Weekly Letter from the Provost—May 22 Edition  
Dear colleagues, Ìý
This weekly newsletter will serve as one of many tools my office will use to keep you informed and engaged as we make progress toward our three goals for Academic Affairs. We are grateful for your interest and support. Previous newsletters can be found on the provost’s communication center on the University’s website.Ìý
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If you have suggestions for what we should include in future communications, please . 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 week. Ìý
Today’s update falls into four categories: ÌýÌý
This weekly newsletter will serve as one of many tools my office will use to keep you informed and engaged as we make progress toward our three goals for Academic Affairs. We are grateful for your interest and support. Previous newsletters can be found on the provost’s communication center on the University’s website.Ìý
Ìý
If you have suggestions for what we should include in future communications, please . 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 week. Ìý
Today’s update falls into four categories: ÌýÌý
- Campus news and happenings ÌýÌý
- Goal 1: Shape enrollment and improve retention and graduation rates for all students Ìý
- Goal 2: Improve career outcomes and better prepare our students to succeed and lead in an AI-transformed workforce Ìý
- Goal 3: Strengthen academic excellenceÌý
Campus News and Happenings
Global Accessibility Awareness Day
On Thursday, DU celebrated Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). Arielle Silverman, PhD, the director of research at the American Foundation for the Blind, gave a keynote speech showcasing how AI is rapidly permeating the ways we work, learn, play, and live. Her remarks highlighted the benefits and challenges that come with this new technology for users with disabilities.Ìý
One of my highlights of the day’s events was joining Chancellor Haefner and Jeff Banks, vice chancellor for human resources, to present this year’s Digital Accessibility Awards: Ìý
One of my highlights of the day’s events was joining Chancellor Haefner and Jeff Banks, vice chancellor for human resources, to present this year’s Digital Accessibility Awards: Ìý
- Faculty Award Winner – Olivia R. Tracy, teaching assistant professor in the University Writing Program and assistant director of the University Writing CenterÌý
- Staff Award Winner – Lucy Edwards, career and graduate student engagement coordinator in the Graduate School of Social Work
- Student Award Winner – Talya Riciputi Ìý
Updated Dates: Annual University Lecture
Professor Alison Krogel’s university lecture will be rescheduled, in close consultation with Professor Krogel and her chair, from May 13, 2026, to one of the first few weeks of the coming fall quarter.
This new timeline allows for closer engagement with other campus initiatives, including first‑year seminars. The 2026-2027 academic year will now feature two university lectures: Professor Krogel’s in the fall and another in the 2027 spring quarter. Additional details for both will be shared with the community as they become available.
This new timeline allows for closer engagement with other campus initiatives, including first‑year seminars. The 2026-2027 academic year will now feature two university lectures: Professor Krogel’s in the fall and another in the 2027 spring quarter. Additional details for both will be shared with the community as they become available.
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DU Hosts Gubernatorial Primary Debates
Next month, the 91¶ÌÊÓƵ is excited to host primary debates for both the Republican and Democrat races for Colorado governor. We have partnered with 9NEWS, The Denver Gazette, and Colorado Politics to bring the leading candidates from both parties to campus to hear about the issues we all face in Colorado. Ìý
The Republican Party’s debate will take place on Tuesday, June 2, and the Democratic Party debate will occur on Thursday, June 4. Both debates will take place at 6 p.m. in the DU Welcome Center and will be moderated by Kyle Clark and Marshall Zelinger from 9NEWS. There are still seats available for faculty and staff who would like to watch the debates in person.Ìý
Registration for Faculty, Staff, and Students:
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The Republican Party’s debate will take place on Tuesday, June 2, and the Democratic Party debate will occur on Thursday, June 4. Both debates will take place at 6 p.m. in the DU Welcome Center and will be moderated by Kyle Clark and Marshall Zelinger from 9NEWS. There are still seats available for faculty and staff who would like to watch the debates in person.Ìý
Registration for Faculty, Staff, and Students:
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Exclusive Accelerated Leadership Experience Cohort
Executive Education is hosting a special session of the  exclusively for the 91¶ÌÊÓƵ community, and it will be open to all DU faculty and staff.Ìý
This tuition-waiver-eligible cohort is designed to help DU leaders build self-awareness, strengthen decision making, and lead teams with greater clarity and confidence. DU cohort dates are Aug. 12-14 and Sept. 9-10.Ìý
Spots are limited, and participants must register by May 29 to be considered for the DU-only cohort.Ìý.
This tuition-waiver-eligible cohort is designed to help DU leaders build self-awareness, strengthen decision making, and lead teams with greater clarity and confidence. DU cohort dates are Aug. 12-14 and Sept. 9-10.Ìý
Spots are limited, and participants must register by May 29 to be considered for the DU-only cohort.Ìý.
Goal 1: Shape Enrollment and Improve Retention and Graduation Rates
4D Peer Mentor Program Highlighted in the 2026 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report
The reflects a higher education landscape shaped by intensifying pressures around value, trust, and transformation. Using the structured STEEP framework, which includes social, technological, economic, environmental, and policy domains, a global panel of experts prioritized the trends most likely to influence teaching and learning at scale. Highlighted in the report is our own 4D Peer Mentor Program: Building a Constellation of Mentors.Ìý
The supports new students as they navigate their transition by pairing every incoming student with a trained peer mentor. Through coursework, relationship-building, and values-driven mentorship practices, peer mentors help new students cultivate belonging, understand DU’s signature 4D Experience, and connect early to the campus community. This student-centered model strengthens confidence, resource awareness, and academic and personal success during the first year.Ìý
The supports new students as they navigate their transition by pairing every incoming student with a trained peer mentor. Through coursework, relationship-building, and values-driven mentorship practices, peer mentors help new students cultivate belonging, understand DU’s signature 4D Experience, and connect early to the campus community. This student-centered model strengthens confidence, resource awareness, and academic and personal success during the first year.Ìý
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Goal 2: Improve Career Outcomes and Better Prepare Our Students to Succeed and Lead in an AI-transformed Workforce
Reminder: Teaching with AI Showcase
The Office of Teaching and Learning is hosting its annual Teaching with AI Showcase. This event will showcase faculty from the Thriving with AI Faculty Learning Community and will include mini presentations and the opportunity to ask questions to each faculty presenter. Join us on May 27 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in AAC 290. is encouraged.Ìý
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Faculty Career Champions Quarterly
The Faculty Career Champions Quarterly is a great resource for faculty to learn about opportunities, events, and resources that can be easily passed along to students via email, department newsletters, Canvas, or brief in-class reminders. Here are two updates from the most recent edition, which I would encourage you to review and use to support students.Ìý
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Career Peer Advising—Drop-In Help
Spring 2026 Burwell and Beans CafeÌý
Career Peer Advisors (CPAs) offer drop-in and scheduled appointments to help students with resumes and cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, internship and job searches, interview preparation, and navigation of CPD resources.Ìý
Schedule
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Career Peer Advisors (CPAs) offer drop-in and scheduled appointments to help students with resumes and cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, internship and job searches, interview preparation, and navigation of CPD resources.Ìý
Schedule
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MondayÌý
- Burwell: 8 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 4:30 p.m. Ìý
TuesdayÌý
- Burwell: 8 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Ìý
- Beans: 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.Ìý
WednesdayÌý
- Burwell: 8 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 4:30 p.m.Ìý
ThursdayÌý
- Burwell: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Ìý
- Beans: 8 to 11 a.m.Ìý
FridayÌý
- ​â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹â¶Ä‹Burwell 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Ìý
International Career Connections 2026: Young Professional Global Networking Event
Hosted in partnership with WorldDenver and Fulbright, this event includes a panel discussion featuring seasoned international professionals in fields such as diplomacy, development, international law, and more. Following the panel, students will have the opportunity to network with speakers and build critical industry connections. The event is free and open to all students and young professionals.Ìý
Monday, May 26, 6 to 8 p.m. Ìý
Information and registration details can be . Ìý
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Monday, May 26, 6 to 8 p.m. Ìý
Information and registration details can be . Ìý
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Goal 3: Strengthen Academic Excellence
Academic Unit Review Committee Recommendations on Unit Closures and Rehoming Guidelines for Faculty in Potentially Impacted Units
On Monday, two Academic Unit Review Committees (AURCs) provided reports on their recommendations regarding academic unit closures. I want to thank these faculty for their tremendous university service, which involved working under challenging timelines and circumstances. The chancellor and I are carefully reviewing these reports, along with information provided by the deans, the departments, faculty, and the Goal 3 Committee, to make final recommendations regarding these departments. The final decision regarding unit closures will be communicated after the June Board of Trustees meeting.Ìý
Although no decisions have yet been made, my office provided faculty in the units under review with information regarding the rehoming process. To support faculty rehoming efforts in potentially impacted units,Ìýmy office provided guidelines on faculty support, including: 1) dean-initiated accelerated rehoming of faculty member(s) to meet known educational mission or teaching needs, 2) faculty-initiated rehoming during the 2026-2027 academic year, 3) a voluntary buyout or retirement agreement that includes immediate or phased separation options over the next one to two years, and 4) tenured-faculty member requests to temporarily rehome for a limited term to a general service teaching unit.Ìý
I recognize the stress and difficulty of these reviews for the community, especially for those directly impacted. The chancellor and I are giving these weighty decisions careful attention.Ìý
Although no decisions have yet been made, my office provided faculty in the units under review with information regarding the rehoming process. To support faculty rehoming efforts in potentially impacted units,Ìýmy office provided guidelines on faculty support, including: 1) dean-initiated accelerated rehoming of faculty member(s) to meet known educational mission or teaching needs, 2) faculty-initiated rehoming during the 2026-2027 academic year, 3) a voluntary buyout or retirement agreement that includes immediate or phased separation options over the next one to two years, and 4) tenured-faculty member requests to temporarily rehome for a limited term to a general service teaching unit.Ìý
I recognize the stress and difficulty of these reviews for the community, especially for those directly impacted. The chancellor and I are giving these weighty decisions careful attention.Ìý
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Public Impact Fellows Presentation
The Public Impact Fellows (PIF) program, created out of IMPACT 2025, has now graduated 81 faculty. The program has trained approximately 9% of the faculty who make up 19% of DU’s media engagements. The PIF program was originally created as a collaboration between the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, University Relations, and Advancement to train faculty on methods to articulate their research impacts in a digestible, mainstream manner. The PIF program supports University visibility, policy-making, philanthropic campaigns, and enhances grant success. The program has also become a mechanism to build cross-disciplinary cohorts and partnerships. It is a one-year program with nine to ten training sessions. Each year, faculty are invited based on topic relevance to the public interest or current events. Ìý
On Tuesday, DU’s current Public Impact Fellows presented their research findings in one slide and shared their projects with me, the deans, and friends of the program. It was a delight to learn about the quality and range of our faculty research. The people, program, and experience were amazing—thank you to all who participated and who guided our Public Impact Fellows’ initiative. Ìý
On Tuesday, DU’s current Public Impact Fellows presented their research findings in one slide and shared their projects with me, the deans, and friends of the program. It was a delight to learn about the quality and range of our faculty research. The people, program, and experience were amazing—thank you to all who participated and who guided our Public Impact Fellows’ initiative. Ìý
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DU Faculty Member Receives Fulbright
 are prestigious fellowships that offer scholars transformative opportunities to teach and conduct research abroad, which strengthens their professional development and fosters long-term connections that enrich their careers, campuses, and communities. Among the achievements of DU alumni are 63 Nobel Prizes, 98 Pulitzer Prizes, and 83 MacArthur Fellowships.Ìý
Congratulations to Barb Hurtt, teaching professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, for selection as a Fulbright Scholar for 2026-2027 and for receiving the Fulbright Global Scholar Award.Ìý
I wish you all the best as we approach the summer season. Ìý
Sincerely, Ìý
Elizabeth G. LoboaÌý
Provost and Executive Vice ChancellorÌý
Congratulations to Barb Hurtt, teaching professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, for selection as a Fulbright Scholar for 2026-2027 and for receiving the Fulbright Global Scholar Award.Ìý
I wish you all the best as we approach the summer season. Ìý
Sincerely, Ìý
Elizabeth G. LoboaÌý
Provost and Executive Vice ChancellorÌý
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