Update on Leadership Searches

Dec. 2, 2020

Dear Colleagues,

With an emphasis on transparency and input from our community, I am writing to share updates on four key leadership position search processes. My focus is not just on hiring strong individuals, but on building an exceptional leadership team, whose members complement each other’s strengths, embody our values, and can lead us through the implementation of the bold vision and strategy that we will create together over the next several months.

CU Denver Provost

As we wrote to you in November, it’s become clear that CU Denver needs focused academic leadership to meet its unique needs. We’re launching the search for a new CU Denver provost today. You can view the search committee composition and timeline on the CU Denver Provost Search webpage. There are two ways to provide your feedback on qualities of the ideal candidate: through a survey and through listening sessions with our search committee chairs and the search firm.

• Student Listening Session: December 10, 9-9:30 a.m. 
• General Campus Community Listening Session: December 16, 1:15-2 p.m. 

Senior Vice Chancellor for Strategic Enrollment and Student SuccessAlso today, we’re launching the search for a senior vice chancellor for strategic enrollment and student success. This is the role previously held by Linda Bowman and currently being filled on an interim basis by Alana Jones. We’ve changed the title of this role slightly to more accurately reflect its responsibilities. Read about the search committee and search timeline on the Senior Vice Chancellor Search webpage. As with the provost search, you may provide feedback on the position through an online survey or in a listening session hosted by the search chairs.

• Student Listening Session: December 10, 9-9:30 a.m. 
• General Campus Community Listening Session: December 15, 3:15-4 p.m.

Vice Chancellor for University Communications

The search committee for the vice chancellor for university communications position has identified five finalists, each of whom is virtually visiting campus this week for interviews with key constituents.

Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The vice chancellor for DEI search is continuing on schedule, with the search committee expecting to identify semi-finalists later this month. We expect finalists to virtually visit campus in January.

Please check the Leadership Search page on my website for regularly updated information on these searches. There you will find forms to nominate candidates and provide feedback throughout the search processes.

Thank you to so many of you who have agreed to serve on search committees and help us recruit a strong and diverse pool of candidates, and to many more who have shared feedback or nominated candidates. Your support is helping us assemble the team we need to help CU Denver navigate the complexity of these times and emerge better able to learn, innovate, perform, and thrive.

With appreciation,

Michelle Marks
Chancellor
@MarksMichelleA