Weekly Letter from the Provost—October 9 Edition
Dear colleagues,
We are now midway through the fall quarter. I hope you are hitting your stride and finding encouragement and meaning in the difference you are making, collectively and individually, in the lives of our students. Thank you for your tireless efforts to shape their experiences toward careers and lives of purpose!
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
As announced in previous newsletters, the job postings for our two founding dean searches are available online with applications due Oct. 15:
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 efforts. Thank you to those who completed surveys to inform these searches. See below for a summary of key findings.
In terms of the remaining timeline, the search committees will complete first-round interviews in October. Finalists will be invited to present to the DU community before the end of fall quarter, during the first two weeks of November. The goal is to announce the dean appointments in December in time for a Jan. 1, 2027, start date.
Community Feedback Informs Founding Dean Searches
Thank you to the faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community members who participated in recent surveys to inform the searches for the founding deans of our new NSM-RSECS and GSPP-GSSW-MCE colleges.
The feedback reflects a deep commitment to the future of these academic units and a shared desire to build strong foundations for their next chapter. Across both searches, respondents emphasized the importance of leaders who can bring schools together while preserving the strengths, identities, and cultures that make each unit distinctive. Transparency, collaboration, trust-building, and meaningful engagement with faculty, staff, and students were recurring themes emphasized throughout the feedback.
Respondents also highlighted the importance of experienced academic leadership, strong advocacy for faculty, staff, students, and programs, thoughtful stewardship of resources, and the ability to lead effectively through organizational change.
There were also consistent recommendations specific to each search:
- NSM-RSECS: sustaining research excellence, supporting teaching and student success, addressing differences in workloads, compensation, and resources, and thoughtfully integrating two schools with distinct cultures, expectations, and operating models.
- GSPP-GSSW-MCE: preserving accreditation requirements and professional identities, supporting clinical and field-based learning, fostering community and belonging, advancing career outcomes, and maintaining the unique strengths and reputations of the three schools.
The search committees will use this feedback, along with additional input gathered throughout the process, to help identify leaders who can honor what makes these schools exceptional while guiding them toward a successful future. We are grateful to everyone who took the time to share their perspectives and help shape these important searches.
One-Time Thank-You Payments to Eligible Faculty and Staff Members Announced
As the Chancellor announced this week, every eligible faculty and staff member will receive a one-time thank-you payment equal to 3% of their salary (before taxes) on Dec. 15. We are working toward merit increases in the years to come, and we will update you on our approach and timing over the course of the FY28 budget development process.
Human Resources and Inclusive Community (HRIC) Town Hall
On Wednesday, I joined the fall HRIC town hall to give an update on last year’s Employee Engagement Survey. Overall, 36% of our faculty (29%) and staff (46%) completed the survey. Your feedback gave us an important view into both what is working well and where DU needs to improve.
In terms of strengths, 80% of respondents said they are treated with respect at work, 82% said their manager’s behavior is consistent with DU’s values, and 77% said their job makes good use of their skills and abilities.
We also heard clearly that there are areas where we need to do better, particularly around communication and trust in leadership, managing change, compensation, rewards and recognition, and whether the overall employee experience is meeting expectations.
There will not be one University-wide solution to every issue raised in the survey. Some opportunities require institutional attention, while others are best addressed within individual schools, colleges, divisions, and teams. Every effort toward improvement matters, and I want you to know that we heard you, the work is underway, and we intend to keep listening. Thank you again to everyone who participated and to the leaders and teams who are now turning that feedback into action.
Faculty Senate Meeting Recap
In today’s presentation to the Faculty Senate, my update focused on laying out the strategic framework we will be using this year as we work collectively toward developing a bold, new academic strategic plan. I will be sharing this framework with campus leaders over the next few weeks and will provide additional information in subsequent newsletters. Be on the lookout for invitations to participate in campuswide conversations to shape DU’s academic strategy, and to inform the investments needed to support it, in November and December.
DU Food Pantry Receives Largest-Ever Donation
DU’s Food Pantry is entirely funded through donations. Any money donated goes directly to purchasing food for patrons. We are pleased to share that Kristin Deal, associate vice chancellor of community support and engagement, in partnership with Brent Diederich, director of development, has secured the largest-ever donation in the history of DU’s Food Pantry.
National studies show that students in higher education are highly vulnerable to food and housing insecurity. We know this is the case at DU, as well, and affirm that the University of Denver is dedicated to supporting our community through this program.
Reminder: Operational Transformation Website is Now Live
A new Operational Transformation website has launched with information and updates on this important initiative. Learn more about DU's efforts to align operations with our revised academic vision, including processes, technology, data, people, and facilities. A key part of DU Forward, Operational Transformation will simplify processes, revisit policies, and help us ease burdens on staff and faculty over the coming years. Check out the website!
Registration Now Open for the Crimson Classic
Register now for the 14th Annual Crimson Classic 5K Run or 1.5-Mile Walk on Oct. 21 at 3 p.m.! Enjoy some music, stretching, snacks, and an afternoon run or walk through the DU campus with your fellow students, faculty, staff, and alumni. This is a free event.
The first 500 community members to register will receive a race T-shirt, and all participants will be granted admission to the post-event celebration area. Visit the Crimson Classic website to register, learn more, or download a 5K training plan.
Goal 1: Shape Enrollment and Improve Retention and Graduation Rates
Persistence Dashboards Updated to Reflect Week 3 Fall Census
The undergraduate Persistence Dashboards in Data Insights have been updated to reflect fall week 3 census. One-year retention of the fall 2025 first-time, first-year (FTFY) cohort is 86.68% as of fall 2026 week 3, which is lower than the prior two cohorts’ rates of 88.75% (fall 2024 cohort) and 88.71% (fall 2023 cohort). One-year retention of new transfers is at 82.39%, which is lower than the prior two years’ rates of 86.90% (fall 2024) and 88.69% (fall 2023).
We would also like to share the newly launched Student Success Data "Hive" in Data Insights, which aggregates several sources of common UG and GR student success metrics in one location. These dashboards allow users to explore many combinations of facets of student characteristics and experiences, across the student lifecycle.
The Office of Student Success will send a message after the dashboards are refreshed to reflect fall End of Term (EOT) census. If you would like to be included in future notifications directly from the Office of Student Success, please add your name to the distribution list here.
As always, the Office of Student Success is happy to discuss how to use these and other data to inform initiatives or assessment that support student success efforts in your unit. Please reach out with any questions.
4D Experience Presents Story Mosaic 'Second Chances'
Please join us for our upcoming Story Mosaic event featuring the theme “Second Chances” on Nov. 2 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in Community Commons, Room 1001.
Have you ever made such a big “mistake” you thought you would never recover? But someone gave you the grace to grow, try again, and do better? This Story Mosaic centers on experiences of being granted “second chances” in our personal and professional lives that propel us toward who we are becoming. We invite students, staff, faculty, and alumni to share and listen to powerful stories of redemption and transformation. Light refreshments will be provided.
Register for the event on Crimson Connect
Sign up to be a storyteller at this event
Goal 2: Improve Career Outcomes and Better Prepare Our Students to Succeed and Lead in an AI-Transformed Workforce
DU Joins Colorado Department of Higher Education’s First AI-Engaged Campus Cohort
Earlier this month, the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) announced its inaugural cohort of institutions earning the AI Engaged Campus Designation. The University of Denver is one of only six higher education institutions within the state (Colorado School of Mines, University of Northern Colorado, Colorado State University Global, Metropolitan State University, and Aims Community College) to receive this designation, which exists to celebrate our work to date, to guide institutions seeking a roadmap, and to set an aspirational standard for what responsible, student-centered AI engagement looks like in higher education.
Dean of Libraries Participates in Grant to Advance AI-Era Library Leadership and Value
Michael Levine-Clark, dean of university libraries, has been invited to serve as an expert panelist in grant-funded training to support AI literacy . This training, for university libraries, includes three tracks. One track, led by Leo Lo, dean of libraries at the University of Virginia, will focus on AI literacy instruction. The second, led by Becky Croxton, strategic assessment librarian at Colorado State University, will cover AI-enhanced assessments. Michael will lead the third track which delves into AI-era library leadership and communicating library value.
Goal 3: Strengthen Academic Excellence
Ritchie School of Engineering Faculty Win Mozilla Grant
I am pleased to share that DU has been awarded a $125,000 grant through the Mozilla Responsible Computing Challenge, a competitive program that supports innovative research in ethical and creative computer science education. The project is led by Al Oleson (PI) and Benji Xie (co-PI), both faculty in Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science.
The project, CHAI: Career-ready Humanities-based AI Education Modules, will explore how to integrate critical AI literacy into humanities and social science education across a range of settings, including formal, informal, and community-based learning environments.
This award highlights DU's commitment to advancing interdisciplinary research and education at the intersection of technology, ethics, and society. The project will contribute to ongoing national conversations about the role of AI in higher education and help prepare students to navigate an increasingly AI-enabled world.
Nominations Now Open for the 2027 RSCW Awards
The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs invites nominations of outstanding DU faculty for the second annual Research, Scholarship, and Creative Works (RSCW) Awards. These awards celebrate exceptional research, scholarship, creativity, and impact across career stages and disciplines.
New this year is the RSCW Dissertation Award, which recognizes an exceptional doctoral dissertation that demonstrates significant achievement in research, scholarship, or creative work. Nominations are open until Oct. 28.
Learn more about award categories and the nomination process on the RSCW Awards website. Reach out to this email with questions.
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 sustained energy and persistence at the midpoint of the fall quarter!
Sincerely,
Elizabeth G. Loboa
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor