Weekly Letter from the Provost—Oct. 24

Author(s)

Elizabeth Loboa, PhD

Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor

Announcement •

Campus Life •

October 24, 2025

This weekly newsletter will serve as one of many tools my office will use in the weeks and months ahead to keep you informed and engaged as we pursue and achieve accomplishments toward our three goals for Academic Affairs. Thank you for your interest and support.  ��
 ��
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 Friday 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

Committees Formed to Implement and Monitor Academic Affairs: Three Goals

This week, I was pleased to launch three new committees—each aligned with one of our three academic affairs goals. These goals will shape our work this year, guide our efforts over the next two to three years, and serve as the foundation for DU’s future trajectory. ��
��
Details on committee leadership appear below, leading the sections that highlight recent progress toward these goals, and I will share more specifics about committee composition in subsequent newsletters.

The formation of these committees was the result of a multi-week, campus-wide effort, made possible through extensive collaboration with the chancellor, the Chancellor’s Cabinet, deans, vice provosts, and Faculty Senate President Sarah Watamura. Over the next few weeks, I will meet with each committee in person to deliver their formal charge and clarify role expectations for the remainder of the 2025–’26 academic year. ��

��

Undergraduate and Graduate Student Advisory Groups Launched 

Student voices are another vital component of our ability to establish and accomplish DU’s goals for the years ahead. To promote broader student engagement and to open a direct line of communication with some of our strongest student leaders, I have also launched two student advisory groups—one for undergraduate students and one for graduate students. Thank you to the deans for working in collaboration with their college leaders to provide nominations. ��

��

Undergraduate Student Government (USG) Reception 

On Tuesday night, Chancellor Jeremy Haefner and I had the privilege of participating in the Undergraduate Student Government’s meeting and reception in the Daniels College of Business. This group meets weekly on Tuesdays throughout the fall quarter, and I am grateful to Ethan Turner, USG president, and to the other members of student government for the invitation and hospitality. ��

A group of DU students stands in a classroom and poses for their photo to be taken.

Division of Community Support and Engagement Open House 

Today, the Division of Community Support and Engagement hosted its first annual open house event in Community Commons, Suite 3200. Thank you to Christopher Whitt, vice chancellor of Community Support and Engagement, and his team for hosting this opportunity for DU community members to learn more about the division’s work over refreshments and to share feedback in the division’s new offices.  ��

��

Invitation to Next Week’s State of the University

I hope that you saw scheduled for October 30 at 2:30 p.m. in CCOM 1700 and available via real-time live stream or via replay afterward. Find details and link to the live stream on .   ��
��

Goal 1: Shape Enrollment and Improve Retention and Graduation Rates

Launching the Campus-wide Goal 1 Committee 

This week, I sent invitations to faculty and staff to serve on the committee that will work throughout the remainder of the 2025-’26 academic year to explore and inform DU’s approach to implementing and measuring our progress toward achieving goal 1. Thank you to Corinne Lengsfeld and Todd Rinehart for serving as co-chairs. ��

��

Crimson Classic 

Campus traditions become a part of the DU story and provide an opportunity for community-wide celebrations of what makes our university special. These traditions also serve as an important component of the student experience. This was my first chance to participate in the Crimson Classic, and I could not have been more impressed, energized, and inspired. The weather was perfect, and it was wonderful to see so many faculty and staff taking part alongside our students and alumni. Thank you to all who were able to make it out this year. Your presence helped make this a more meaningful event for the entire community, and especially for our students! ��

A crimson and white arch stands above a large group of runners.

Goal 2: Improve Career Outcomes and Better Prepare Our Students to Succeed and Lead in an AI-transformed Workforce

Launching the Campus-wide Goal 2 Committee

This week, I also sent invitations to the faculty and staff who have been nominated to serve on the Goal 2 committee. I look forward to sharing their names in subsequent newsletters, but I would for now like to say thank you to Liz Lierman and Lorenzo Patelli for serving as co-chairs.��

��

Access DU’s New Career Outcomes Dashboard

Last week, I announced the development of a for DU graduates as a new and transparent way to share DU’s very compelling story. The dashboard is best viewed on a desktop computer.��

The dashboard displays program-specific outcomes data (starting salaries, placements) at the undergraduate, masters/professional, and doctoral levels, that is easily parsed by college/school. The dashboard currently includes three years of data (2022, 2023, and 2024), with plans to update annually after summer commencement when we have had time to collect and gather survey data from our 2025 graduates.  ��

As a reminder, Sturm College of Law tracks its outcomes separately in line with accreditation standards, and these data points are available online as well. Special thanks to Federica Bologna, Mike Furno, Bobbie Kite, Liz Lierman, Alex Parnell, Terese Rainwater, Ben Siebrase, Marcell Thomas, and James Thomas for coming together as a cross-functional dashboard team to build and display these exciting outcomes. ��

��

Office of Student Employment 2025 Impact Report: Now Available Online 

In last week’s newsletter, I shared some of the encouraging highlights from the Office of Student Employment’s 2025 Impact Report. I am pleased to share that the office has now  with this full report linked at the bottom. Thank you to Elise Goss-Alexander, director of student employment, and team for your commitment to enhancing student outcomes for student employees. 
��

Goal 3: Strengthen Academic Excellence 

Introducing the Campus-wide Goal 3 Committee 

My office also extended invitations to those nominated to serve on the Goal 3 committee. Thank you to Leslie Hasche and Jennifer Karas for serving as co-chairs and thanks in advance to the committee members for agreeing to participate. ��

��

CAHSS Anthropology Professor Wins Distinguished Service Award

Congratulations to Christina Kreps, anthropology professor and director of the Museum of Anthropology and Museum & Heritage Studies. The Council for Museum Anthropology has selected her as the recipient of its 2025 Distinguished Service Award in recognition of “extraordinary contributions to the field of museum anthropology and her lasting impact on the discipline through her scholarship, leadership, and mentorship.” This well-deserved recognition typifies DU’s commitment to the scholar-teacher model, and I commend Professor Kreps for her sustained and significant contributions across the leadership, teaching, scholarship, and service domains.  ��
 ��
Sincerely,  ��
 ��
Elizabeth ��

��