Update on Digital Learning at CU Denver
March 16, 2022
Dear Faculty and Staff,
I wanted to provide some important updates about CU Denver’s digital future. As we have been discussing in recent months, we have an exciting opportunity to re-envision the way we develop and deliver digital and hybrid education that capitalizes on our 2030 strategic plan and positions CU Denver to be a “University for Life” for learners of all backgrounds, careers, and ages. The strategic plan’s purpose of making education work for all is grounded in the idea that every learner should receive a high-quality, relevant education that fits the reality of their lives. This education serves as a means to promote social mobility, address equity gaps, meet shifting demands of our workforce, and face head-on the extraordinary global disruptions presented in the last several years.
Understanding that we need to re-examine our digital strategy within the context of our 2030 plan and the evolving global educational environment, we have embarked on two critical and interrelated endeavors. First, a Digital Strategy Task Force, chaired by Dr. Katie Linder, Associate Vice Chancellor for Digital Strategy and Learning, was formed last fall to create CU Denver’s digital vision, and that 20-person group is working on a report, due this spring, that contains their findings and recommendations. This work will ultimately ladder into the broader Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) plan that is being developed as part of Goal 2 of our strategic plan.
Second, we are actively discussing with the CU System and all four campuses the strategy and optimal organizational structure for online/hybrid at each campus going forward, including instructional design, marketing, admissions, and operations. As a natural progression of our digital strategy setting initiative, this exploration uses a comprehensive, collaborative, and multi-phased process. Katie is also leading this effort for CU Denver and continues to seek stakeholder input as we move forward to ensure the needs and interests of CU Denver’s faculty, staff, and students are well represented.
In keeping with our commitment to maintain an open and transparent process, here’s what will happen next:
(1) The CU Denver Digital Strategy Task Force report will be released in early April.
(2) There will be a Digital Strategy Task Force community event in April to discuss the findings.
(3) Katie will be meeting with a range of campus stakeholder groups throughout the month of April to share ways that our community can continue to engage in our digital strategy moving forward.
I could not be prouder of our CU Denver team and the immense expertise, talent, passion, and collaboration that, together, is making our University for Life vision a reality – one step at a time. I am energized by you and by our unique opportunity to rethink the future of digital education and how to better meet the needs of Colorado’s learners and workforce.
Michelle Marks
Chancellor
@MarksMichelleA