Our Purpose

GOAL 4 | INNOVATION OWNING OUR ROLE AS AN ANCHOR INSTITUTION, CU DENVER WILL BUILD AND SUSTAIN AN “OPEN INNOVATION DISTRICT” IN DOWNTOWN DENVER.

In research labs and tech centers around the world, innovation has typically happened behind closed doors and in proprietary secrecy that in many ways has actually stifled innovation. We see a refreshingly different and more inclusive way to leverage our spending power and proximity to the thriving innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Denver to fuel inclusive innovation, collaboration, sustainability, and economic growth for Denver and Colorado, because we know that diverse perspectives lead to more outsidethe-box solutions.

Uniquely positioned within a magnificent landscape and a vital downtown, the city and environs are our campus, as well as our canvas. Our open innovation district will be a vibrant, open-access hub of intellectual and creative vigor with CU Denver at the center. In the heart of our emerging global city, we will leverage our place and partnership philosophy to foster new forms of social entrepreneurship, economic development, public-private partnerships, and transformative education. We will expand the boundaries of our campus to be the convener of the brightest and most diverse inventors, thinkers, and entrepreneurs to collectively shape the future of our region and beyond through the most impactful connections in academic and civic life. We will advance mutually beneficial pursuits and maximize the collective strength of CU Denver and our greater community.

THE WORK WE’LL DO:

• Distinguish CU Denver and strengthen our identity in downtown

Denver, in part through sustainable urban design and placemaking.

• Employ new, effective partnership strategies and creatively leverage our location to build sustainable physical spaces that foster open innovation.

• Strengthen our ties in the community by inviting a range of contributors to advance collective goals.

• Transform the standard public-private partnerships (P3) model for collaboration by introducing a fourth P, People, to include our neighbors and diversify innovation communities.

• Embody a culture of open innovation across the university, encouraging collaboration, invention, creativity, and growth in all that we do.

WE’RE THERE WHEN:

We are known for our inclusive innovation model that works for all and as a convener that creates conversations and connections with national experts and global thought leaders about emerging trends in society. Our location is seen as the place for innovation, and we are an indispensable resource in Denver, Colorado, and the region—the most sought-after education and research partner and an essential provider of workforce talent.

GOAL 5 | PEOPLE CU DENVER WILL BE RECOGNIZED AS A PEOPLE-CENTERED “BEST PLACE TO WORK,” ATTRACTING AND RETAINING EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE WHO REFLECT THE RICH DIVERSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY AND ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT OUR PURPOSE.

High-performing organizations value employees as people, create cultures of empowerment and belonging, and provide clear opportunities for career success. This is the workplace we aspire to create.

We will put our people at the center of everything we do and fully unleash the entrepreneurial spirit that has defined CU Denver for its first five decades. Through this, we will make our university one of the best and most desirable places to work in the region and nation, drawing exceptional, purpose-driven talent reflective of the rich diversity of our community. We will empower and routinely recognize our faculty and staff, who are our greatest asset and play a critical role in delivering on our purpose, whether that is educating in front of the classroom or contributing behind the scenes. We will create an environment where new and cross-pollinating ideas flourish, where collaborative spaces for ideation and collaboration are plentiful, and where our employees belong and look forward to coming to campus every day to make an impact. We will make intentional investments that support our employees, their work, wellness, and life. We will put equitable structures, policies, and pathways in place to help our people reach their full potential. In doing so, our university will reach its own full potential and help advance the people and place it serves.

THE WORK WE’LL DO:

• Create an organizationwide culture change program to ensure we honor the humanity, talent, and hard work of our people—making work meaningful, impactful, and fun.

• Develop an inclusive excellence framework where employees at all levels experience a sense of belonging and reflect the diversity in all its forms of our community of learners.

• Empower personal and professional growth by building opportunities for leadership development, setting clear pathways for advancement, and encouraging employees to fully embrace the rich learning, cultural, and natural environment of our campus and city.

• Set and reinforce expectations that our leaders provide transparency and context, recognizing that each of us shares responsibility for CU

Denver’s future and we are on the same team.

• Simplify processes, clarify structures, and create spaces that enable risk-taking and spark creative thinking so that we can work smarter, enabling greater collaboration across units.

WE’RE THERE WHEN:

As an officially recognized best place to work and one of the most coveted employers in Denver, employee engagement increases dramatically and diverse talent from across the nation is attracted to CU Denver.

Our faculty and staff, who are our greatest asset and brand ambassadors, are energized by a workplace where they feel valued and supported in their personal and professional growth as they move the university forward in making education work for all.

HOW WE’LL GET THERE

Our strategic planning process invited our community to dream big and aim high, and we did. The vision and five goals laid out in this strategic plan are inspirational, aspirational, and ambitious. They are also achievable. Having painted the vision for our future, we now turn our attention toward how we will deliver on this promise.

Bringing these ambitions to life will require us to continue working hand-in-hand across the university and with partners outside our campus to develop and prioritize specific plans for execution of our aspirational plan.

Here is how we’ll do it:

1. We will lay out concrete plans, hold ourselves to account, and celebrate wins along the way.

To ensure we are all rowing in the same direction, our efforts will be intentional and coordinated. We will work as a community to define roadmaps and success metrics and then commit to holding ourselves and each other accountable. We will celebrate our wins and the progress we are making as we go.

2. We will make smart financial decisions and diversify and grow our revenue streams to allow us to invest in our future.

a. We will advance strategic enrollment management efforts to build capacity and revenue by growing and optimizing areas that align with the interests and needs of learners, employers, and society. We will think strategically about our optimal enrollment mix, including out-of-state, international, and non-credit-seeking students, and actively pursue tactics to achieve it. b. We will leverage our location and our new vision to seek partnerships at a higher level of engagement and mutual benefit. We will define our value proposition for employers and partners across sectors—industry, nonprofit, and government—to jointly invest in ambitions that deliver on our shared interests. c. We will invest in developing and building our philanthropic operation to pursue greater support from donors. d.We will organize and work strategically to obtain grant funding for educational programming, learner success, research, and capacity-building, leveraging when possible our status as a minority-serving institution. e.We will further evolve our incentive-based budget optimally to best align resources with strategic initiatives.

3. We will tell the world who we are and what we are doing. No longer will CU Denver be a “best-kept secret.”

We will refresh the CU Denver brand and tell our story here at home and beyond.

HOW WE GOT HERE

We developed this plan together. 3,000 of us—including students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members—generated 7,000 ideas over six months.

Just like the university we are working to reimagine, our work was human-centered, inclusive, and innovative by design. We employed technology and design thinking to understand—through an entirely virtual process during a pandemic—what our community appreciated most about CU Denver, what our community needed most from CU Denver, and where great opportunity lies ahead for CU Denver.

We started in January 2021 with foundational work to refresh our purpose, vision, values, and graduate characteristics. With these statements serving as a “North Star,” 130 members of our community, including students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members, deployed across eight teams to develop goals and strategies that could strengthen and differentiate CU Denver by 2030. Each team generated a report, all of which were then synthesized into a cohesive strategic plan to make education work for all. Prior to finalizing our plan, early drafts were shared with hundreds of people in our community for feedback and continued refinement.

A special thanks to the entire CU Denver community for painting a picture for our future.

3,000+

TOTAL PARTICIPANTS

7,000+

IDEAS GENERATED OVER 6 MONTHS

STRATEGIC PLANNING STEERING COMMITTEE

Martin Dunn, PhD, College of Engineering, Design and Computing, Chair Antwan Jefferson, PhD, School of Education & Human Development John Ronquillo, PhD, School of Public Affairs Jaimie Carrington, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Barbara Seidl, PhD, School of Education & Human Development Rebecca Kantor, EdD, School of Education & Human Development (in memoriam) Michael “Bodhi” Rogers, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Keith Neeves, PhD, College of Engineering, Design and Computing Marc Swackhamer, College of Architecture and Planning Joann Brennan, MFA, EdD, College of Arts & Media Michelle Larson-Krieg, JD, Office of International Affairs Mark Rabideau, DMA, College of Arts & Media Madhavan Parthasarathy, PhD, Business School Chris Puckett, JD, Office of University Counsel Lisa VanRaemdonck, School of Public Affairs Nan Ellin, PhD, College of Architecture and Planning Tobin Bliss, Administration and Finance Laura Borgelt, PharmD, CU Anschutz Genia Herndon, Division of Student Success Fabián Laguna, Student Government Association Representative Sarah Trzeciak, LynxConnect, Staff Council Representative Michael Zinser, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Faculty Assembly Representative

VISION TEAM MEMBERS

EMPOWERED BY OUR INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE

Antwan Jefferson, PhD, School of Education & Human Development, Co-chair John Ronquillo, PhD, School of Public Affairs, Co-chair Cathy Bodine, PhD, College of Engineering, Design and Computing Patrick Browne, Division of Student Success (in memoriam) Anna Ramirez Crawford, Office of Advancement Christopher Hilton, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Tania Hogan, School of Education & Human Development Boram Jeong, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Laurence Kaptain, DMA, College of Arts & Media Sarah Kovoor-Misra, PhD, Business School Karey Krohnfeldt, JD, Office of Equity Florie Montoya, Human Resources Charles Musiba, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Stephanie Puello, Graduate School James Speed, Office of the Provost Anthony Starke, PhD, School of Public Affairs

LEAD IN STUDENT SUCCESS

Jaimie Carrington, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Co-chair Barbara Seidl, PhD, School of Education & Human Development, Co-chair Anthony Fontana, Division of Student Success Erika Larson, Division of Student Success Gabriel Castaño, Enrollment Management Alana Jones, Division of Student Success and Office of International Affairs James Speed, Office of the Provost Kelly Hupfeld, JD, School of Public Affairs Loryann Varela, Division of Student Success Sonia Valencia, Division of Student Success David Tracer, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Crystal Gasel, EdD, Office of Information Technology Daniel Casillas, Student Government Association Margaret Wood, PhD, Division of Student Success Emily Moroney, Division of Student Success

EDUCATE FOR THE FUTURE

Rebecca Kantor, EdD, School of Education & Human Development (in memoriam) Michael “Bodhi” Rogers, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Richard Allen, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Jorge Chavez, PhD, School of Education & Human Development Catherine Ebert-Gray, Office of International Affairs Matthew Gines, College of Architecture and Planning Mark Golkowski, PhD, College of Engineering, Design and Computing Lindsey Hamilton, PhD, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Nicole Harper, School of Public Affairs Nimol Hen, Division of Student Success Marlinda Hines, School of Education & Human Development Cinthya Ippoliti, Auraria Library Lexie King, Center for Faculty Development & Advancement Sean McGowan, DMA, College of Arts & Media Sean Michael Morris, School of Education & Human Development Antoinette Sandoval, School of Public Affairs Inge Wefes, PhD, Graduate School

BETTER THE WORLD THROUGH RESEARCH AND CREATIVE WORK

Keith Neeves, PhD, College of Engineering, Design and Computing, Co-chair Marc Swackhamer, College of Architecture and Planning, Co-chair Bob Damrauer, PhD, Office for Research Services and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Amy Gannon, Administration and Finance Storm Gloor, College of Arts & Media Erin Golden, PhD, Division of Student Success Todd Haggerty, Administration and Finance Christopher Hilton, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Diane Ladell, CU Anschutz Elizabeth Lee, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Stephanie Puello, Graduate School Samantha Sands, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Stephanie Santorico, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Diana Schaack, PhD, School of Education & Human Development Kelly See, PhD, Business School Kent Seidel, PhD, School of Education & Human Development Annicia Streete, College of Architecture and Planning John Swallow, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Tarik Walker, MD, School of Medicine, CU Anschutz Chris Yakacki, PhD, College of Engineering, Design and Computing

PUT OUR PEOPLE AT THE CENTER

Joann Brennan, MFA, College of Arts & Media and Faculty Affairs, Co-chair Michelle Larson-Krieg, JD, Office of International Affairs, Co-chair Scott Bauer, PhD, School of Education & Human Development Laurie Barnes, Human Resources Sarah Buller, Administration and Finance David Daley, South Metro Fire Rescue, Alumnus Leo Darnell, College of Architecture and Planning Mary Dodge, PhD, Auraria Library Sharon Grant, Office of Information Technology Christy Heaton, PhD, Division of Student Success Justin Jaramillo, Division of Student Success Jesse Kuroiwa, MFA, College of Architecture and Planning Kristen Kushmider, PhD, Division of Student Success Jered Minter, Office of Institutional Planning Ariadna Ochoa Magallanes, Division of Student Success Elizabeth Pugliano, PhD, College of Arts & Media Tina Schlichte, Office of Advancement Karen Sobel, EdD, Center for Faculty Development and Advancement Yang Wang, PhD, College of Arts & Media

ART OF INNOVATION AND MISSION-DRIVEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Mark Rabideau, DMA, College of Arts & Media, Co-chair Madhavan Parthasarathy, PhD, Business School, Co-chair Shannon Hagerman, PhD, School of Education & Human Development Andy Liakos, Division of Student Success Robin Shandas, PhD, College of Engineering, Design and Computing Danielle Varda, PhD, School of Public Affairs Sarah Engel, Business School Michelle Carpenter, MFA, College of Arts & Media Brad Hinson, PhD, School of Education & Human Development Shira Moffatt, Office of Advancement Julee Herdt, College of Architecture and Planning David Lowry, Office of Information Technology Shelby Welbaum, Business School Charles Musiba, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

TRANSFORM THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS

Lisa VanRaemdonck, School of Public Affairs, Co-chair Chris Puckett, JD, Office of General Counsel, Co-chair Gregory Gibson, Facilities Management Zack Strober, University Events Keith Teeter, Auraria Library Marci Grant, Office of Advancement Jessi Zemetra, CityCenter Julie O’Brian, PhD, School of Education & Human Development Rebecca Martinez, Division of Student Success Cecilia Wu, PhD, College of Arts & Media Sarah Kelsey, Business School Kristin Kang Salsbury, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Clay Harmon, EdD, Office of International Affairs Laura Hager, Undergraduate Admissions Rachel Brown, College of Architecture and Planning Taylor Broderick, University Communications

LEVERAGE OUR PLACE

Tobin Bliss, Administration and Finance, Co-chair Nan Ellin, PhD, College of Architecture and Planning, Co-chair Kelly Mason, University Events Meg Touborg, Office of Advancement Will Swann, PhD, School of Public Affairs Esther Sullivan, PhD, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Ken Schroeppel, College of Architecture and Planning Cary Weatherford, Office of Institutional Planning Alice Crogan, College of Arts & Media Lori Pace, Changing Paces Eugene Howard, City and County of Denver Joey Carasquillo, Anderson Mason Dale Architects

SP Leadership Team

Kristin Wood, PhD, College of Engineering, Design and Computing Lauren Hebert, Inworks Innovation Initiative Dan Griner, Inworks Innovation Initiative Kathrine Goodman, Inworks Innovation Initiative. Monika Wittig, Inworks Innovation Initiative. Dan Jensen, PhD, College of Engineering, Design and Computing Arianne Collopy, PhD, College of Engineering, Design, and Computing Brandon Vargas, Comcast Media and Technology Center Alejandro De Jesus, Comcast Media and Technology Center Kelsie Faulds, Inworks Innovation Initiative

SP Researcher Assistants/Co-facilitators

Afu Xing Vue, College of Engineering, Design and Computing Andrew Walla, CU Denver Inworks Community Collaborator Bryan Jaimie Barbosa, CU Denver Student Assistant Chilli Kellaway, College of Arts & Media Gus Williams, College of Arts & Media Ishea Lee, College of Arts & Media JT Wright, College of Engineering, Design and Computing Kit Hardin, College of Arts & Media Ryan Breuer, College of Arts & Media Ryan Buxton, College of Engineering, Design and Computing Saeed Amirchaghmaghi, College of Architecture and Planning Sarah Buller, Office of Strategic Impact Stephanie Chesler, College of Arts & Media Tammy Dinh, College of Arts & Media Keeley Elliot, College of Engineering, Design and Computing

PROJECT TEAM

Anne Button, Office of the Chancellor Taylor Broderick, University Communications Mark Karger, Office of Information Technology Mitch Morecraft, Office of the Chancellor Laura Rodgers, University Communications Jennifer Sobanet, Administration and Strategy Marie Williams, University Communications

UCDENVER.EDU/2030