Senior Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation and Dean of the Institutes Massimo Ruzzene reasserted during the February Boulder Faculty Assembly (BFA) meeting on Feb. 6 that the university’s commitment to its values has not changed.

“In the face of this uncertainty, I think it’s important to reaffirm that our values, our priorities and commitment to care for one another have not changed,” said Ruzzene. “We all remain committed to, number one, upholding academic freedom for all members of our community. We’re committed to promoting and supporting scholarship as the pursuit, application and assimilation of knowledge; to supporting our campus efforts to attract and retain top talent within our students, staff, faculty; to fostering everyone’s success; and to ensuring the safety, security and well-being of our faculty, researchers, students and staff.”

Shelly Miller of mechanical engineering, the BFA chair, echoed Ruzzene’s sentiment.

“In these moments of stress and uncertainty, we should lean in. We should come together as a community. We should support each other. We should keep working and stay true to our mission,” said Miller. “You are a professor, teaching amazing students. Continue to teach them.”

While Ruzzene could not give specifics due to the fluid nature of the situation, he did encourage everyone to keep an eye on the federal transition webpage, which houses the most up-to-date information. He also recommended that faculty monitor these other campus websites as they are updated regularly:

• 91����Ƶ system, 
• Research & Innovation Resources, Research and Federal Funding webpage
• For detailed guidance for the research community, consult “What to do”
• For questions about specific funded projects, Office of Contracts and Grants

Ruzzene answered questions from faculty ranging from protecting student rights in the classroom to how existing grants and new grant applications should be dealt with in light of disruptions. He said that faculty, staff and students can visit Buff Info to ask further questions, emphasizing that the questions are read and responded to. Using the Buff Info resource is important because it allows the university to track the kinds and number of questions coming in so that subject matter experts can distinguish between what is a one-off concern and what are bigger questions that require a university-wide response. 

If anyone has privacy concerns about submitting their question to Buff Info, Miller said, they’re encouraged to reach out to her or the BFA and they can submit the questions for them.

“This is a marathon, not a sprint...We must remain committed to our values. We need to support each other, and we need to remain confident that our excellent work and care for one another, for our students, will make a difference,” said Ruzzene, adding:

“There’s no doubt that this is a challenging time for our community, but you must not despair. We should not be despondent. This is a time where we can come together and really activate our collective strengths. And because we anticipate that this uncertainty will continue for some time, it is important that you know that the importance (of the work we do) has not changed.”

In other BFA action

At its February meeting, the assembly also discussed:

Retirements and restructuring

Miller announced at the beginning of the meeting that she will retire from 91����Ƶ Boulder in June. 

“I really enjoyed my time in many roles in the BFA,” Miller said.

In addition, long-time program coordinator Lynne Howard and BFA secretary Vicki Grove of Germanic and Slavic studies are retiring from 91����Ƶ Boulder. 

Miller pointed out these transitions have opened up the opportunity to reimagine certain roles, including a proposed faculty seat called the faculty shared governance advisor. This three-year position will call on a faculty member with broad campus experience to advise the BFA officers and consult with college and school faculty governance bodies on campus faculty shared governance issues. 

Additionally, the recently approved changes to BFA officer roles means the secretary role expands to include some elements of the previous vice chair. The new title, BFA parliamentarian and chair of bylaws and elections, better reflects those duties. 

Any feedback or questions should be sent to bfa@colorado.edu prior to the March BFA meeting, where they will be voted on. Faculty with interest in running for upcoming BFA officer seats should reach out to Miller. Officer elections will be held in April and May.

Additional business

• Everyone is encouraged to vote on the new microcredential policy, which was introduced during the December meeting.
• The BFA/Center for Teaching and Learning working group on generative AI has created syllabus guidance, and a motion was introduced recommending faculty include generative AI guidance on their syllabus statements based on this guidance. Faculty are encouraged to view the guidance and , which meets on Fridays. Additionally, CTL is hosting  related to generative AI, including the upcoming two-day conference on equitable teaching practices and generative AI topics featuring Flower Darby.
• BFA is currently accepting nominations for three BFA at-large representative positions, two of which are outside of the College of Arts and Sciences, one within. Nominations are open through Feb. 24, with voting open March 3–14.
• Miller encouraged everyone to attend the upcoming lecture, “”

The next meeting is scheduled for March 6. Learn more about the BFA and previous actions on the BFA website.

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The University of Colorado Board of Regents received an overview of tuition and fee proposals during its meeting Feb. 6–7, one of several steps leading toward the approval and creation of campus budgets this spring.

91����Ƶ Boulder budget proposals

Chad Marturano, chief financial officer for the 91����Ƶ system, presented budget proposals for all four campuses. For 91����Ƶ Boulder, the following key elements were discussed.

Student athletic fees

• An increase of the student athletic fee to $90 per semester. The current rate of $28.50, set in 1994, is the lowest in the state and among Big 12 peers who charge fees.
• Funding from the student fee increase would provide support for women’s sports scholarships, as well as for non-revenue-generating sports. 
• Beginning in fall 2025, the increase would apply to all undergraduate students except for continuing Colorado residents, for whom the Colorado Resident Tuition Guarantee applies. Graduate students would remain exempt from the student athletic fee, as they have since 2018.  

Tuition and fee rate changes

• A proposed 2.3 to 4% increase in tuition for all incoming undergraduate students (both resident and non-resident of Colorado) and for all graduate students. Because of 91����Ƶ Boulder’s tuition guarantee, the increase would not apply to continuing undergraduate students.
• Other campus fees are still being determined and will be presented in April. 

Housing and dining fees

• A proposed 4% increase in residence hall fees, 4% increase in Bear Creek apartment fees and 3% increase in graduate and family housing fees. 

Compensation 

• A 4% compensation pool for university staff, faculty and graduate students on appointment, which may include merit increases, compression, retention and equal pay increases.
• And a 2.5% across-the-board pay increase for classified staff in line with the state of Colorado.

Because the campus experienced higher-than-expected student enrollment and retention this academic year, the 2024–25 revenue is 3% higher than budgeted, Marturano said.

Next year, the campus is projecting a 1.3% enrollment increase, roughly 486 students, largely through retention. 91����Ƶ Boulder is proposing increased institutional aid to help maintain access and affordability for Colorado residents. 

The board is expected to vote on the budget proposals during its April meeting. The 2025–26 fiscal year begins on July 1, 2025.

Record retention

Chancellor Justin Schwartz shared an update on the spring 2025 student census, including record retention rates among first-year students.

University Memorial Center improvements

The board approved plans to upgrade the University Memorial Center building to enhance comfort, safety and efficiency. The work will focus on the dining area, bookstore, social and student club space, printing services space, conference/meeting spaces and loading dock. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $8.3 million and will offset $2.9 million in deferred maintenance. The work is scheduled to begin in January 2026 and be completed by June 2026.

Acquisition and gift plans

The board approved plans to further investigate the acquisitions of the Spruce Gulch Wildlife and Research Reserve in Boulder County and the Westmoor parcel in Westminster. No agreements are final.  

Other business

The board also approved a new master of arts degree in artificial intelligence from the Department of Computer Science at 91����Ƶ Boulder and a new two-year contract for football Defensive Coordinator Robert Livingston. The contract runs through the 2026 season. Changes to additional regent policies and procedures will be summarized in the . 

On the second day, the board participated in a panel discussion regarding AI and ethics, with a question and answer session moderated by Michael Lightner, vice president of academic affairs for 91����Ƶ. Sandra Ristovska, associate professor, Media Studies, College of Media, Communication and Information shared insights on the role of images in the legal system and the specific challenges that generative AI and deep fakes pose.

In closing, the board confirmed the continuation of the current board chair Callie Rennison and the current vice chair Ken Montera.

The next regular board meeting will be held on April 10 at 91����Ƶ Denver.

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A record percentage of first-year students who started classes at 91����Ƶ Boulder in fall 2024 chose to extend their academic studies into the 2025 spring semester, according to new retention data from the spring 2025 student census.

Of the cohort of 7,359 students who began their first year at 91����Ƶ Boulder in fall 2024, 97% continued into spring 2025, an increase over the 96.4% retention rate recorded last spring for first-year students who started in fall 2023. 

“Ensuring students continue past their first semester at 91����Ƶ Boulder is a critical first step toward getting them all the way to graduation,” said 91����Ƶ Boulder Chancellor Justin Schwartz. “This past fall, our campus doubled down on multidisciplinary efforts—both academic and administrative—to close gaps that were impeding students from continuing their studies. I am grateful to the many staff and faculty members who contributed to our concerted efforts to help all of our students thrive.”

During a 91����Ƶ Board of Regents meeting on Thursday, Schwartz shared the milestone and other highlights from the spring 2025 census with the regents.

Included among the highlights from the spring 2025 census data is record fall-to-spring retention among first-year Black/African American students at 96.9%—nearly the same rate as the first-year student cohort overall. 91����Ƶ Boulder enrolled its largest class of first-year Black/African American students in university history in fall 2024. 

Amy Hutton, vice chancellor for enrollment management, said campus efforts since fall have included ongoing student success initiatives and tactics such as helping students set up financial plans to support their education goals. Employees from various campus units also touched base with students who had not yet registered for the spring semester or were uncertain about their decision to pursue a college degree in the first place.

“Staff reached out to students who were not registered for classes and said, ‘What do you need? How can we help?” Hutton said. “There were a number of outreach points that probably played into some of the gains we are seeing.”

While the campus experienced gains across several student groups, Hutton acknowledged the data also signal opportunities to provide greater support to first-generation students and other student groups.

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This January, eligible faculty and university staff are receiving a 4% pay increase. At the 91����Ƶ Board of Regents meeting in April 2024,  the regents approved the 4% compensation pool for 91����Ƶ Boulder employees.

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The Sustainability Leadership Team hosted Chancellor Justin Schwartz at its monthly meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 18. 

During the meeting, Schwartz outlined the following key tasks for the team to address as part of their efforts to shape the university’s sustainability strategy over the coming years.

• The chancellor expressed strong support for the Sustainability Council’s zero-waste proposal. This initiative aims to eliminate single-use plastics, promote the adoption of reusable containers across the campus, expand plastic film recycling and increase front-of-house composting opportunities. He emphasized the importance of galvanizing the entire campus community to align with these goals, citing the proposal as a cornerstone of the university’s sustainability efforts.
• In the lead-up to the onboarding of the campus’s first vice chancellor for sustainability later this semester, the chancellor also asked the team to support the development of a comprehensive vision for sustainability on campus.
• To support this effort, he requested the creation of a detailed landscape map that identifies and categorizes the various sustainability organizations, programs and initiatives currently operating at the university. This map will help streamline efforts, organize priorities and foster greater collaboration among stakeholders.

Miscellaneous agenda items

The team also discussed the ongoing search process for a new vice chancellor for sustainability. Interviews for the role have begun, and the team expressed optimism about identifying a visionary candidate who can drive the university’s sustainability agenda forward.

Interim Senior Vice Chancellor for Operations Jennifer McDuffie has been appointed to chair the Sustainability Leadership Team in the interim between Chief Operating Officer Patrick O’Rourke’s departure and the hiring of the new vice chancellor for sustainability.

Next steps

The meeting concluded with a commitment to advancing the outlined priorities. The team will:

• Support the onboarding of the new vice chancellor for sustainability.
• Compile and organize information for the landscape map of sustainability-related operations.
• Support the campus community in the transition toward zero waste through education and infrastructure improvements.

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In response to university concerns surrounding the changing federal administration, Provost Russell Moore announced the formation of a federal transition response team during his update to the final Boulder Faculty Assembly (BFA) meeting of the year.

The federal transition response team is a group of university leaders that will triage to experts around campus any concerns about anticipated changes in federal policy with the new administration. Patterned on a similar team last used during the COVID-19 pandemic, the team will help the university swiftly address anticipated or planned governmental actions that could negatively affect the university and its mission.

The university administration will continue to monitor the evolving situation on both the state and the federal levels, Moore said, including, for example, recent legislation passed in Utah and Florida that dissolved entire departments and programs.

“You have our commitment that we’ll do our level best to make sure not only that people maintain their jobs, but that we can continue to conduct very meaningful and impactful scholarship,” Moore said.

During the meeting, Moore reinforced his commitment to compensation increases for not just faculty but also staff and graduate students, so that 91����Ƶ Boulder is on par with peer institutions. He said major strides have been made the last few years in a way that many peers haven’t been able to make, but he’s hoping for more.

Raising salaries “remains a high priority. It’s been my highest priority,” Moore said.

Finally, Moore addressed recent personnel changes, including the appointment of Erika Randall, professor of theater and dance, as the interim dean and vice provost of undergraduate education; the return of Vice Chancellor for Academic Resource Management Ann Schmiesing from the University of Colorado Denver, where she is serving as the interim chancellor; and the recent announcement of a sole finalist for the School of Education dean position. He also addressed the recently announced changes in Strategic Resources and Support, including the move of Enrollment Management, led by Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Enrollment Officer Amy Hutton, to Academic Affairs.

“I’d like to encourage all of us to stick together, to continue to work together in collaboration, and really focus on our mission, which is student success and knowledge discovery and dissemination,” Moore said. “We conduct our business (on campus) mostly with compassion and concern, and I think that’s particularly important as we’re going through not only leadership changes but possible changes at the federal and regulatory levels.”

In other BFA action

Creating an academic policy on micro-credentials

Micro-credentials are often used to recognize innovative teaching, learning, research or creative work that doesn’t fit neatly within a degree or certificate program. Despite being a fixture on campus since 2020 with 50 micro-credentials approved to date, there hasn’t been a policy for them established yet, but that’s about to change.

Academic Affairs is now soliciting feedback on the final draft of a new micro-credentials policy. The policy will provide curricular guidance and direction for how micro-credentials differ from other credentials such as certificates and will formalize the process for approval and periodic review of micro-credentials.

The BFA Academic Affairs committee has been working with Academic Affairs on the policy drafts since last spring. The committee submitted a BFA resolution that recommends endorsing the policy, and the resolution and draft policy will now be open for BFA review and comment until February, when representatives will vote on the resolution.

“We know there’s so much learning happening around the university that’s not traditionally captured on a transcript,” said Kristi Wold-McCormick, associate vice provost and university registrar. “There’s a lot of opportunity to not replace what we’re doing but to enhance and complement what we’re doing for our students and the university.”

From the BFA Grievance Advisory Committee

The BFA Grievance Advisory Committee is soliciting feedback about what is—and isn’t—working in the Professional Rights and Responsibilities of Faculty Members (PRR), 91����Ƶ Boulder’s policy and procedural document that outlines the privileges and responsibilities, as well as the standards of professional conduct, for both faculty and academic leaders. Feedback may be sent to bfa@colorado.edu.

In closing

• BFA heard updates about revisions to officer titles and roles, including the proposed structural changes brought forth during last month’s meeting.
• BFA Chair Shelly Miller provided brief updates on the , the reimagining of the BFA Budget and Planning Committee, climate change efforts on campus, and the 2025 BFA Excellence Awards, which are now open for nominations.

The next meeting will be Feb. 6, 2025.

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

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The Campus Sustainability Leadership Team convened Wednesday, Nov. 20, to discuss the following topics:

Leadership updates

  Join the Sustainable Buffs community

  Share your sustainability ideas

Discussion: Chief Operating Officer Patrick O’Rourke shared that the search committee is working through the hiring process for the new vice chancellor for sustainability. The hiring committee will begin meeting candidates in December with the intention of hiring in early 2025.

O’Rourke will be leaving 91����Ƶ Boulder at the end of the year. Chancellor Schwartz will announce who will step into O’Rourke’s role leading the Sustainability Leadership Team in 2025.

Sustainability funding

Discussion: Associate Vice Chancellor for Public Policy Kirsten Schuchman and Senior Advisor for Sustainability and Climate Heidi Vangenderen gave an overview of the status of sustainability funding:

• A subgroup of the Sustainability Leadership Team has been reviewing funding ideas at the state, federal and donor levels while also exploring how other higher education institutions are paying for sustainability-related projects.
• A Masters of the Environment student and student-employee in the Office of Government and Community Engagement has identified state and federal funding opportunities that have come out of Senate Bill 230 with the recommendation that 91����Ƶ Boulder advocates for research funding and acts quickly on any programs or grants that may be at risk of discontinuation.
• 91����Ƶ Boulder is preparing for its first fundraising campaign which will feature sustainability as a major campus initiative.

Zero-waste proposal

Discussion: Josh Radoff, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Specialization Lead within the Masters of the Environment program, brought forth a zero-waste proposal from the campus Sustainability Council. 

The council proposes eliminating all single-use plastic from locations where 91����Ƶ Boulder serves food and beverages, expanding plastic film recycling and reinstating front-of-house composting through building-managed composting. 

The proposal, based on a 2013 waste audit, would include a site-by-site evaluation including cost and timeline of upgrading and renovating each facility to accommodate the goal of eliminating single-use plastics. 

The council would investigate the potential to eliminate or reduce single-use plastic cups and lids from cafes and encourage “bring-your-own-cup” outreach across campus. Radoff notes that we should be in the process of continual investigation to identify other ways to become a zero-waste campus.

Next steps: The Sustainability Council will vote to approve the proposal on Dec. 5, after which there will be a discussion with the Sustainability Executive Leadership Team to organize support and operationalize the strategies.

This is part of a series that covers the 91����Ƶ Boulder Sustainability Leadership Team (formerly known as the Sustainability Executive Council) meeting discussions and decisions. The Sustainability Leadership Team brings together decision-makers and leaders from across campus to drive action and accountability to achieve carbon neutrality, goals outlined in the Chancellor’s Call to Climate Action and the implementation of the campus Climate Action Plan. 

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91����Ƶ Boulder has two improved policies to help on and off-campus employers ensure they’re paying students correctly.

How to Pay Students Policy

The How to Pay Students Policy ensures students at 91����Ƶ Boulder are paid using the proper payment method and reported accurately.

Other Financial Assistance Policy

The Other Financial Assistance (OFA) Policy ensures that all forms of financial aid, including federal state and institutional aid, are considered when determining a student’s eligibility for federal financial assistance at 91����Ƶ 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.

Refer to this Office of Financial Aid webpage for additional support, resources and guidance.

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Chancellor Justin Schwartz today announced a shift in the structure of 91����Ƶ Boulder’s Strategic Resources and Support (SRS) division. This reorganization comes following Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer Patrick O’Rourke’s announcement that he will leave his role at 91����Ƶ Boulder at the end of December and reflects a next step in the chancellor’s vision for the university’s executive leadership team.

“Evolving the reporting structure of these business units will allow the university to more effectively and efficiently execute its mission, vision and goals,” Schwartz said. “I am excited for this new organizational structure and I’ll be evaluating its effectiveness through the end of the academic year to determine what further changes may be needed.”

Additional changes in the leadership’s organizational structure may occur as the new vice chancellor for strategic initiatives, vice chancellor for sustainability and new provost arrive on campus in the first half of 2025.

Schwartz announced the following changes:

• Strategic Relations and Communications (SRC), led by Jon Leslie, and Finance and Business Strategy (FBS), led by Todd Haggerty, will report to Schwartz
• The Infrastructure and Resilience (I&R) unit, led by Chris Ewing, will report to Haggerty as part of the FBS team.
• Enrollment Management (EM), led by Amy Hutton, will begin reporting to the Office of the Provost.
• Human Resources, the Office of Information Technology, the Division of Public Safety, Health and Wellness Services and the Office of Compliance, Ethics and Policy will report to Jennifer McDuffie, who will serve as interim senior vice chancellor for operations. McDuffie will report to Schwartz and become a member of the chancellor’s cabinet and executive committee.
• The SRC, FBS, I&R and EM executives will continue to participate in SRS leadership meetings to ensure the coordination of efforts continues after the transition. Associate Vice Chancellor for Institutional Equity and Compliance and Title IX Coordinator Llen Pomeroy, who reports to Valerie Simons at the 91����Ƶ system office, will also continue to participate as a member of the SRS leadership team.

In connection with these shifts, Haggerty has been promoted to senior vice chancellor of finance and business strategy in recognition of his additional responsibilities. Hutton and Marlon Lynch, associate vice chancellor for public safety, will both be promoted to vice chancellor.

Additionally, Massimo Ruzzene has been promoted to senior vice chancellor for research and innovation and dean of the institutes in recognition of the depth and scope of the RIO portfolio.

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91����Ƶ Boulder Chancellor Justin Schwartz has selected the Provost Search Advisory Committee and has engaged executive search firm to assist in the search process. WittKieffer will conduct listening sessions for students, faculty and staff in December via Zoom to learn more about the university and the qualities and characteristics the campus community would like to see in the next provost. 

  Listening sessions

Student listening session
Dec. 3, 5:30–6:15 p.m.,

Faculty listening session
Dec. 6, 8:30–9:15 a.m.,

Staff listening session
Dec. 16, noon–12:45 p.m.,

“I’m grateful to the search advisory committee members for their willingness to serve,” Schwartz said. “Their input, along with the feedback provided by faculty, staff and students in these listening sessions, will help inform the position profile for our next provost.”

The provost works in collaboration with the faculty, university officers, unit heads, faculty governance representatives, administrators and staff to articulate and achieve the university’s strategic mission and goals, with the focus on providing students the highest quality inclusive educational experience and fostering the university’s research and creative work mission to produce knowledge and innovation. 

Nominations will be solicited in January and finalists will visit campus in the spring semester. The chancellor plans to have a new provost in position by July 1, 2025.

Visit the Provost Search Advisory Committee page for more information. Send questions and feedback to chancellor@colorado.edu.

Provost Search Advisory Committee co-chairs

• Michele Moses, vice provost and associate vice chancellor for faculty affairs
• Sonia DeLuca Fernández, senior vice chancellor for diversity, equity and inclusion

Provost Search Advisory Committee members

• Crystal Cyr, director of assessment, research, and data analytics, Division of Student Affairs; Staff Council tri-chair
• Zaya Daniel, Master of Arts student, School of Education’s MA in Higher Education Program
• Sona Dimidjian, director, Renée Crown Wellness Institute; professor, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience
• Marissa Ehringer, professor and chair, Department of Integrative Physiology; faculty fellow, Institute for Behavioral Genetics
• Amy Hutton, associate vice chancellor, Enrollment Management
• Stefanie Johnson, director, Center for Leadership; associate professor, Leeds School of Business
• Merinda McLure, professor, University Libraries; faculty director of academic leadership development, Office of Faculty Affairs.
• Samira Mehta, associate professor, Department of Women and Gender Studies; director, Program in Jewish Studies
• Keith Molenaar, dean, College of Engineering and Applied Science; professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
• Roy Parker, director, BioFrontiers Institute; Cech-Leinwand Endowed Chair of Biochemistry; Distinguished Professor, Department of Biochemistry
• Llen Pomeroy, associate vice chancellor, Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance; Title IX Coordinator
• Reiland Rabaka, founder and director, Center for African and African American Studies; professor, Department of Ethnic Studies
• Karen Ramirez, interim director, Miramontes Arts and Sciences Program; assistant director for humanities and arts education, Miramontes Arts and Sciences Program
• Tyler Rowan, student affairs student body president and tri-executive, 91����Ƶ Boulder Student Government (91����ƵSG); undergraduate student, international affairs major with minor in Japanese
• Sarah Safadi, lead dining manager, Campus Dining Services; Staff Council parliamentarian; frontline staff special committee co-chair, area 7 representative
• Stacey Schulte, director and teaching professor, Program in Environmental Design
• Benny Shendo Jr., associate vice chancellor, Native American Affairs; alumnus, 91����Ƶ Boulder Leeds School of Business

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