Weekly Letter from the Provost—May 8 Edition
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.
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.
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
An Evening with Lee Bollinger
Teacher-Scholar Lecture and Reception Featuring Rebecca Galemba andLisa Martinez
DU hostedthe 11th Teacher-Scholar Lecture and Receptionon Tuesday evening,which featuredRebecca Galemba and Lisa Martinez, co-directors of the Center for Immigration Policy and Research. In theirlecture, “Beyond the Classroom and Courtroom: Student and Community-Centered Immigration Research and Policy Work,”Professors Galemba and Martinez exploredhow community-engaged learning integrates teaching, scholarship, and publicpurpose.Thank you to the members of the DU community who were able to attend.
4D Symposium: Future of Work
Yesterday, I had the honor of hosting a panel discussion, which wasentitled“The Future of Work,”asa partof DU’sannual4D Symposium.The panel’sfocus was on preparingstudents for aworkforcefacingsignificant disruptionssuch asthe rise of AI,emerging technologies, and shifting workforce expectations.Panelists included:
- Adrina Gibson,executivedirector, General Services, City of Denver
- AnslemElumogo-Gardner(MBA ’16),founder and CEO, Mind for Mission
- Betsy Fischer,seniordirector, Alvarez & Marsal Corporate Performance
- Peter Campbell,founder andmanagingpartner, Education Growth Partners
I expressthanks to Laura Perille, executive director of the 4DExperience,for organizing this important andtimelyconversation for the DU community.
DU Employee Town Hall
Next week,faculty and staff areinvited to join the spring term in-person town hall, which will be dedicated to a question-and-answer (Q&A) session.
Employee Town Hall
May 12, from 11 a.m. to noon
Community Commons 1700 or
Thechancellor and I, along withmembers of the chancellor’s cabinet and leadership teams,will be available to answerquestions. The full hour will be dedicated to Q&A. You can submit questions live during the event or anonymously via .
Global Accessibility Awareness Day
Please join us for Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), which highlights the importance of digital access and inclusion for everyone. The 91Ƶ will host a hybrid event on May 21, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in CCOM 1700, featuringtwo guest speakers, a DU student panel sharing lived experiences, and interactive breakout sessions focused on accessibility, including digital accessibility. Attendees willlearn aboutpractical strategies for advancing inclusive practices in their work and lunch will be provided. To foster a welcoming and supportive environment, live captioning, generously provided by VZP Digital, will be available, and a sensory room will be offered for those who maybenefitfrom a quiet break. Register.
Faculty Senate Meeting Recap
Today, chairs of each of the threeAcademicAffairscommitteesjoined me to provide updates to theFacultySenate. Havingsubmittedtheir reports on May1, today’smeetingprovided a natural opportunity to provide updates. My update centered around theprocess andtimeline forimplementing theGoal 3 Committee's recommendations around academic unit closures and restructuring (seetheGoal 3 section foradditionalinformation). As I shared in last week’s newsletter, I look forwardtosharingall three committee reports with the DU communityfollowingtheJune Board of Trustees meeting.
Goal 1: Shape Enrollment and Improve Retention and Graduation Rates
Fall 2026 Enrollment Update
As I shared in last week’s newsletter,May 1 was the deposit deadline for DU’s fall 2026 entering class offirst-year, first-time students.Our goal for next fall’s entering class is 1,250 students. As of Monday, May 4, wereceived1,154 deposits (down 5% from the same day last year).Theenrollment teamiscontacting56 admitted individualswho received deposit extensions andareopening pipelines for new applicants.We are activelymonitoringthe status of fall enrollments,and this number changesfrequently.
While new graduate enrollments do not have a comparable deposit deadline, we are also activelymonitoringtheir progressrelativeto DU’s budgeted goal of 1,627 students for fall2026.Weare currently modeling 1,401new graduate students(86% of the final goal). TheOffice ofGraduateEducationis partnering with the colleges and schools toincrease yield between now and thestart of the summer quarter.
While we have not yet achieved our enrollment goals for the next academic year, I am grateful for the significant effortsacross DU’s central and academic unit admission teams toachieve the progress we have made to date in the face ofa very challengingenrollment market.We are modeling the budgetary impacts of decreased class sizes todeterminetheappropriateresponseandwill share more information insubsequentnewsletters.
DU Women’s Lacrosse Team Selected for NCAA Tournament
Today, our women's lacrosse team will travel to the Boulder Regional as part of the opening weekend of theNCAA’snational tournament.DU’s program has reached the NCAA tournament forthe eighth straight year and the tenth time in program history.They will take on the Florida Gators in the first round in Boulder, Colorado on Friday, May 8 at 7 p.m.(MT). All games in the tournament’s first two rounds will bebroadcastedon ESPN+.We wishthe teamand thecoachesgreat successthis weekend and beyond!
Graduate Student Experience Survey Now Open
The Graduate Student Experience Survey is currently underway, and we appreciate your support in encouraging students toparticipate. Graduate students (excludingtheSturm College of Lawandthe College of Professional Studies) who started at DU during or beforefall 2025 received an email invitation with a link to complete the survey from the Office of Student Success on May 4. Their feedback will help inform improvements to graduate programs, resources, and the overall student experience. Thank you for encouraging eligible students toparticipateand share their perspectives.
Note: Students who started at DU afterfall 2025 will have an opportunity to share their feedbackduringa future quarter!
Goal 2: Improve Career Outcomes and Better Prepare Our Students to Succeed and Lead in an AI-transformed Workforce
Teaching with AI Showcase
Goal 3: Strengthen Academic Excellence
Process and Timeline Overview for the Goal 3 Committee’s Academic Unit Recommendations
I want to first acknowledge that whiletheGoal 3 Committee’s work will help make DU a stronger institution, it is not easy, and I encourage folks who have questions about the latest updates to join us next week for theemployeetown hall.
This week,on the recommendation of the Goal 3 Committeeand in consultation with the deans,Isubmittedtwo academicdepartmentsto the Academic Unit Review Committee(AURC)forevaluation for closure.By May 15, the AURC will submit its reports—withitsrecommendations regarding unit closure—to me, the chancellor, department heads, deans, the chair of the Faculty Senate Academic Planning Committee, and the chairs of the Graduate and Undergraduate Councils. In June, the chancellor and I will provide final recommendations to the Board of Trustees regarding unit closures and restructurings. The Board will make final decisions based on these recommendations, and those decisions will be communicated to the DU community in June following the meeting.I want to affirm that DU is committed to offering students a pathway to complete their current degree programs, including those joining us this fall. Faculty in closingunits will be considered for rehoming in other departments if possible.
The Goal 3 Committee was also charged to evaluatelarger, college/school level restructuring opportunities.Thechancellor and I will be deliberating on these larger restructuringopportunitiesthis month. This willbe acomponentof what is presented to the Board during the June meeting.Any approved restructures will be communicatedin the same timeline as academic unit closures.
I am grateful to the deans and their leadership teams, and to the Academic Affairs committee members and their chairs for the tireless, collaborative work that has brought us to this point. Throughout this work, ourNorthStar remains the same—to deliveran exceptional student experience.
Entrepreneurship Week 2026
Entrepreneurship Week returns to campusonMay 17-22. Join Entrepreneurship@DUfor a week of events focused on innovation, creativity,and real-world problem solving. Featured events includethestudent-led innovation festival,Pop-up Palooza, the Entrepreneurial Challenge, and a live panel exploring how global systems shape markets,capital,and opportunities. All DU students, faculty, staff,alumni,and the Denver community are welcome. All events are free to attend. Learn more and.
Isend my best wishes to youfor the spring term.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth G. Loboa
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor