University of Colorado President Todd Saliman announced today that Jennifer Sobanet has been selected to serve as the permanent UCCS chancellor. Sobanet was named interim chancellor in July of this year.
Sobanet sent the below message to the UCCS campus following the announcement:
“I am honored to be invited to serve as UCCS’s 8th chancellor and am grateful for the trust that President Saliman has placed in me to continue to lead this campus. The call I recently received from President Saliman, for me, was unexpected. That said, as a steward of this great university, I am thrilled to continue to grow the momentum we have built together over the past six months.
During my time at UCCS, I have fallen in love with this campus. The culture of dedication to student success is remarkable. I felt it during my first visit to campus and I have felt it every day in everything we do. I am truly impressed by the collaboration and commitment of each of you — faculty, staff and students. Through connections across the region and through our community partnerships, the relationship between UCCS and the community is truly singular.
We have made remarkable strides in creating transparency with our budget and finances, enhancing shared governance and strategizing our enrollment efforts. I will continue to prioritize fostering a collaborative, supportive and open culture within our campus. This begins by establishing a high-trust environment built on respect, kindness, empathy, accountability and curiosity.
Our future is bright. We are working together to create effective plans for our budget and for enrollment growth, and we have strengthened our ties to our incredibly supportive Colorado Springs community. And our deep commitment to research reflects our faculty’s cutting-edge engagement at the forefront of their fields and the invaluable hands-on experience we give to students. The remarkable passion and dedication of our innovative faculty and staff has been the driving force of our success, and it will be what takes our institution to greater heights.
As we move forward together, let us remember and recommit to the reason we are here: our students. Coming to our campus to learn, to grow, to participate in research, sports, the arts and clubs, students are the heart of UCCS. Our mission is to provide transformative educational experiences that equip our students with the knowledge, skills and principles they need to not only thrive in the world, but to shape it.
Thank you for the warm welcome you have given me, it is truly a privilege to now fully join the Mountain Lion family. I am honored to work alongside you, faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors, partners, in our collective mission of transforming lives and contributing to our community, our nation and our world.”