In an update to campus, Chancellor Sobanet shared information on the new C3 Innovation initiative, ongoing searches for campus leadership positions, research, a Hotel and Conference Center Project and other campus happenings.
Wellbeing | C3 Innovation | Leadership | Holiday Schedule | ADA Compliance | Farm and Sustainability | Retention | Searches | Math Olympiad | Research | Clyde’s Cupboard | Social Justice Summit | Hotel Project | State of UCCS | December Commencement
Wellbeing
Chancellor Sobanet shared resources for faculty and staff to cultivate mental health and wellbeing
- Faculty and staff may use sick leave for your mental health.
- Wellness opportunities are available, such as the Greater Resilience Information Toolkit (GRIT), a free online self-guided resilience training developed by the Lyda Hill Institute, and the UCCS First Priority Peer Support Program. There are also many opportunities to take creative breaks sponsored by the Lyda Hill Institute, the UCCS Farm, and the Wellness Center.
“I encourage you to pursue your wellness every day with a wellness break by taking a moment for yourself while at work,” said Sobanet. “For example, step away from your desk to take a walk and take advantage of Colorado’s sun-filled fall weather or to call a loved one.”
C3 Innovation
Chancellor Sobanet announced the launch of C3 Innovation at UCCS. C3 stands for Curiosity, Creativity and Community.
- C3 Innovation is a way to connect our ingenuity across our colleges and divisions and with our students and external community to amplify the exceptional talent here and the impact of UCCS.
- It will be both a physical and virtual collision space where our external community and campus community can meet to discuss ideas, challenges we are facing, and creative solutions.
- The physical space will be on the third floor of the Kraemer Family Library. We have already engaged partners like Deloitte and Apple, added a Culture Futurist and aligned our Cybersecurity Program Office under C3.
More information will be shared as C3 continues to develop.
New Leadership Team
“As we continue to move toward the UCCS of the Future, I am creating a leadership group to provide me with input on the strategic work of the university,” said Sobanet.
- This team will include the leader of each Division and College, our Shared Governance leaders, the Chair of UBAC, a graduate student representative, and a few of our Associate and Assistant Vice Chancellors. This team will meet regularly starting in the spring.
Holiday Schedule
- Announced in a recent email, Fall Break is Nov. 25 – 29. A full week off is provided to faculty and students, and additional paid time off for our staff on Wednesday, Nov. 27.
- Campus will be closed Nov. 27, 28 and 29.
- Winter Break – Campus will be closed from Dec. 23 through Jan. 1. The campus will re-open on Jan. 2.
ADA Compliance
- Construction has been taking place in front of Cragmor Hall to improve the accessibility. The existing ramp and stairs in front of Cragmor have been replaced. The patio surface was moved to provide a smooth area for groups to gather. And a raised handicap accessible sidewalk has been added across the street. Road striping and light bollard installation is still underway.
“I want to thank the Faculty Assembly Committee on Disability and the Office of Disability Services for their work on increasing the accessibility of learning on our campus,” said Sobanet. “I also want to thank Facilities for their ongoing work on elevators across campus.”
UCCS Farm and Sustainability Work
- The UCCS Farm serves as a platform for student and community engagement, offering hands-on learning in sustainable agriculture.
- Sustainability programs are being coordinated to align with UCCS’s broader strategic goals, including collaboration across campus to develop sustainability education and oversee programing that contributes to reducing waste and carbon emission.
- Polly Knutson’s role was recently expanded. She is now the Director of Sustainability Programing and UCCS Farm with a focus on mentoring students and leading campus engagement around sustainability.
Retention
The retention of our students is the job of everyone on campus,” said Sobanet. “The smallest interaction with a student can be the difference of whether or not they choose to stay and complete their goals.”
- The Division of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs to develop more ways to support our students.
- With support from President Saliman, UCCS has partnered with the National Institute for Student Success (NISS), a nonprofit organization associated with Georgia State University, to identify institutional practices that are obstacles to student success.
- Using campus stakeholder feedback and institutional data, NISS will provide a set of actionable recommendations to reach our institutional goals. An initial set of recommendations is expected in late December.
Campus Leadership Searches
- The 19-member search committee for a new Provost received 131 applications. Through two rounds of interviews, they have narrowed the search to three finalists. Campus interviews and visits are planned for November 11th, 12th, and 15th.
- The 15-member search committee for the Vice Chancellor for Inclusive Strategy and Chief of Staff had more than 200 applicants, and they have identified candidates for first-round interviews.
- Both searches are being conducted without the assistance of an external executive search firm, leveraging internal resources and ensuring a more cost-effective process.
I want to thank each search committee for their tremendous effort in these searches,” said Sobanet.
40th Anniversary Soifer Mathematical Olympiad
- High school and middle school students from across Colorado and from as far away as Nebraska were challenged with completing five mathematical problems in four hours.
“I congratulate Dr. Soifer for stewarding this remarkable program for 40 years,” said Sobanet.
- In the 40 years of the Soifer (formerly Colorado) Mathematical Olympiad, over 20,000 students have participated. They have written approximately 100,000 essays and were awarded roughly $640,000 in prizes.
Research
As the only R2 institution in southern Colorado, research is a cornerstone of our academic mission,” said Sobanet. “And research is thriving on our campus.”
- Mountain Lion Research Day is coming up on Dec. 6. Students must submit abstracts before the Dec. 1 deadline.
- UCCS had a record high year in sponsored projects funding for FY24 with $18.0 million. This was a 19 percent increase over last year.
- The Office of Sponsored Projects and Research Integrity recently welcomed a new executive director, Jacqueline Rearick, and is actively searching for a senior sponsored projects professional to provide faculty and staff with robust pre-award support.
- The Office of Research provides substantial support to faculty and staff, including help finding funding opportunities, writing grants, internal seed grants and supporting students through our undergraduate and graduate research academies and Mountain Lion Research Day
Clyde’s Cupboard Fundraising
“We all have the opportunity to make a difference,” said Sobanet. “Together, we can unite to fight hunger on campus and ensure that every student gets the nourishment they need to succeed.”
- UCCS launched the annual campaign for the “CU Food Fight.” This is a friendly competition with CU Denver to see who can raise the most money for our food pantry. The campaign will culminate on what we have typically celebrated as “Giving Tuesday,” this year on Dec. 3, with an open house celebration at Clyde’s Cupboard at the Student Life lounge.
- The faculty/staff food drive hosted by the Dean of Students office is also taking place.
Social Justice Summit
- UCCS recently hosted the CU System Social Justice Summit at the Ent Center for the Arts, bringing together students, faculty, community leaders and activists for a day of dialogue, reflection and action.
- The theme of this year’s summit, “Inclusive Leadership & Belonging,” was reflected in a diverse range of panels, workshops and keynote speeches. Over 600 attendees delved into topics such as mental health in marginalized communities, LGBTQ+ rights, equity in research and transformative justice, with the goal of fostering deeper understanding and collaborative approaches to social justice work.
Hotel and Conference Center Project
- UCCS is in the early phases of a project to develop a hotel and conference center on campus.
- A recent market study and an analysis by faculty and graduate students in the College of Business point to favorable current and future market conditions for building this facility on the western part of campus. This project will be completely funded by a community partner.
UCCS has been discussing the goals of the hotel and conference center with campus stakeholders, including faculty assembly, over the past few weeks, which include:
- Deliver modern, convenient and affordable meeting and conference options to University and community customers.
- Provide an on-campus lodging alternative for students’ families and guests.
- Create a consistent source of long-term, ground lease revenue for UCCS.
- Create a learning laboratory environment for a new (proposed) Hospitality, Tourism, and Resort Management program in our College of Business.
The project remains in the due-diligence phase and a Request for Information from potential Developer/Owner partners will be released soon. The project depends on a revenue-positive financial projection. If demand or financial projections do not indicate that this project is revenue positive to the University, the project will be abandoned or delayed.
State of UCCS – A Community Update
On Nov. 14, UCCS hosted a new event designed to further foster UCCS’ remarkable connection to the community called “State of UCCS — A Community Update.” Campus updates were shared with a community audience.
Business partners, donors and elected officials attended the event.
December Commencement
December Commencement will take place on Friday, December 20, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. at The Broadmoor World Arena
For many years, faculty have asked for the opportunity to again sit on the stage during the ceremony, and this year, after consulting with the faculty assembly, we have increased the size of the platform and created twenty-four seats on the stage for faculty.
For those faculty who are interested in sitting on the stage during commencement, stage seats are available on a first-come-first-serve basis by registering here. The seats on the floor, just in front of the stage, are still available for faculty.
Thank you
“The spirit of UCCS is palpable,” said Sobanet. “Every day, we work together to build the UCCS of the future and move the university in the direction of our shared mission — and transform the lives of all those around us, for the better. It could not happen without you and your dedication, your talent and your resilience.”