Last year, Mark VanDriel successfully ran for the CU Board of Regents in the state’s new 8th Congressional District. “I spent a lot of time talking to voters about the leadership role CU plays in higher education in our state, as well as the ways it uniquely serves all of Colorado,” he said.
Wanda James in November became the first Black woman elected to the CU Board of Regents in over 44 years. The Denver Democrat represents Colorado’s 1st Congressional District. “I feel like I have been preparing for this role as a regent my entire life,” James said. “My work in politics has been a powerful example of what is possible when you decide to get involved.”
The Board of Regents has begun the work of determining the 2023-24 budget for the four-campus system with consideration of three potential budget scenarios for the fiscal year. Chad Marturano, vice president and chief financial officer for the CU system, presented details of the budget proposals on Feb. 9, the first of a two-day board meeting at CU Denver. The proposals differ based on potential variations in state funding, tuition, compensation and fees.
Ken Montera’s first run for a seat on the CU Board of Regents may have fallen short, but it wasn’t without useful lessons. His 2018 campaign for the at-large post led him into all 64 counties, where he met people who embodied the diversity and complexity of Colorado. The experience helped him understand what it would be like to govern, he said.
The University of Colorado has announced two new Distinguished Professors, Jean S. Kutner and Karolin Luger, bringing the 2022 cohort total to nine. CU Distinguished Professors are tenured faculty members who demonstrate exemplary performance in research or creative work; a record of excellence in promoting learning and student attainment of knowledge and skills; and outstanding service to the profession, the university and its affiliates.
A CU Denver partnership with the Colorado Department of Corrections recently celebrated a milestone, holding “graduation” ceremonies for incarcerated learners who completed a seven-class sequence leading toward a Certificate in Strategic Communication. Led by Stephen Hartnett, professor from CU Denver’s communication department, the Prison Education program offers college communication classes aimed at giving prisoners the skills and confidence to return to their communities.
Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Brian Boatright last week swore in four members of the University of Colorado Board of Regents who were elected in November. Four is an unusual number to join the nine-member board.
