Published: July 1, 2019
CU President Mark Kennedy, second from left, poses with CU and LASP leadership during a tour of CU Boulder’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) on July 1, 2019, Kennedy’s first official day on the job. From left, Chancellor Phil DiStefano; Kennedy, Debbie Kennedy, Mark’s wife; LASP director Dan Baker, Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation Terri Fiez and Provost Russell Moore. (Photo by Glenn Asakawa/University of Colorado)

CU President Mark Kennedy, second from left, poses with CU and LASP leadership during a tour of CU Boulder’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) on July 1, 2019, Kennedy’s first official day on the job. From left, Chancellor Phil DiStefano; Kennedy, Debbie Kennedy, Mark’s wife; LASP director Dan Baker, Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation Terri Fiez and Provost Russell Moore. (Photos by Glenn Asakawa/University of Colorado).

Mark Kennedy spent his first official day as president of the University of Colorado visiting the four campuses and meeting with a variety of students, faculty and staff. 

Kennedy started his day in Colorado Springs visiting the cybersecurity building and the Ent Center for the Arts, then headed to the Anschutz medical campuses to stop by the Biomanufacturing Cell Therapy facility and the Marcus Institute for Brain Health. Kennedy then traveled to the Boulder campus to visit the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP). He ended the day visiting engineering students  and a rural teacher education program at the Denver campus.

“I appreciated the opportunity to get a small sampling of things our great university has to offer on my first day and I look forward to more listening and learning in the weeks and months ahead,” Kennedy said. “I was impressed to see some of the ways CU is serving our state and in the case of LASP, how we are contributing in space. I particularly enjoyed seeing the hands-on opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students.”

Kennedy and members of the Board of Regents agreed to focus on four fundamental principles: fiscal longevity, affordability and access, student success, and growing the research portfolio.

“I am pleased to welcome President Mark Kennedy back to our campus,” Chancellor Phil DiStefano said. “We have had many conversations, and I look forward to working together to fulfill the goals the Board of Regents have asked us all to focus on.”

During his visit to the Boulder campus, Kennedy met with Provost Russell L. Moore and Daniel N. Baker, space physics professor and LASP director, and received an overview on research activities. He saw cleanroom capabilities for space instrument development, test and integration activities, control of space research missions, and cutting-edge research advancements. He also learned about the campus involvement in the Kepler and MMS missions and met with students training to become space mission operators.

Last month, Kennedy was on campus to meet with the chancellor, provost, Senior Vice Chancellor and CFO Kelly Fox, college deans and leaders from the offices of advancement, online education and diversity, equity and inclusion. He also met with the chair of the Boulder Faculty Assembly and toured the campus. 

“We were thankful for the opportunity to discuss with President Kennedy our shared commitment to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment and how we are working towards that goal on the Boulder campus,” said Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement Bob Boswell.