Weekly Letter from the Provost—October 30 Edition 

Author(s)

Elizabeth Loboa, PhD

Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor

Announcement •

Faculty & Staff •

October 30, 2026

Dear colleagues,

I had another opportunity to represent DU this week and to share our great story at the University Leadership Summit, an event for presidents, chancellors, and provosts to engage around the challenges and opportunities we are all navigating. I spoke on the “Career-infused Curriculum: Aligning Academic Rigor with Global Workforce Demands” panel and, thanks to the incredible work of last year’s Goal 2 Committee and of our faculty (particularly in the expansion of AI-related curricular offerings), I had much to share.

As this week comes to a close, so does the month of October. Week 8 also means that we are surprisingly close to the end of the fall quarter. I wish you all the energy and inspiration needed to finish the fall strong and, following that, the restoration of the holiday season that will sustain you through the winter and spring quarters.

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

Founding Dean Search Updates

I am grateful to each of the search committee members and to their chairs (Sahara Byrne, MCE+GSSW+GSPP; Naomi Boyd, NSM+RSECS) for their engagement in the first-round interviews. 

We also welcomed our one finalist for the NSM+RSECS founding dean position to campus today—Corinne Lengsfeld, PhD. Please submit your feedback for the search committee and my consideration.

For the MCE+GSSW+GSPP search, we ask that you continue to hold the following dates for second-round interviews with our finalists:  

Nov. 11, colloquium at 10:30 a.m.
Nov. 12, colloquium at 1:15 p.m.

We look forward to announcing the finalists and providing the Zoom and survey links in the next week. I will also share these in my newsletter next week. 

I am grateful for the DU community engaging in these search activities, and I look forward to reviewing your feedback on each finalist. With input from you and the search committee, the chancellor and I will make our selection of the next founding deans. The goal is to announce the dean appointments in December in time for a Jan. 1, 2027, start date.

Announcing: Engagement Opportunities to Shape DU’s Academic Strategy

As mentioned in previous newsletters, I am asking you all to please join us for one of four opportunities to provide early input on the academic strategic plan. In each 2-hour opportunity (registration available below), I will provide an overview of the strategic plan (30 minutes) and we will offer specific prompts to work with others to provide input on aspects of the plan, including defining high-impact teaching practices, identifying existing and emerging areas for interdisciplinary partnership and research, suggesting promising areas for donor engagement on scholarships and endowed faculty lines, and recommending strategic investments in areas of strength.

These sessions are co-hosted by the Faculty Senate and the Office of the Provost and will be co-facilitated by Shannon Sliva and Sarah Watamura. Feedback from the sessions will be gathered cumulatively, so you are welcome to attend multiple sessions if you want to continue the conversation with different groups of faculty.

Launch Event: Center for Housing Research and Innovative Solutions

On Tuesday night, I had the privilege of giving the welcome remarks and attending the launch of DU’s Center for Housing Research and Innovative Solutions. When I joined DU last fall, this was one of the first major new projects I had the opportunity to get involved in, and it was incredibly exciting to see it come to life. Complex (and very real) challenges like housing in Colorado call for a broad range of expertise (e.g., law, real estate, economics, public policy, and health). DU is uniquely positioned to help address this need. Pulling together interdisciplinary teams toward a significant challenge is part of what makes DU special—and is at the heart of what we’re building for the future. Thank you to the donors and leaders who made this possible. And finally, welcome to Solomon Greene, the center’s inaugural executive director.

State of the University Recap

Thank you to everyone who joined Chancellor Jeremy Haefner for the State of the University address. If you missed it or want to revisit any of the content, I would encourage you to watch the recording here. I was particularly grateful for his focus on DU’s academic strategic plan and would urge you all to participate in any of the engagement sessions (described above) to shape our plan. I also join the chancellor in extending deep gratitude to the Lamont School of Music faculty and alumnus who masterfully opened the event: Remy Le Boeuf, Dru Heller, Patrick McDevitt, and Jack Dunlevie.

Goal 1: Shape Enrollment and Improve Retention and Graduation Rates for All Students

DU Faculty Fulbright Series—Teaching in Serbia: A Fulbright Journey

Through stories of teaching, cultural immersion, and life and geopolitics in Serbia, Keith Gehring, teaching associate professor at the Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs, will share his Fulbright experience and reflect on the professional and personal impact of living and working abroad. Discover how the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program can open doors to international teaching and research opportunities across disciplines, creating lasting benefits for DU through global partnerships, enhanced research collaboration, and internationalized learning.

When: Nov. 4 | 10:30 a.m.

Where: Forum 1020, Sie Complex

Debate Across the Curriculum Receives Grant to Expand Impact

I am pleased to share that our Debate Across the Curriculum (DAC) program has received $340,000 from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations to enhance its research, build faculty resources, and convene a national community of practice for DAC. I am so excited to start the next phase of the DAC program. Congratulations to faculty director Darrin Hicks and team for this support and recognition.

Reminder: Update on Study Abroad Support for Students

The Cherrington Global Scholars (CGS) benefit was established to help build and sustain the strong culture of study abroad at DU, embedding it as a central component of undergraduate experiential learning. We are continuing that dedication and tradition through a new iteration of support along with a new name. The Global 4D Experience (G4D) will offer up to a $1,450 total benefit to offset students’ flights or immigration costs associated with study abroad. This benefit replaces CGS, starting with those students going abroad in fall 2027. This benefit update does not impact the current model for tuition, housing, or meal costs for students in DU’s study abroad program. 

Eligibility requirements for the G4D benefit will remain the same as they were for the CGS benefit, namely 90 credits completed/in progress at time of eligibility check, a 3.0 minimum GPA at DU, and good academic and conduct standing.

The high-impact practice of study abroad truly embodies the ethos of DU’s Four-Dimensional Experience. Connecting it more intentionally to this framework will integrate study abroad more deeply into the fabric of campus initiatives, programs, and outcomes. We look forward to continuing our campus partnerships in strengthening students’ global learning through study abroad. For full eligibility requirements, please see this website.

Goal 2: Improve Career Outcomes and Better Prepare Our Students to Succeed and Lead in an AI-Transformed Workforce

Career and Professional Development Industry Insights Panels

Please encourage your students to join Career and Professional Developmentthis quarter for Industry Insights, a series of engaging in-person panels and networking opportunities where students explore diverse career paths, connect with top industry professionals, and gain valuable insights to power their job search.

Whether students are exploring a first job or considering a career pivot, these events are designed as a launchpad for all students to bring their curiosity, questions, and ambition.

Goal 3: Strengthen Academic Excellence

Call for Proposals: Faculty Research Fund

DU is accepting proposals for the fall cycle of the Faculty Research Fund (awards of $3,000), with applications due Dec. 1. Funding decisions are made via the Academic Planning Committee of the Faculty Senate and the vice provost for research. Please see this webpage for more information, and apply via this link.

DU Faculty Member’s Book Published by De Gruyter Brill

College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences teaching associate professor Lina Reznicek-Parrado’s first edited book has been published by De Gruyter Brill—a reputable, well-established commercial academic publisher with a history spanning over 270 years. The publication focuses on the context of Spanish as a heritage language and explores the ideologies, identities, and pedagogies that affect the learning, use, and symbolic significance of Spanish among U.S.-based individuals of differing backgrounds in a variety of sociolinguistic contexts (e.g., classrooms, study abroad, and teacher education).

Ignite Talk: Housing and Homelessness—Nov. 4

Join the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs on Wednesday, Nov. 4, from 12:30–1:30 p.m., for our next Ignite Talk on Housing and Homelessness. Explore one of our communities’ most pressing challenges and hear how research, scholarship, and community engagement can contribute to meaningful solutions. Denver’s recent efforts to address homelessness have also gained national attention.

Location: Burwell Center, Room 340 and on Zoom. A recording will be available afterward.

View event details on Crimson Connect.

Reminder: Proposals Now Accepted for DU Research Center and Institute Designation

Proposals are now being accepted for designation as a University of Denver Research Center or Research Institute. Applications are due Dec. 1, 2026. This proposal process is guided by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) policy on Research Centers and Institutes (ORSP-05). Review Section 3 of ORSP-05 for the relevant application criteria.

Please note that research centers do not have to submit all the materials required by the institute process, and the policy has been updated to reflect this change. Questions should be directed to Corinne.Lengsfeld@du.edu.

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. Previous newsletters can be found on the provost’s communication center on the University’s website.

Wishing you a strong finish to the fall quarter!

Sincerely,

Elizabeth G. Loboa
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor