Adversity can be debilitating to organizations, but it can also force a focus on what’s important. The University of Colorado has seen its share of challenges in recent years. Yet the shadow cast by the spotlight has never eclipsed the heart of the university – the teaching, learning and discovery our students and faculty.
We start the school year with a renewed emphasis on these fundamental activities of the university and a commitment to living up to the trust placed in us by students, parents, alumni, donors and the people of Colorado. We have an obligation to be open, transparent and accountable to meet that trust. While we have made strides meeting that obligation, our efforts will be ongoing.
As a new school year begins, there is a sense of optimism across the CU system – at the vibrant urban university in Denver, in the crucial work of the Health Sciences Center and its dynamic Fitzsimons campus, at the burgeoning Colorado Springs university and at our flagship campus in Boulder.
Positive signs drive the optimism. Freshman enrollment across the CU system is at an all-time high. We’re not only attracting more students, but better-qualified students. The incoming freshman class has the strongest academic credentials of any class we’ve seen. Our new system-wide Presidential Scholar’s Program helped us recruit nearly 800 students with 4.0 high school grade-point averages.
CU is also making strides in providing opportunities to students of all backgrounds. Recommendations from the independent Blue Ribbon Commission on Diversity have led to concrete diversity goals and improved recruiting. The commission’s work and a concerted effort by campuses to ensure a welcoming climate have helped us attract a record number of students of color. The Pioneer Fund, which provides scholarships to traditionally underrepresented students who graduate from CU’s Pre-Collegiate Program, made it possible for 27 new students to attend CU.
Students across the university will find an increasing level of support. Donations to CU are up 12 percent over last year. The CU Foundation adopted recommendations from the Colorado state auditor that ensure an efficient, effective and accountable operation. This has helped renew the confidence of our donors. Their generosity has provided significant scholarship support to students and in improvement of the facilities crucial to student learning and research.
Externally funded research for fiscal year 2006 is up by $9 million, to $639 million. CU continues to foster the kinds of research that make it a national leader in medicine, aerospace engineering, environmental science and genetics. This research not only drives discovery and improves quality of life, but it is also a significant economic engine. It brings Colorado millions of dollars, which in turn drive further economic development.
Thanks to Referendum C, the Colorado legislature this year increased appropriations for the university by $22.7 million, making it the first real increase in state funds in four years. State support is critical to our partnership with the people of Colorado.
The return on Coloradans’ investment is a university that delivers the vital human infrastructure of our state, a skilled and educated workforce – engineers and teachers, doctors and lawyers, scientists and community leaders. Well over half of our alumni stay in Colorado after graduation.
To help enhance teaching, learning and discovery, the Board of Regents has initiated sweeping reforms in university governance. CU chancellors, who govern each university in our system, have been given expanded authority to match their responsibilities. The clear definition of roles and responsibilities allows for a sharper focus on learning and a more efficient administrative structure.
The move toward efficiency in administration starts with the president’s Office, where we have eliminated 15 positions and redistributed more than $1 million to system-wide priorities.
The progress of the past year came about as a result of hard work from faculty and staff across the university. Our future is in our students. Our commitment to them is that we will strive to make CU world-class. Many of our disciplines already set the standard for excellence nationally and internationally, and we will work to ensure all our programs live up to the high standards Colorado expects.
The past year has brought renewal and opportunity for CU. Our challenge is to be open and transparent in recognizing our problems and be accountable for solving them. The heart of the university is our students and the teaching and scholarly work of our faculty. The heart of CU continues to beat strong.
Hank Brown is president of the University of Colorado system.
