Aug. 29 Campus Forum Summary
New Faculty and Staff by Division since May 1 (Word Doc)
This morning (Aug. 29) more than 100 faculty and staff attended the first all-university forum of the fall semester in the University Center.
For those who were unable to attend the forum, the following comment highlights are provided. The handouts and Powerpoint slides used at the forum are available at http://web.uccs.edu/ur.
Campus Planning/Chancellor
Pam Shockley
Shockley reviewed the campus vision statement adopted in 1994 and contrasted
it with CU’s Vision 2010 Plan and the specific Vision 2010 goal for CU-Colorado
Springs (America’s #1 regional comprehensive research university).
Shockley emphasized her belief that CU-Colorado Springs can improve on its recent “Best in the West” ranking in U.S. News and World Report while maintaining its values of being student-centered and a community-focused research university. Additionally, she emphasized the importance of the university attaining its #1 goal and retaining that position.
She also told those in attendance that the campus will hear frequently about her “4Cs: Continuity, Change, Collaboration and Competition” strategies and that a campus planning process initiated last year by a small group of faculty and staff will be enlarged and would be a central theme for the year.
Shockley highlighted several recent actions that support the campus 2010 vision including a recent report by the American Association of State University and Colleges that ranked the campus as one of the nation’s most highly engaged universities with its home community. Additionally, she linked recent campus developments – the Network Information and Space Security Center, the Trauma Center and efforts to add a master’s degree in geography and PhD. in geropsychology -- to continuing efforts to make CU-Colorado Springs more comprehensive and research focused
Shockley told those in attendance she was supportive of CU’s overall Vision 2010 goals and that she believed the campus fit well into the overall CU vision and that of the CU Board of Regents and President Betsy Hoffman.
Other Chancellor announcements
included:
- A welcome to more than 80 new faculty and staff members (names provided in
packet).
- A update on a new role and mission for the campus approved by the Colorado
Commission on Higher Education in July but awaiting approval by the Colorado
Legislature this winter. Shockley will travel the state extensively in October
to generate support for the mission change.
- A closing on the sale of the former Compassion International building is scheduled
for today. Shockley reminded the campus that the name Cragwood is temporary
name and reflects its location on Cragwood Drive – nothing more. A donor
is sought for a building naming opportunity.
- The 86,000 square foot building will have as its primary occupants the Mechanical
and Aerospace Engineering Department and the Beth-El College of Nursing and
Health Sciences. A move is expected by Jan. 15.
- The former Beth-El modular units will be used as classrooms and office space.
- A Department of Labor audit of university hiring practices is complete and
no negative findings were reported. Shockley complimented Vicky Hilty, director,
Personnel, and Jan Tharp, director, Affirmative Action, for their efforts.
- A search for a Vice Chancellor for Student Success continues with a selection
expected in January.
- A search for a permanent Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs will begin in
early September.
- Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance Cleve McDaniel will announce
to the campus his intention to retire effective Dec. 31 for medical reasons.
McDaniel will continue to consult with the campus on a limited basis.
- The state’s financial picture remains pessimistic, Shockley said, with
restrictions anticipated.
“I am concerned but we do not have to fear layoffs or other draconian measures,” Shockley said. “This, obviously, is painful but we are in a relatively strong position to deal with it thanks to our enrollments and the fiscal constraint exercised the past several years.”
Enrollment/Randy
Kouba, vice chancellor, Student Success
Preliminary figures indicate the campus enrollment will exceed 7,300 students
this fall, a 9 percent increase in headcount and an 11 percent increase in student
credit hours. The numbers will not be official until after census date (Sept.
10).
“Everyone in this room and many others deserve credit,” Kouba said
Fast-paced campus growth has not come at the expense of student quality. Kouba
reported a large freshman class (910) and that more than half (54 percent) meet
the admission requirements for CU-Boulder.
Budget/Ed Paris,
associate vice chancellor, Administration and Finance
“The growth in our enrollment has mitigated much of the affect of reductions
in the General Fund,” Paris said.
He complimented campus budget managers for their efforts in the past fiscal
year and again encouraged careful management for the coming year.
Paris also announced that a long-standing campus debt – approximately
$1.7 million – had been retired.
Fundraising/Martin
Wood, vice president, CU Foundation
Wood reviewed a record-breaking year for campus fundraising with gifts exceeding
$5.7 million. He cited the Teets Family gift, a gift of land along North Nevada
and a recent event featuring former New York Mayor Rudy Guiliani as examples.
The Guiliani event, Wood said, will net about $100,000 for student scholarships.
Academic Affairs/Tom Bellamy, vice chancellor, Academic Affairs
Bellamy thanked the campus for the opportunity to remain another year and cited five areas of emphasis for Academic Affairs
- Research. Bellamy referenced
new forms that showcase grant awards and submissions distributed at the forum
and emphasized the importance of infrastructure to support faculty research
efforts.
- Entrepreneurship. This campus goal is important and is illustrated through
increases in efforts to increase extended studies offerings.
- Assessment of student learning. An accreditation report suggested improvements
in the campus’ ability to assess student abilities to learn.
“I encourage us to take assessment seriously and to prevent the later
from happening,” Bellamy said.
- Diversity. A new assistant vice chancellor for academic diversity will be
announced in the next few weeks and that person will work closely with a campus
coordinating committee. The position’s charge will be to help build a
diversity of ideas and people on campus and to foster a culture where ideas
are appropriately debated on campus.
- Academic dashboard. Bellamy announced a new series of data points that will
be used to assess progress in key areas such as research and infrastructure.
What’s Next
Forums will be held monthly this academic year, Shockley said,. The next forum
is scheduled for Sept. 19 (time and date to be announced) and will focus on
student retention. All faculty and staff are encouraged to attend.