Administration

CU Boulder launches design review of its budget allocation model

Elizabeth Lock — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 18:04:13 +0000

CU Boulder launches design review of its budget allocation model Elizabeth Lock Wed, 10/08/2025 - 12:04

CU Boulder has launched a year-long Budget Model Design Review, a cornerstone of the university’s Financial Stewardship Initiative.

The review will ensure the campus budget allocation model adopted in 2022 continues to reflect CU Boulder’s values of transparency, accountability and collaboration, while advancing the campus strategic priority of aligning resources to its mission.

Join the conversation

Complete the survey to share your perspectives on how the current model is working.
Register and join the town hall with Todd Haggerty and Mandy Cole.
- Nov. 19, 10–11 a.m.

The review officially kicked off Sept. 22 with representatives from colleges, schools, shared governance groups and administrative units that are serving on the project’s strategic alignment and design review committees.

Over the 2025–26 academic year, committee members will review specific components of the campus budget model, analyze impacts for effective alignment to the mission and develop recommendations for improvements.

CU Boulder faculty, staff and students can learn more about the review, the Financial Stewardship Initiative and the campus budget by registering for the virtual Campus Budget Town Hall, scheduled from 10 to 11 a.m. on Nov. 19. A CU Boulder email address is required for registration.

3 things to know about the review

A purposeful check-in: When CU Boulder designed its budget model, campus leaders committed to revisiting it every 3 to 5 years. This review delivers on that promise by assessing whether the model is working as intended.
Campus perspectives will inform the process: Faculty, staff and students are invited to share their experiences with the budget model through a campuswide survey (open through Nov. 7). Input will help the Strategic Alignment and Design Review committees understand how the model functions in practice.
Recommendations expected in May 2026: The committees’ work will conclude with recommendations in May 2026. Approved changes will begin rolling out in the 2028 fiscal year budget cycle, allowing time for thoughtful planning and implementation.

Why this matters

The budget supports every part of CU Boulder—teaching, research, student support and campus operations. A clear and predictable allocation model helps align resources with university goals, supports the holistic success of students, faculty and staff, and strengthens long-term stability.

“This review is an important opportunity to pause and ask how well our current model is working for CU Boulder now and for the years ahead,” said Todd Haggerty, Senior Vice Chancellor for Finance and Business. “The Budget Model Design Review is one way CU Boulder is advancing its commitment to the mission-driven stewardship of our resources and holistic success for all faculty, students and staff.”

CU Boulder has launched a year-long review of its budget allocation model design. The review will ensure the model continues to reflect the university's values, while advancing the priority of aligning resources to the campus's mission.

Traditional

White

Committee selected for dean search—get this and other updates on the process

Elizabeth Lock — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 16:22:54 +0000

Committee selected for dean search—get this and other updates on the process Elizabeth Lock Tue, 10/07/2025 - 10:22

Fernando Rosario-Ortiz, interim vice chancellor and executive vice provost for academic resource management, announced the selection of the search advisory committee for the next dean of the University Libraries.

University Libraries Search Advisory Committee

Sarah Jackson (committee chair), dean, Division of Social Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences
Arthur Aguilera, assistant professor, University Libraries
Melissa Cantrell, assistant professor, University Libraries
Shamika Dalton, associate professor, University Libraries
Claire Hoag, associate teaching professor, University Libraries
Rocco Labriola, head of business, earth sciences & map, Gemmill and Music Branch Services Section
Turner Land, undergraduate student, student employee
Merinda McLure, professor, University Libraries
Donna Mejia, associate professor, University Libraries
Vanessa Seals, assistant dean of Community and Organizational Development
Nancy Stevens, professor, director of the Museum of Natural History
Jamie Wittenberg, assistant dean of Research & Innovation Strategies, University Libraries

The committee—chaired by Sarah Jackson, dean of the Division of Social Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences—will begin its work in October, supported by the executive search firm WittKieffer.

Search process milestones

October: Engagement sessions will be conducted by WittKieffer with University Libraries constituents and the university’s deans.
Late October: The search committee will convene to prepare the position leadership profile and job description using input from the engagement sessions.
November: The position will be posted with a call for nominations.
Early spring: Finalists will be invited to campus.
Spring semester: Rosario-Ortiz plans to appoint a permanent dean.

Interim leadership

Following the departure of Robert McDonald to the University of Texas at Austin, Tamara Sumner was appointed interim dean in late June by former Provost Russell Moore. Sumner will continue in this role until a permanent dean is named.

Dean search website

Visit University Libraries dean search website for up-to-date information.

The committee for the University Libraries dean search has been selected. Find out more and plan to get involved in the process.

Traditional

White

Faculty assembly updated on compensation, administrator evaluation

Elizabeth Lock — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 19:07:32 +0000

Faculty assembly updated on compensation, administrator evaluation Elizabeth Lock Mon, 10/06/2025 - 13:07

The Boulder Faculty Assembly (BFA) heard an update from the chancellor’s task force on faculty compensation, finalized yearly priorities, were updated on a performance evaluation of a member of academic affairs leadership, and more during its monthly meeting on Oct. 2.

Update from Chancellor’s Faculty Salary Task Force

CU Boulder has long ranked low compared to Association of American Universities (AAU) public peers when it comes to faculty compensation. This discrepancy led the issue to be identified as one of the top priorities for the BFA after a 2024 membership survey.

"In my conversations with the chancellor, I suggested that we talk about this and figure out what to do, and he came up with the idea of, ‘Well, what do the faculty want us to do? What are the ideas from our faculty?’ and that is why this compensation task force (the Chancellor’s Faculty Salary Task Force) got started," said Shelly Miller, professor emerita of mechanical engineering, the former BFA chair, and the task force’s co-chair.

The task force, co-led by Miller and Senior Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives Ann Schmiesing, was charged with making recommendations regarding compensation enhancement options and strategies, with an initial focus on tenure-track/tenured faculty and teaching professors. They delivered a presentation to the BFA on the group’s work to date.

The task force began meeting in May 2025, and spent the summer gathering information about salaries as well as reviewing the university’s general compensation philosophy. Three specific subgroups were also formed to examine compensation levers, retention and promotion raise practices, and teaching loads.

The compensation levers subgroup looked at what sorts of levers the university already has and what enhancements are needed. One draft recommendation from this subgroup is to develop a faculty-specific compensation strategy, which will be a "comprehensive, transparent and equitable approach to faculty pay."

The retention and promotion raises subgroup found that there were differences across the colleges and schools with how faculty retention and promotion raises are handled. Their draft recommendations include the establishment of clearer guidelines; a systematic, five-year review to make sure the processes are effective, transparent and fair; and a more complete collection of data to inform policy.

The teaching load subgroup came about because, "We also needed to better understand the main function that we’re all here to do, which is to teach students, and how this is associated with compensation," said Miller. They were tasked with collecting information on standard teaching loads, course load adjustment policies and practices, and faculty workload distribution, emphasizing that they are not charged with recommending that teaching loads be raised or lowered.

The report is not yet finalized, pending some final data gathering and review of draft recommendations, and will be delivered to the chancellor in November.

Administrator performance review

Academic Affairs leaders undergo a review by the BFA on the basis of their five-year performance cycles. This year focused on the position of vice chancellor and senior vice provost for academic planning and assessment. Katherine Eggert has been in this role since 2018, spearheading projects like the Buffs Undergraduate Success (BUS) initiative and the university’s COVID-19 response, among others.

The evaluators used both a quantitative and qualitative approach to discuss Eggert’s performance, distributing a survey and interviewing those who work closest with her.

The report found that Eggert does a commendable job with the role with many satisfied by her work, but suggested that the position is overtaxed with responsibilities, being too broad for one person to manage. They recommended a restructuring of the role’s responsibilities.

Those who conducted the review noted that her work has been essential to campus, according to Tim Kuhn, a communications professor and part of the committee that conducted Eggert’s evaluation. He also said that the review noted her careful listening to constituents and her bringing a vision to the role.

In other BFA action

The Climate Science and Education Committee reiterated their request from the September meeting that individual units invite the Climate Action Plan committee to discuss what units can do to support the plan.
The BFA solidified their priorities for the upcoming academic year, which include faculty compensation, sustainability and academic freedom.
The BFA voted to forward a resolution to the BFA membership to urge the CU Boulder chancellor and the CU president and regents to help establish a Mutual Academic Defense Compact among all Colorado institutions of higher education to support any member institution under direct political or legal attack. The CU system, in a statement provided to the BFA, noted six current major areas of coordinated effort in responding to federal policy, including legal efforts organized by the Colorado Attorney General to "defend against federal lawsuits and funding cuts.” The statement noted that CU leadership “has spearheaded campus declarations included in multiple lawsuits filed by the AG, and many other state attorneys general and other higher education associations, to halt federal actions detrimental to our work."
The BFA voted to sign on to a letter drafted by CU Student Government, and co-endorsed by Staff Council, that calls for the placement of a planned statue of former CU Boulder football coach Bill McCartney in an area away from central campus—which Chancellor Schwartz has already directed, according to BFA Chair Alastair Norcross of philosophy —and for creating a scholarship for students, staff and faculty, awarding $1,990 to individuals who have made great strides to promote community belonging. The dollar amount is a nod to McCartney’s achievement of leading the CU Boulder football team to its only football national championship in 1990.
Finally, the BFA voted to create a working group that will work with Eggert and units across campus to make recommendations for the implementation of the common curriculum.

Learn more about the BFA and previous actions on the BFA website.

Discussed at the Boulder Faculty Assembly's Oct. 2 meeting were the chancellor's task force on faculty compensation, yearly priorities and an administrator's performance evaluation.

Traditional

White

Sustainability Council welcomes new members, refines priorities and plans campus listening session

Megan Maneval — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 20:23:13 +0000

Sustainability Council welcomes new members, refines priorities and plans campus listening session Megan Maneval Wed, 09/24/2025 - 14:23

The Campus Sustainability Council convened on Sept. 12 to discuss the following topics:

Council membership updates

Four new members joined: Kaila Red Bow (student), Martin Kelley (staff), Kathryn Wendell (staff) and Sara Tabatabaie (faculty). Associate Vice Chancellor for Sustainability Cara Carmichael is now an ex officio member.

Campus sustainability updates

Council Co-chair Chris Ewing and other members of the council provided updates on the following initiatives:

Leadership and governance: New vice chancellor for sustainability (Andrew Mayock); associate vice chancellor (Cara Carmichael); director for campus climate action, sustainability and resilience (Josh Radoff); and faculty executive director of the Buckley Center for Sustainability Education (Max Boykoff)
Climate and energy: Decarbonization plan design underway; efficiency upgrades in 18 buildings; new solar arrays (on site and off site); geothermal studies; ENVD retrofit pilot
Zero waste and materials: PepsiCo contract eliminating single-use bottles; campus waste study; reusable serviceware pilot; new surplus store
Food and dining: CU ranked No. 1 nationally for plant-based dining, expanding offerings
Mobility: Buff Bus fleet expansion with new electric buses; free BCycle memberships for students and employees
Education and innovation: $10M Buckley Center for Sustainability Education; Boulder Climate Ventures program supporting student climate startups
Engagement and collaboration: Boulder Faculty Assembly partnership to engage academic units into strategies for reducing Scope 3 emissions in alignment of the Climate Action Plan goals

Council structure and process feedback

The council continues as an advisory body to the chancellor, cabinet and senior sustainability leadership, integrating sustainability across academic, operational, research and community activities.
Members discussed the need for clearer communication on proposal review and tracking, more structured outreach and defined success metrics.
Opportunities for improvement include a formal proposal process, enhanced engagement and outreach and better integration with campus frameworks like STARS.

Join the Sustainable Buffs community

Share your sustainability ideas

Council priorities for 2025–26

Five focus areas identified in spring 2025: zero waste and plastics, transportation, food, composting and Scope 3 emissions.
The council will reassess these priorities to ensure alignment with campus needs, member expertise and actionable outcomes. Final priorities may be confirmed by December.
Measurable engagement is seen as a key success metric.

Fall 2025 listening session

Planned for November, this public forum will gather input from the campus community.
The session will focus on council priority themes, campuswide sustainability updates and open discussion.
Council members will be polled for the best date and time.

Next steps and upcoming meetings

Refine the council proposal template to emphasize problem definition, evidence, alignment and sponsorship.
Develop review deadlines and a tracking system for proposals including a regular annual cadence for submissions.
Identify key performance indicators for engagement and clarify student/outside entity involvement.
Upcoming meetings: Oct. 10, Nov. 14 (including the listening session) and Dec. 12.

The Sustainability Council welcomed new members, reviewed campuswide sustainability initiatives, refined its priorities for 2025–26 and announced a November listening session to engage the community in shaping future actions.

Traditional

White

Regents meeting: CU Boulder reaches record graduation, retention rates

Megan Maneval — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 23:00:57 +0000

Regents meeting: CU Boulder reaches record graduation, retention rates Megan Maneval Thu, 09/18/2025 - 17:00

For the second year in a row, the �� experienced record retention rates for first-, second- and third-year undergraduate students committed to completing their college degrees and graduating from CU Boulder, according to fall 2025 student census data released Sept. 18.

This and other topics were discussed today at the University of Colorado Board of Regents meeting at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus.

The retention rate for first-year students returning for their sophomore year is at a record 91.2% for fall 2025, up from the previous record of 90.2% set in 2024.
The second-year retention rate for students returning for their junior year is at a record 85.4%, up from the previous record of 83.9% set in 2024.
The third-year retention for students returning for their senior year is at 82.5%, up from the record of 80.1% set in 2024.

“One year of record retention across all years is remarkable,” said Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management Amy Hutton, “but two years in a row is exceptional. It shows that our support for students working toward graduation has been successful.”

In addition, the four-year graduation rate rose to 62.1%, a 2.9 percentage point increase over 2024, which was also a record for the campus. The six-year graduation rate edged up slightly to 74.3% this year compared to 74.1% in 2024.

At 7,397, this year’s first-year cohort is slightly smaller than the 7,432 enrolled in 2024 — an intentional choice, CU Boulder Chancellor Justin Schwartz said during a multicampus enrollment update to the regents.

“We want to provide the best support possible to our students as they advance toward their degrees and graduate from CU Boulder,” Schwartz said. “We are committed to providing students opportunities to succeed inside and outside the classroom, ensuring they can realize their ambitions and contribute to a more just and sustainable world.”

Total enrollment, which includes both undergraduate and graduate students, edged up 1% over last year and stands at 38,808 for the 2025–26 academic year.

Hutton attributed record retention and enrollment growth in key areas to the university’s efforts to build connections with communities across the state, partner with K-12 school districts, and implement measures to better support students through mentorships and community-building after they arrive on campus.

Although the university planned for a smaller incoming class, she added, enrollment grew among several demographic groups this year.

Find more information about CU Boulder’s 2025 Fall Census data trends by visiting the Data & Analytics website.

In other board news related to the CU Boulder campus:

The regents voted unanimously to rename the Williams Village East residence hall the Onizuka Hall to honor CU Boulder graduate and astronaut Ellison Shoji Onizuka, who perished in the 1986 explosion of the space shuttle Challenger. Learn more about Onizuka and his lasting legacy.
Regents approved a Master of Science degree in biological engineering and applied science from the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering in the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

The university postponed discussion about a plan to expand student housing on Colorado Avenue, and the campus will bring the project to a future regents meeting as CU Boulder works with the developer on a concept design.

More on enrollment—by demographic group:

Undergraduate enrollment for Black/African American students stands at 1,254 in fall 2025, a 13.8% increase over 1,102 in fall 2024.
Undergraduate enrollment among Hispanic/Latiné students also grew, rising 4.5% over 2024; total enrollment for this cohort stands at 5,198 compared to 4,976 in fall 2024.
Among Asian American students, undergraduate enrollment grew by 3.2%, with total enrollment in fall 2025 at 3,906 compared to 3,784 in fall 2024.
Undergraduate enrollment among American Indian/Indigenous students grew by 2.6%, rising from 571 in fall 2024 to 586 in fall 2025.
Undergraduate enrollment among white students edged up slightly totaling 24,891 in fall 2025 compared to 24,871 in fall 2024.
Undergraduate enrollment among Pacific Islander students stands at 215 in fall 2025 compared to 223 in fall 2024, decreasing 3.6%.
Undergraduate enrollment among first-year students who are also first-generation scholars grew by 11.2% in 2025 compared to 2024.
Total international student enrollment for fall 2025 is down 10%.
The number of undergraduate transfer students declined 5.5% compared to 2024, possibly due to FAFSA delays that impacted students in fall 2024, which may be impacting the transfer pipeline now, particularly among first-generation students.
First-year retention for the 2024 cohort among first-generation undergraduate students decreased by 0.7 percentage points compared to the 2023 cohort. This was the cohort most impacted by the FAFSA delays.
New enrollment among master’s professional students—focused on applied skills and career preparation—is down 15.7% compared to 2024, predominantly due to a decline in international students; however, new enrollment for traditional master’s students—focused on specialization in a field through research—is up 2% compared to 2024.
Enrollment among incoming doctoral students is down 27.2% compared to 2024 and across all residencies. Doctoral programs can vary in cohort size, and programs that enrolled large classes last year intentionally enrolled smaller classes this year, Hutton said.

Fall census data was released and a residence hall was named after a CU alumnus and Challenger astronaut at the Sept. 18 CU Board of Regents meeting. Get these and other updates.

Traditional

White

Paying student employees the right way

Megan Maneval — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 13:39:03 +0000

Paying student employees the right way Megan Maneval Mon, 09/15/2025 - 07:39

CU Boulder has two policies to help departments ensure they’re paying students correctly:

How to Pay Students Policy: Ensures students at CU Boulder are paid using the proper payment method and reported accurately
Other Financial Assistance (OFA) Policy: Ensures all forms of financial aid, including federal state and institutional aid, are considered when determining a student’s eligibility for federal financial assistance at CU Boulder

Many common types of payment to students are forms of OFA and must be reported to the Office of Financial Aid. Reporting student payments correctly keeps them in compliance with rules and regulations.

Enrollment requirements and summer payments

Students must be enrolled or considered active students at CU Boulder in the term for which the payment is intended to receive any federal financial aid or funding considered OFA.

Should a department wish to provide funding considered OFA to an active student during a period of non-enrollment, such as a summer term, such funding must be counted toward the student’s Cost of Attendance (COA) for the following period of enrollment, such as the fall term. It is not permissible to retroactively apply funding intended for a period of non-enrollment (summer) to a student’s previously enrolled term (spring) to circumvent this policy.

Refer to the Paying Students & Other Financial Assistance Policy for additional support, resources and guidance.

Be sure you're following the rules when paying your student employees this fall. Check out CU Boulder's updated Paying Students & Other Financial Assistance Policy.

Traditional

White

Chancellor accepts outreach task force recommendation for 'hub and spoke' model of outreach

Megan Maneval — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 12:56:16 +0000

Chancellor accepts outreach task force recommendation for 'hub and spoke' model of outreach Megan Maneval Wed, 09/10/2025 - 06:56

CU Boulder Chancellor Justin Schwartz has accepted the recommendations of the Chancellor’s Task Force on Outreach (CTFO) to create a “hub and spoke” model of coordinated outreach to maximize the impact of the campus’s outreach and community engagement work with communities around the state.

Schwartz commissioned the CTFO in April. It convened during the spring and summer and delivered its report to the chancellor in mid-August.

“I want to thank the committee for the hard work of both assessing our current state of outreach and making some bold and imaginative suggestions for aligning outreach structures, inventories, principles and communications,” Schwartz said. “Its work will enable CU Boulder to better support our vast, impactful outreach efforts across the campus, amplify our engagement across the state and region, and build and sustain meaningful new partnerships.”

The report recommends CU Boulder move from a highly decentralized outreach and engagement approach to a “hub and spoke” model that coordinates dispersed campus efforts around unified goals, principles and relationships.

To begin a transition to the new model, Schwartz has tasked CTFO co-chairs Senior Vice Chancellor Ann Schmiesing and Vice Chancellor Jon Leslie with facilitating the following next steps:

Rename the Office of Government and Community Engagement (OGCE) as Outreach and Community Engagement.
Move Public and Community-Engaged Scholarship (PACES) into this renamed entity.
Engage with PACES and OGCE staff about this reorganization, which will involve no cuts to staff or budget.
Work with infrastructure and resilience planners to explore Main Campus options for co-locating PACES with other Outreach and Community Engagement staff.

Schwartz said, under the new model, units involved in outreach and community engagement will benefit from the hub and spoke model through:

Greater faculty, staff and student clarity about outreach-related opportunities, activities and roles; how offices and position titles are framed; and where to receive logistical and funding support.
The development of an annual plan that Outreach and Community Engagement and Enrollment Management leaders will align on with CU system colleagues.
The further development of a more comprehensive inventory of CU Boulder outreach and community engagement activities.
The formation of an advisory council to facilitate coordination in the new hub and spoke model.

To make governance as inclusive as possible, Schwartz recommended a “streamlined advisory council with more expansive standing and ad hoc subgroups” be developed.

In the coming weeks, Leslie and Schmiesing will present the CTFO’s recommendations to shared governance partners, deans, vice provosts/vice chancellors, chairs and directors, and relevant units.

“The input of these key leaders and partners is vital as we implement and fine-tune these recommendations and assess their efficacy in the near and long term,” Schwartz said.

Leslie and Schmiesing will also work with Human Resources and other offices on timelines for implementing and communicating CTFO recommendations, Schwartz said.

A new model will maximize the impact of CU Boulder’s outreach and community engagement activities. Presentations on the new model will begin soon.

Traditional

White

Faculty assembly updated on campus sustainability initiatives

Megan Maneval — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 15:16:53 +0000

Faculty assembly updated on campus sustainability initiatives Megan Maneval Mon, 09/08/2025 - 09:16

Earlier this semester, Chancellor Justin Schwartz announced sustainability as a campus priority.

This announcement builds on other actions that have been taken on campus recently, including the hiring of Andrew Mayock as the vice chancellor for sustainability. Mayock spoke with the Boulder Faculty Assembly (BFA) during their first meeting of the year about what CU Boulder is doing to meet that priority, including the first official announcement of the new director of the newly formed Buckley Center for Sustainable Education.

Max Boykoff, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) fellow and former chair of the environmental studies department, will serve as the inaugural faculty executive director of the Buckley Center.

The Buckley Center was launched in August 2025 and aims to provide resources to students, faculty and staff to deepen their knowledge and strengthen their ability to integrate sustainability into the curriculum. They’ll do this by offering curriculum ambassadors for each unit, as well as fellowships for faculty and scholarships for students.

“There is a lot of good and great high-impact work that’s happening here (at CU Boulder), and our commitment is to continue it and keep it healthy,” Mayock told the BFA, adding that this moment is a moment “where we can grow. I think very much about (the Buckley Center) as an ‘and’ opportunity, and we look forward to defining that with you as we go on.”

Boykoff agreed, adding, “I see this as a really valuable opportunity, and I want to make the most of it.”

During the meeting, Mayock also introduced his associate vice chancellor for sustainability, Cara Carmichael, and she announced the hiring of Josh Radoff, the Master of the Environment (MENV) program’s Renewable and Sustainable Energy Specialization lead, as the director of campus climate action, sustainability and resilience within the Office of Infrastructure and Resilience.

Chris Ewing, the vice chancellor for infrastructure and resilience, also gave the assembly an update about the Climate Action Plan, including that CU Boulder is beginning to address the plan’s third scope, which is the targeting of carbon emissions resulting indirectly from CU Boulder operations—either from upstream activities, such as purchases of goods and services, or downstream activities, such as students and faculty commuting to and from campus. To that end, he’s interested in visiting units across campus to discuss what each unit can do to help CU Boulder meet its sustainability goals.

“Across the four pillars of education, operations, community engagement and research, we’re looking to really help lift sustainability, inform that unified campus vision, to make CU a national and global leader in sustainability,” Carmichael said. “We’re super excited to listen and learn and absorb all that you have to offer us.”

In other BFA action

Voting was opened for revisions to the Faculty Affairs Committee’s charge, as well as for the interim chair of the newly reformed Budget and Planning Committee.
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee provided commentary about a proposed statue of former CU football coach Bill McCartney.
BFA Parliamentarian Bobby Benim (applied mathematics) encouraged nominations for new BFA committee members, to open next week.
BFA Chair Alastair Norcross (philosophy) led a discussion of whether to repeat 2024’s survey of BFA members to determine BFA’s 2025–26 priorities.

Learn more about the BFA and previous actions on the BFA website.

The newly formed Buckley Center, the Climate Action Plan and more were discussed during the first Boulder Faculty Assembly meeting of the year.

Traditional

White

Advancing holistic student success, next phase of Buff Undergraduate Success

Megan Maneval — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 14:35:46 +0000

Advancing holistic student success, next phase of Buff Undergraduate Success Megan Maneval Mon, 09/08/2025 - 08:35

Chancellor Justin Schwartz and Provost Ann Stevens have launched the next phase to advancing a holistic approach to student success for increasing undergraduate retention and graduation rates and enhancing the overall student experience. This next phase, which builds on the foundational achievements of the Buff Undergraduate Success (BUS) initiative, also seeks to close gaps and promote equitable outcomes for all students.

Celebrating the Buff Undergraduate Success (BUS) initiative

Launched in fall 2021, BUS has driven transformative change across campus and achieved a major milestone of record high retention rates, with 90.2% of 2023’s first-year student cohort returning for 2024 and 95.7% of 2024’s first-year students continuing into the spring 2025 semester. This accomplishment reflects the coordinated efforts of BUS-led projects and the dedication of faculty, staff and leadership across the colleges, schools and campus to fostering a culture of care, belonging and academic excellence.

Additional key accomplishments include:

A centralized dashboard to alert advisors and coaches about first-year students who may need extra support, now in use in Arts & Sciences, Engineering & Applied Science, and the Program in Exploratory Studies
Streamlined policies and processes for grade replacement, intrauniversity transfer, transfer credit evaluation and late course withdrawals
Expanded access to tutoring and affinity spaces
A working group to improve math instruction
Coordinated re-enrollment campaigns across campus
The launch of the program, The Buff Way: Demonstrating our culture of care

“I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to the entire BUS Leadership Implementation Team—including founding leaders Katherine Eggert, Joe Thomas, Jon Leslie and Marin Stanek and past and present leaders Daryl Maeda, Jess Doty, Amy Hutton and Erika Randall—for their outstanding dedication and innovation. BUS-LIT’s guidance across a wide range of projects and initiatives has been instrumental, with a strong emphasis on data-informed decision-making and cross-campus collaboration,” said Schwartz.

New leadership and structure for student success next phase

Undergraduate student success is shaped by three interconnected functions: undergraduate education, student life and enrollment management. Strategic collaboration across these areas is essential to supporting students throughout their academic journey.

“As a direct effort tied to the campus priority of advancing a holistic approach to student success, I fully support Provost Stevens’ appointment of Erika Randall, interim dean and vice provost of undergraduate education; D’Andra Mull, vice chancellor for student life; and Amy Hutton, vice chancellor for enrollment management, to lead this next phase,” said Schwartz. “Together, they bring direct touchpoints to all critical areas of student success, along with a unified vision and strategic leadership to advance student success goals across the university.”

Implementation framework for advancing student success goals

Programming for next phase will focus on the following interrelated areas:

Beneficial high-impact practices by expanding access to positive, supportive and transformative learning experiences
Residential academic programs and living learning communities: Streamlining access to RAPs and LLCs
Retention and graduation pathways: Removing barriers to second- and third-year retention and degree completion
Upper-year programming: Creating opportunities for career, graduate study and post-degree pathways for participating in a diverse democracy
Data-informed strategy: Using data to guide decisions and measure impact
Collaborative linkages: Connecting college-level efforts with central initiatives in partnership with deans
Resource identification: Supporting innovation through pilot funding and securing long-term resources for proven strategies

“We’re excited to carry forward the important work of BUS to new levels of success and continue fostering successful cross-campus collaboration,” said Stevens. “Our goal is to build a culture where every student—at every level of their experience—feels supported, challenged and empowered to thrive.”

Provost Ann Stevens has appointed a leadership trio in undergraduate education, student life and enrollment management to lead student success in a fully combined and aligned effort.

Traditional

White

Max Boykoff, Josh Radoff to lead key campus sustainability initiatives

Megan Maneval — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 17:53:42 +0000

Max Boykoff, Josh Radoff to lead key campus sustainability initiatives Megan Maneval Thu, 09/04/2025 - 11:53

In alignment with CU Boulder’s strategic sustainability priorities, the university has appointed two faculty members to lead transformative campus efforts in education and infrastructure.

Max Boykoff, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) fellow and former chair of the Environmental Studies (ENVS) department, has been named the inaugural faculty executive director of the newly launched Buckley Center for Sustainability Education.

Josh Radoff, Masters of the Environment (MENV) Renewable and Sustainable Energy Specialization lead, will serve as director of campus climate action, sustainability and resilience within the Office of Infrastructure and Resilience.

“These appointments reflect our commitment to integrating faculty expertise into the heart of our sustainability strategy,” said Andrew Mayock, vice chancellor for sustainability. “Max and Josh bring deep knowledge and collaborative spirit to efforts that will elevate CU Boulder as a global leader in sustainability education and climate action.”

Boykoff, Buckley Center to elevate sustainability communication

Max Boykoff

Boykoff, a CIRES fellow and faculty member in ENVS since 2009, brings deep expertise in sustainability, interdisciplinary collaboration and student engagement. For this position, he will report to Andrew Mayock.

“Max is a visionary leader who understands how to connect sustainability education inside and outside the classroom,” Mayock said. “This is an exciting moment for CU Boulder. With new leadership across campus and a clear set of priorities, we have unprecedented opportunities to serve our students and elevate CU Boulder as a global hub for sustainability education.”

The Buckley Center was made possible by a transformational gift from donor Spike Buckley, whose vision emphasizes agility, innovation and student-centered programming. Funds will enable the center to launch initiatives that build student capacity, confidence and competence in sustainability. In addition to hiring staff for the new initiative, the Buckley Center will start to develop student-centered programming, including fellowships and experiential learning.

Boykoff’s leadership will focus on engaging students through fellow and scholar programs, experiential learning and cross-campus collaboration. The center will also work closely with faculty to co-produce sustainability curricula and integrate sustainability themes into diverse disciplines.

“I’m honored to help launch the Buckley Center and excited to work with students and faculty to build something transformative,” Boykoff said. “We have a real opportunity to connect sustainability education with student success, graduation rates and global impact. This is about empowering students to lead in their communities and careers.”

The Buckley Center will align closely with CU Boulder’s sustainability goals, which include the Climate Action Plan (CAP), emphasizing connectivity, communication and coordination. Programming will be flexible to support a wide range of student ambitions, from guided projects to independent initiatives.

Radoff to help bring Climate Action Plan to life

Josh Radoff

Radoff will lead the implementation and evolution of the CAP, with a particular focus on Scope 3 emissions (or emissions caused by CU Boulder’s actions but coming from sources it doesn’t directly own or control), as well as zero-waste initiatives and the elimination of single-use plastics. For this position, he will report to Chris Ewing, vice chancellor for infrastructure and resilience.

Radoff will lead efforts to reduce carbon emissions and improve sustainability across campus operations—covering energy systems, building design, waste management, transportation and educational integration. This includes coordinating infrastructure upgrades, supporting sustainable construction and using campus sustainability data for student learning and engagement.

Radoff will continue his faculty role as renewable and sustainable energy specialization lead within the MENV program, and he was recently appointed as a commissioner on Colorado’s Solid and Hazardous Waste Commission.

“CU Boulder is at an inflection point,” Radoff said. “We’re turning the CAP into reality through projects people can see and feel. These efforts are imminent, challenging and essential—not just for us, but for other institutions like ours.”

Radoff emphasized the importance of celebrating the “unsung heroes” who are driving sustainability efforts across campus—from building an electric vehicle infrastructure to advancing zero-waste logistics. He sees himself as part of a new team, working alongside Boykoff (with whom he shares a professional history) to shape CU Boulder’s sustainability action and education.

Max Boykoff will be the inaugural faculty executive director of the Buckley Center for Sustainability Education, and Josh Radoff will work with the Office of Infrastructure and Resilience to lead the implementation of the campus Climate Action Plan.

Traditional

White

Administration

CU Boulder launches design review of its budget allocation model

3 things to know about the review

Why this matters

Related Articles

Committee selected for dean search—get this and other updates on the process

Search process milestones

Interim leadership

Dean search website

Related Articles

Faculty assembly updated on compensation, administrator evaluation

Update from Chancellor’s Faculty Salary Task Force

Administrator performance review

In other BFA action

Related Articles

Sustainability Council welcomes new members, refines priorities and plans campus listening session

Council membership updates

Campus sustainability updates

Council structure and process feedback

Council priorities for 2025–26

Fall 2025 listening session

Next steps and upcoming meetings

Related Articles

Regents meeting: CU Boulder reaches record graduation, retention rates

In other board news related to the CU Boulder campus:

More on enrollment—by demographic group:

Related Articles

Paying student employees the right way

Enrollment requirements and summer payments

Related Articles

Chancellor accepts outreach task force recommendation for 'hub and spoke' model of outreach

Related Articles

Faculty assembly updated on campus sustainability initiatives

In other BFA action

Related Articles

Advancing holistic student success, next phase of Buff Undergraduate Success

Celebrating the Buff Undergraduate Success (BUS) initiative

New leadership and structure for student success next phase

Implementation framework for advancing student success goals

Related Articles

Max Boykoff, Josh Radoff to lead key campus sustainability initiatives

Boykoff, Buckley Center to elevate sustainability communication

Radoff to help bring Climate Action Plan to life

Related Articles