November 2009

Dear Friends,

Philip P. DiStefano

"When I get an email from a student that I had in class 10 or 15 years ago that says, 'Your class changed my life' ... I get very emotional about that." —Tom Cech. Watch video >>

As a national comprehensive research university and the state's flagship we have many critical missions: research to advance society and improve the human condition, outreach to support communities across the state, and perhaps most important, teaching, learning and discovery.

As we approach the final weeks of the fall semester, and with finals on the horizon, I would like to take a moment to explore teaching, learning and discovery at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Not many freshmen can say they have a Nobel laureate teaching them chemistry. Tom Cech, the first of four Nobel laureates at CU-Boulder, has returned home to teach freshman chemistry this fall, after nine years overseeing 300 of the world's top scientists as president of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He's also leading our biotechnology research and education initiative.

Professor Scot Douglass greets engineering students at Andrews Hall where Douglass lives with his wife and two young daughters.

President-emeritus Hank Brown takes students to D.C.
Enhancing education and experiential learning are two key initiatives in our Flagship 2030 strategic plan. CU President-emeritus and seven-term Congressman and Senator Hank Brown is certainly embracing those goals as a political science professor on our campus. Professor Brown is taking 31 students to visit the floors of the U.S. House and Senate and to study the founding period of the United States through art depicted at the U.S. Capitol Building. Our donors make this trip possible.

Boulder Daily Camera, Nov. 6: "CU's Hank Brown taking students to Washington, D.C."

In recent communiqués I've mentioned that one of our professors moved in with his young family to Andrews Hall to teach engineering honors students in their residence hall as part of our Residential College program popularized in Ivy League schools and called for in Flagship 2030. Here is an update on CU-Boulder's residential colleges.

Boulder Daily Camera, Oct. 23: "CU's Andrews Hall gets green look, professor as a resident"

This photo by Christine Yang studying in Dunhuang, China, was one of 134 entered by CU-Boulder students in the 2009 International Education photo contest. To see their work and learn of their experiences abroad click here.

Teaching through international education, space and research
This week we are celebrating International Education Week at CU-Boulder (Nov. 16-20). International education lends richness to the learning environment on campus and is a priority in our Flagship 2030 plan as it allows students to interact with students from other cultures and share perspectives. One of our Flagship 2030 goals is to increase the number of students who participate in study abroad from 28 percent to half of all bachelor-degree recipients within the next five years.

One aspect of learning and discovery that many don't think about in a university environment is teaching K-12 students. Thousands of elementary and middle school students in Colorado and across the nation will monitor CU-Boulder's most recent experiment on the International Space Station.

Space Daily, Nov. 10, "CU-Boulder Butterfly Payload To Launch On Space Shuttle"

Chancellor Phil DiStefano, at the National Higher Education Media Dinner in New York City, with Gilbert Cruz of Time magazine and Goldie Blumenstyk of The Chronicle of Higher Education.

State and national media tours
I was delighted on Nov. 4 to be among the 11 higher education CEOs invited to the National Media Dinner in New York City. Hosted by Arizona State University President Michael Crow at the Harvard Club in Manhattan, the annual event is a roundtable discussion among leaders in American higher education and leading national media correspondents who cover higher ed for the New York Times, Newsweek, National Public Radio, The Chronicle of Higher Education, New York Review of Books, NBC News and other organizations.

The issues of research, teaching and scholarship were prominent in the three-hour discussion and I was honored to share the table with colleagues from other public universities such as the University of South Carolina, the University of Massachusetts and the Texas Tech University System, as well as a number of other private institutions.

I was joined on Oct. 22 by Colorado State University President Tony Frank as we toured northern and central Colorado touting the value of our research universities as economic drivers for our state during a series of media interviews. This year CU-Boulder faculty generated a record $340 million in sponsored research revenue that resulted in a significant boost to the economy, especially when considering the economic multiplier effect. In addition, these research contracts create a wide variety of research and learning opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students.

KUNC, Oct. 22: "CU and CSU officials tout research"

Amy Ho of Google addresses the Diversitiy and Inclusion Summit on Nov. 2.

Diversity Summit is another learning opportunity
Part of preparing our students for a life of career and contributions in the 21st century global society is learning about the perspectives and cultures of others. All students, faculty and staff had the opportunity, if they chose, to attend the CU-Boulder 15th annual Diversity and Inclusion Summit featuring keynote presenters from Google, a global company that embraces diversity in all forms and hires many CU-Boulder graduates.

Play slideshow >>

Learning in a diverse world is a key initiative in our Flagship 2030 plan, which includes fostering a supportive and inclusive climate for all. Please enjoy this short slideshow that captures feelings and philosophies about diversity on our campus from students, faculty and staff. Daniel Ramos, one of the tri-executives of our student union, says, "Everyone benefits from diversity ... because we all have so much to learn from each other."

University of Colorado at Boulder students participate in the 2009 Homecoming Parade on The Hill.

Big snow can't stop Homecoming activities
Homecoming Weekend fell on Halloween, prompting several dozen civic-minded students to don friendly costumes and go door-to-door collecting supplies for a variety of charities.

Boulder Daily Camera, Oct. 30: "CU students will trick-or-treat for a cause"

Of course the college experience shouldn't be all bookwork. It's also about making lifelong friends, camaraderie with fellow students and pride in your future alma mater. Despite a late October snowstorm, Homecoming was a big hit. It was a great pleasure for us at CU to reunite with alumni and brag about all of our good news!

A happy Thanksgiving to all, and remember, Go Buffs!

Philip P. DiStefano, Chancellor
University of Colorado at Boulder