Published: Jan. 31, 2018

Vice Provost and Associate Vice Chancellor for Faculty Affairs Jeff Cox
Vice Provost and AVCÌýfor Faculty Affairs and Convener of the Academic Futures Campus ConversationÌýJeff Cox

Research & Innovation Office Grand Challenge Director of Strategic Projects Emily Cobabe-Ammann
RIO Director of Strategic Projects and Facilitator of the Academic Futures Campus Conversation Emily CoBabe-Ammann

It’s been said frequently during the Academic Futures process: What we’re doing is real and will shape CU Â鶹¹ÙÍø’s future in concrete ways. There is no better glimpse of the potential of this reality than looking at the collected input of last semester’s community meetings, now available for the community’s review on the Academic Futures website.Ìý

Look, for example, at the summaries of campus themes,Ìýand you will quickly discern that people are thinking in dynamic ways about a range of important, seminal issues;Ìýinterdisciplinary research, education and teaching;Ìýthe philosophical grounding of the university in a time of epic change in higher education; the many different people and offices that need to commit with passion to achieve student success; the role of the arts and humanities in a technological age and at a major research university like ours; and many more.

The conversations of last semester map back to both the experiences of students, faculty, staff and administrators and to their deepest aspirations.Ìý

Now, the Academic Futures Committee will take this marvelous collective expression of CU Â鶹¹ÙÍø’s mind (and of its hopes and dreams) and, after analyzing and perhaps adding to it, bring back its reflections to the campus with the goal of arriving at some agreed upon key themes and transformative priorities for the campus. (For a useful discussion of the next steps in this process, see Tuesday’s CU Â鶹¹ÙÍø TodayÌýcolumn by Provost Moore and Senior Vice Chancellor Fox.)

But as the committee pursues its work, we invite you first to dive into the summaries of what you told usÌýand to take a look, as well, at the white papers, where you went into great depth on your ideas.

It’s a great way to get inspired, not only about the futures of learning and discovery at CU Â鶹¹ÙÍø, but about the individuals and communities who will shape that future.

Jeff Cox,
Vice Provost and Associate Vice Chancellor for Faculty Affairs
Convener of the Academic Futures Campus Conversation

Emily CoBabe-Ammann,
Director of Strategic Projects for the Research & Innovation Office
Facilitator of the Academic Futures Campus Conversation