR) techniques such as constructing beaver dam analogs to reconnect South Lone Pine Creek to its valley-bottom floodplain and relic side channels. This reconnection will increase surface water area and raise the water table, thus improving the landscape’s resilience to disturbances such as wildfire, post-fire flooding/debris flows, and drought, while simultaneously expanding critical wildlife habitat.
CAHSS Faculty Selected as Fellow at the Citizens and Scholars (C&S) Institute
Earlier this month, the C&S Institute announced its second cohort of faculty fellows, recognizing educators from across the country for their demonstrated ability to help students build the skills necessary to participate, work across differences, and solve problems together.
Congratulations to Jonathan Sciarcon, CAHSS faculty member, for being selected as one of this year’s C&S Faculty Fellows, joining 34 other faculty from 27 colleges and universities across the country.
Congratulations to Jonathan Sciarcon, CAHSS faculty member, for being selected as one of this year’s C&S Faculty Fellows, joining 34 other faculty from 27 colleges and universities across the country.
Priority Shift for Faculty Development Support in Academic Year 2026-27
The Office for Faculty Success will not be able to renew our institutional membership to NCFDD for the 2026-27 academic year and current NCFDD access will end by September 4, 2026. We realize this fee-based service has been an important resource for faculty development, and we are committed to continuing and expanding our internal supports through: (1) New Faculty Onboarding, (2) Writing Groups, and (3) Consultations, collaborations, and pop-up events to support mentoring, community, and career development supports at every stage of professional growth.
If you have questions or comments about this decision, you may direct them to Leslie.Hasche@du.edu.
If you have questions or comments about this decision, you may direct them to Leslie.Hasche@du.edu.
This is the final biweekly publication of the newsletter for the summer. I will resume a weekly cadence at the start of the fall quarter, Friday, Sept. 11. Previous newsletters can be found on the provost’s communication center on the University’s website.
If you have suggestions for what we should include in future communications, please submit your ideas or stories here. Suggestions received before noon on Monday will be reviewed and considered for publication in that week’s newsletter. Others will be held for consideration until the following newsletter.
Wishing you a productive remainder of your summer and looking forward to a strong start to the fall quarter!
Sincerely,
Elizabeth G. Loboa
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor