Office of the Chancellor > Speeches, Columns and Letters > Charting a Course for the Future

Charting a Course for the Future
CU Parents Association Winter 2006 Newsletter

Chancellor Peterson, center, with Jennifer Hudson and George "Barney" Ballinger from the Office of Parent Relations

Since my arrival on the University of Colorado at Boulder campus several months ago, I have tried to learn as much as possible about the people, places, and things that make this university so special. At Family Weekend, football games, and other events in Colorado and around the country, my wife, Val, and I have particularly enjoyed talking with many of you about your students and their experiences here at CU-Boulder.

Through these conversations, I have come to better understand what it is that you, as parents, expect from our university: You want us to provide a safe environment that is both challenging and rewarding. You also want us to provide our students with all the tools necessary to achieve success in their future endeavors. As parents of four “20-somethings,” Val and I can relate to the hopes and dreams you have for your students and your expectation that we provide them with an outstanding, enjoyable, and challenging college experience.

All of us at CU-Boulder—administrators, faculty, and staff—place tremendous value on the investment you are making in your students’ education and we are continually seeking ways to improve and enhance their experiences. To do this we are focusing on how to strengthen our position as the flagship university for the state of Colorado and one of the finest national comprehensive research universities in the world. To that end, we are engaging our community in strategic discussions in order to clarify our goals and long-term strategies.

We consider you, our CU parents, important partners in the educational and personal development of our students, and therefore welcome your input to this process. As parents, you are in a unique position to contribute to the learning experiences of our students in significant ways—through your participation on the Parents Association Board and other campus activities, and by your continued support of our scholarship programs and the Parent Fund, among others. I hope you will join with us as we plan for the future. To facilitate this, we will keep you posted on upcoming meetings, surveys, and other ways that you can offer your input on our future directions. In the meantime, feel free to contact Barney or Jennifer in the Office of Parent Relations at parents@colorado.edu with any thoughts that you might have.

Thank you for entrusting us with the education and well-being of your student.

We look forward to hearing from you.

G. P. “Bud” Peterson

Chancellor, University of Colorado at Boulder

Chancellor Peterson took the helm at CU-Boulder on July 15, 2006. You can read his messages to the campus community at www.colorado.edu/chancellor.