CU Advocates ready to ‘get the word out’

President Bruce Benson speaks to a packed room during the first CU Advocates reception on Jan. 19 on the CU-Boulder campus, where attendees stayed to watch the Buffs men’s basketball game. (Photo: Cathy Beuten/University of Colorado)

More than 120 faculty, staff, alumni, friends and supporters of the University of Colorado attended last week’s CU Advocates reception at CU-Boulder, the first event of its kind presented by the new advocacy group based in the Office of the President. Before watching the Buffs defeat Arizona State in men’s basketball on Jan. 19, group members mingled and heard from CU President Bruce Benson, who stressed the need for supporters to tell CU’s stories throughout the state and beyond.

Benson also discussed the state’s fiscal reality, and how CU will continue to be optimistic, entrepreneurial and cautious about the future. He stressed that CU will remain as efficient as possible, continuing to seek strategic partnerships and look for cost savings and revenue enhancements.

“I think there’s great opportunity for CU Advocates to get the word out about everything we do,” said Andrea Masias, who earned her master’s degree from CU Denver and has worked on the Anschutz Medical Campus for four and a half years. “We do so much. I don’t even know what all we do – I just know what my little corner of the world does.”

Noah Finkelstein, associate professor of physics and director of Integrating STEM Education at CU-Boulder, said he considers it a responsibility to build and contribute to community.

“As a faculty member, I’m in a privileged position because I get to see what’s going on firsthand in our classrooms – what it is we do with and for our students,” Finkelstein said. “And I get to see how the research we do contributes to and transforms the state.

“I’m a big fan of networks, and CU Advocates is another community I get to participate in. At the initial reception, I made contacts with many like-minded individuals, people with common values. This gives me an avenue to contribute – to realize my charge as a faculty member and, frankly, as a citizen of Colorado. We need an engaged citizenry.”

In March, CU Advocates launches a series of education forums. First up is a presentation on the University of Denver study commissioned by the Colorado Legislature, “Financing Colorado’s Future: An Analysis of the Fiscal Sustainability of State Government,” set for 8 a.m. March 2 at 1800 Grant St., Denver. Details on registration will be available at the Advocates website in February.

To see more photos from last week’s reception, visit the CU Advocates Facebook page.