Aerial campus photos.
Aerial campus photos.

The April meeting of Metropolitan State University of Denver President’s Cabinet began Thursday with opening remarks from President Janine Davidson, Ph.D. Highlights included: 

  • MSU Denver is celebrating Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month. Of currently enrolled students, 4.9% of undergraduates and 3.9% of graduate students are Asian, while 6% of staff and 8% of faculty are Asian or of Asian descent. Additionally, more than 100 employees are engaged in the APIDA Faculty and Staff Alliance. 
  • MSU Denver just celebrated the 10-year anniversary of its University status and official name change. 
  • The sixth annual Day of Giving hit an all-time high with 1,144 donors giving $221,545 on March 31.  
  • The Roadrunners Rising fundraising campaign has already raised $16.1 million of the $75 million goal by the end of the 2026 fiscal year.  
  • Campus climate survey results were announced.  
  • University faculty and staff who were employed before July 1, 2021, and continuously employed through April 1 will earn a $500 retention stipend in their April 30 paycheck.  
  • The State budget process is moving along and MSU Denver is on track to receive a 14% increase of base funding, the largest increase among Colorado colleges and universities.  
    • Two IT projects were recommended for second-year funding for a total of $4.2 million. 
    • The University is also on track to secure $10 million to build expanded spaces for nursing and health disciplines. 
    • Additionally, $4 million in state contributions will go toward AHEC’s base budget to address revenue lost during pandemic. 
  • Spring Commencement is May 13 at Denver Coliseum. Visit the website for details. 

Office space strategy discussion 

With most MSU Denver offices and departments operating on a hybrid work model, different teams across the campus are testing shared and flexible office space concepts. This approach can help maximize space utilization and save costs, allowing the University to spend money and resources elsewhere and potentially free up space for more classrooms. Cabinet members discussed the benefits and challenges of shared workspaces, how changes will be communicated, the changing nature of work dynamics , and meeting existing space needs. 

Proposed Survey Policy 

The Data Integrity and Governance Team developed the proposed Survey Policy as part of a wider effort to organize and vet data. The impetus for the policy is to avoid survey fatigue and overlap and increase communication and organization via a survey committee that would transparently manage requests, timing and planning. This policy and committee would also help identify overlap in survey questions and foci to streamline and improve collaboration and information-gathering and would increase overall awareness of upcoming surveys. 

University deans have requested amendments to the policy language to make it less restrictive — specifically, that surveys distributed directly by the office of a dean not be subject to the policy — and voiced concerns about added bureaucracy. The policy authors will incorporate this and other feedback and will present again at the May Cabinet meeting. 

Introducing MSU Denver’s new men’s basketball coach 

To bring the men’s basketball program back to a high level of competition, Director of Athletics Todd Thurman announced the hiring of Denver native Dan Ficke as MSU Denver’s next men’s basketball coach. Ficke, a graduate of Regis Jesuit High School, said he’s “excited to be home.”  

“I grew up in the heyday of MSU Denver men’s basketball. I played high school games here. I am honored to write another chapter in this program’s history,” Ficke said, adding that he is also committed to ensuring student-athletes succeed in the classroom. Look for more on Ficke in an upcoming edition of the Early Bird. 

Infrastructure and built environment update 

Amy Kern, associate professor, Industrial Design, provided an update on reimagining spaces on campus to help students build community and feel connected to the University and each other. The Block student lounge concept — clusters of small, student-run pop-up shops and businesses — has the potential to increase enrollment and retention while supporting 2030 Strategic Plan pillars and overall student success. 

The idea would start with pitch competitions where winners would work with mentors to develop their idea. The physical blocks can be moveable counters, display cases or stands that can easily reconfigured.  

The concept also includes potential larger scale gathering space and collaborative classrooms that can expand or contract. 

Other updates 

  • The Office of Diversity and Inclusion is asking campus programs to highlight and share diversity, equity and inclusion work happening on campus. 
  • The Council of Chairs approved Section X changes to the Faculty Handbook and changes to the reduced faculty workload proposal.  
  • University Communications and Marketing has a statewide advertisement campaign out and has seen a 0% bounce rate on the related informational webpage. 
  • Visit the Roadrunner Nest to stay updated on campus news and events and check out RED’s recent redesign. 
  • The University’s first dean’s grants will be distributed soon to engage and support students with high potential to stop-out.  
  • Metrics for the 2030 Strategic Plan are also being finalized to be presented to the Board of Trustees in June.  
  • Eric Olson, Ph.D., chair of the Rita and Navin Dimond Department of Hotel Management, School of Hospitality, received a teaching and research Fulbright Award and Mick Jackowski, Ed.D., professor, College of Business, was invited to spend a semester in Finland to learn about work in artificial intelligence and biometrics to improve sales. Watch the Early Bird for details on these and other employee and student accomplishments. 
  • Student Government Association election nominations are live. The election begins at 5 p.m. Monday and will be live for two weeks. 
  • The Free Speech Statement was approved by the Faculty Senate and elections will take place at the next Faculty Senate meeting.  
  • Staff Senate said that elections will open soon. Watch the Early Bird for details. 
  • Fall enrollment is down 6% in state-funded undergraduate enrollment and down 9% in graduate enrollment compared to fall 2021. There are currently 6,297 students registered for fall with a goal of 17,000.   
  • The Hart Center for Public Service has merged into MSU Denver. 
  • The new Banner Self-Service Faculty upgrade is now in place. 
  • Classified evaluations are due April 30 and full-time professional staff evaluations are due in June.  
  • Launch and Lead professional development trainings begin May 12.