University of Colorado, A Message from the President
August 2015

Dear Alumni and Friends,

The University of Colorado first offered classes in Colorado Springs in the 1920s, but it wasn't until 1965 that the dream of a permanent campus became a reality.

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs is in the midst of a yearlong celebration of its 50th birthday with events, academic activities and community outreach. It has come a long way in a half-century, transitioning from one building at a bankrupt tuberculosis sanitarium to commuter campus to fast-growing regional research university with a national reputation, focused on southern Colorado. And today, under the energetic leadership of Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak, UCCS is coming of age.

Tuberculosis sufferers in the 19th and early 20th centuries were urged to go west, where the clear mountain air helped relieve symptoms. But when the disease began to fade as a health concern in the mid-20th century, George Dwire sold the Cragmor Sanitarium that rested on Austin Bluffs to CU for the tidy sum of $1. Around that time, the community was clamoring for more CU offerings. One of the more vocal proponents was Hewlett-Packard co-founder David Packard, who urged then Gov. John Love to bring CU to Colorado Springs so his company would have the highly skilled workforce it needed.

CU's second campus opened for business in the fall of 1965, and constants have pervaded UCCS's history since: community and growth.

UCCS initially was a commuter campus for working adults. It still serves them, but also has become a robust residential university. It is the designated growth campus for the CU system, where 11,132 students work toward any of 37 bachelor's, 19 master's or five doctoral degrees.

The physical campus is growing to keep pace with the student body. Groundbreakings and building dedications seem as frequent as commencement ceremonies. In terms of acreage (about 500), UCCS is CU's largest campus. In the past two years it has seen the opening of the Lane Center, a new administrative building and two new residence halls with nearly 200 beds. Another two residence halls (serving 300 students) will open this fall, along with a new dining hall. More than 1,400 students live on campus.

UCCS had one of only two CU construction projects funded this year by the Colorado General Assembly, the Ent Center for the Arts, a $60 million facility scheduled to open in January 2018. In recent years, the campus was a catalyst for the redevelopment of North Nevada Avenue, helping turn the previously seedy strip into a thriving development. It not only offers retail and restaurants, it creates jobs for our students.

Ties to the community are the hallmark of UCCS. They run deep and wide. The campus is not only a substantial economic driver in the Pikes Peak region, but faculty, staff and students are engaged in a variety of ways, from internships and service projects to community events and public-private partnerships. The campus has one of the four pillars of Colorado Springs' City for Champions project, a sports and wellness center to be built on North Nevada. The Lane Center is home to the Peak Vista Community Health Centers clinic, which provides health services to the community. It also is home of the recently opened branch of the CU School of Medicine, which will increase our capacity to prepare physicians.

UCCS has particularly strong ties with the military, which has a significant presence in Colorado Springs. It is one of the top universities nationally for serving veterans. Additionally, it recently joined a national consortium of universities, corporations and the U.S. military to launch a program to address pressing needs in cybersecurity.

Yet UCCS extends community beyond Colorado Springs. It is focused on southern Colorado and was the leader in developing the Southern Colorado Higher Education Consortium, which leverages educational opportunities across 10 colleges and universities.

The future is bright for UCCS. It is a key part of the CU system and its prominence continues to grow. I hope you can take in some of the many activities scheduled for the celebration. If you can't, you might do what the freshman class will do this year: get a copy of Discovering Place, a campus history from the Cretaceous age to the present, with contributions from faculty, staff and students. It's a coming of age story.

For feedback, contact officeofthepresident@cu.edu

Sincerely,
Bruce D. Benson
Bruce Benson
President


Another record year for private donations to CU
Another record year for private donations to CU
Thanks to all our CU supporters, private contributions to the University of Colorado increased more than 19 percent during the fiscal year that ended June 30, setting a new one-year record of more than $375.4 million in support from individuals, foundations and corporations. Donations support student scholarships, facilities, research and more.
Record support>>

CU-Boulder-built instruments visit Pluto
CU-Boulder-built instruments visit Pluto
When Alan Stern was a doctoral student at CU-Boulder in 1989, he and some colleagues began envisioning a mission to Pluto. Stern was chosen to pitch the idea to NASA. He was successful, and in July we celebrated as the New Horizons spacecraft, with Stern as the principal investigator, made a successful flyby of Pluto after a nine-year, 3-billion-mile journey, sending a thumbs-up signal to Earth and elating the world's space science community, including University of Colorado Boulder participants. Stern, who earned his doctorate in astrophysics and planetary science from CU-Boulder, continues our legacy of space exploration. CU-Boulder is the only public higher education institution that has sent instruments to every planet in the solar system – and that includes the dwarf planet.
New Horizons>>

Efficiency measures
Efficiency measures
We have been working since 2008 to establish a culture where we operate CU in as efficient a way as possible. I was interviewed about the topic on the Wall Street Journal's Online Journal program earlier this week. We also submitted an op-ed about how we approach efficiencies that I expect will publish in the Journal soon. We have posted a complete list of efficiencies. There is always more to do to find efficiencies at the university, so our efforts are ongoing. But we are making progress in our efforts, which directly benefit our students and our state.
Efficiencies>>

CU-Boulder to host Republican debate
CU-Boulder to host Republican debate
CU-Boulder and CNBC will host the third in a series of Republican presidential candidate debates Wednesday, Oct. 28, at the Coors Events Center. The debate, which CNBC will broadcast to a nationwide audience, will focus on key economic issues, such as jobs, taxes, the deficit and the health of the U.S. economy.
Debate>>

Spotlight on Alumni:
A Buffalo takes the helm in the Beaver State
Spotlight on Alumni: A Buffalo takes the helm in the Beaver State
CU-Boulder alumna Kate Brown (EnvCon'81) has climbed the ranks in Oregon politics for more than 25 years. In February, she made it to the top. The 56-year-old Democrat took the oath of office as Oregon's 38th governor on Feb. 18.
Oregon governor>>

CU For Colorado: Outreach Programs Serving The State
Mini Law School participants gain insights on legal principles

Mini Law School participants gain insights on legal principles

With topics ranging from intellectual property law to family law, CU-Boulder's Mini Law School will provide attendees with a better understanding of important legal principles in key areas of the law. Offered on-site at CU-Boulder or through a televised program at CU South Denver, sessions are taught by members of Colorado Law School faculty. Registration is open; cost is $100 for eight sessions, which start in September.
Colorado Mini Law School>>

News from our campuses
University of Colorado
Boulder

Dalai Lama to visit CU-Boulder Oct. 20-21: Tickets move quickly for two public events.

University of Colorado
Colorado Springs

Dean selected for Kraemer Family Library: Martin Garnar selected following a national search.

University of Colorado
Denver

Living with same-sex parents not a problem: Study finds that scientists agree that children of same-sex parents experience no difference on a range of social and behavioral outcomes.

University of Colorado
Anschutz Medical Campus

Study calls for improved patient-provider conversations: College of Nursing research finds a lack of clear triggers alerting providers to when it's time to begin end-of-life discussions.


Make a difference.
Give today!
CLICK HERE TO GIVE TO CU
CU Link
Your online community
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR CU LINK
Update your profile, identify email preferences, register for events, search a directory and more.

Office of the President, University of Colorado
1800 Grant Street, Suite 800, Denver, CO 80203
General Phone: 303 860 5600 | Fax: 303 860 5610
www.cu.edu | officeofthepresident@cu.edu
Facebook Twitter

Unsubscribe





${.vars["generaltags__open_count"]}