President Davidson and Cabinet members
President Davidson and Cabinet members

Metropolitan State University of Denver President Janine Davidson, Ph.D., kicked off the October meeting of the President’s Cabinet with highlights from the recent Board of Trustees retreat, which focused on the formation of the Office of Academic Transformation and Innovation. This new office and effort, led by Academic Affairs, will position MSU Denver to move smartly and quickly.  

Trustees also explored how MSU Denver can become the school of choice for Black students in Colorado, while also being a national model for Hispanic-Serving Institutions/Minority-Serving Institutions and serving all Coloradans. The retreat concluded with a deep dive into the Auraria Higher Education Center, where trustees learned more about the history of the campus and its governance structure and reviewed budget structure before discussing the strengths and opportunities of the model.  

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“As we move forward, we must remain nimble and work collaboratively to clarify individual versus shared projects and align our strategic visions,” Davidson said.  

Applauding excellence 

In addition to recognizing October Roadrunner Shoutout Award winners, Davidson applauded Michael Benitez, Ph.D., vice president for Diversity and Inclusion, for his recent Alumni Achievement Award from the Iowa State University College of Human Sciences. Also, Rosemarie Allen, Ed.D., associate professor of Early Childhood Education, was lauded as the winner of the T. Berry Brazelton Friend of Children Award for contributions to the field of early-childhood education. 

Finally, Davidson and Todd Thurman, director of Athletics, encouraged all Roadrunners to check out the No. 1-ranked MSU Denver women’s volleyball team, led by coach Jenny Glenn. In addition to being outstanding athletes, the team averages a 3.5 GPA. 

Defending DACA  

Davidson shared that MSU Denver is closely monitoring developments around Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which provides work authorization and deportation protections to more than 600,000 Dreamers. A District Court and a Circuit Court of Appeals have ruled that DACA is unlawful, paving the way for the eventual end of the program. 

“Our collective plan is to remain out front in support of our students, employees and community,” Davidson said. “We have approximately 400 DACA students and hundreds of alumni (who are DACA recipients), who now have careers and families. And we have employees who depend on the work authorization that DACA provides.” 

Learn more about MSU Denver’s efforts around DACA. (CTA) 

Homecoming highlights 

Brandi Rideout, senior director of Alumni Engagement, provided an overview of Roadrunners Take Flight, the series of Homecoming Week events that included an open house, a tailgate on the Jordan Student Success Building lawn, a 5K event, alumni awards, fireworks and more. While the event was successful and engaged a total of 2,576 current Roadrunners and alumni across all events, Rideout noted that her team will develop a more coordinated marketing-and-communication campaign for future events along with increasing signage and incorporating more campus partners. For 2023, Alumni Engagement will solicit more sponsorships, seek to engage more faculty members, explore the inclusion of a theatre performance and work with student government to establish a parade or court. 

Animals on University Property Policy discussion

In his presentation on the policy, Larry Sampler noted that animals are generally not allowed in Community College of Denver or University of Colorado Denver buildings. This policy would allow on campus animals used for educational purposes, service animals, emotional-support animals, and law-enforcement and rescue animals. The policy also outlines requirements of animals and their handlers with regard to license, vaccination, health, hygiene, behavior, access, documentation and more. The policy also allows the University to review requests for reasonable accommodations and to approve or decline. 

Sampler noted that the policy received about 60 comments and that commenters were almost evenly divided in their support for and opposition to the policy. Those against the policy cited fear of animals, allergies and poor animal management. Questions were raised about how to navigate enforcement across the tri-institutional campus and in the classroom. 

Sampler also spoke to the privacy rights of individuals who require a service animal and what questions can be asked about the animal’s service (task) and registration. 

The Cabinet approved the policy, which advances to Davidson for approval. 

Updates  

  • Don’t miss the Solution Studio series in which students engage with gubernatorial candidates Gov. Jared Polis and Heidi Ganahl and U.S. Senate candidates Joe O’Dea and incumbent Michael Bennet. The events will be broadcast on Univision, PBS 12 and Colorado Public Radio and via the Colorado Sun as part of the recently launched Institute for Public Service. 
  • Colorado ballots are in the mail, and Election Day is Nov. 8. Don’t forget to vote! 
  • The Health Center at Auraria is offering free flu and bivalent Covid-19 booster shots to protect Roadrunners against more recent variants. Walk-ins and appointments are welcome. 
  • University Advancement has raised $27.8 million toward the Capital Campaign. 
  • The Student Advocacy Council passed resolutions urging MSU Denver to develop affordable housing for traditional and nontraditional students, to address food insecurity and to close for recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day. 
  • The Office of Academic Affairs is hiring for associate vice president for Faculty Affairs and director of the Office of Sponsored Research and Partnerships. 
  • New-student enrollment is up by 612 students from the same time last year, and the University has admitted 420 more students. 
  • Be sure to support fall sports, including the soccer, golf and cross-country teams, which are performing well this season. 
  • Nominations for the LEAD professional-development program will open Tuesday. 
  • Nominations are now open for the 2023 Roadrunners Who Soar Awards.

 

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