Announcements

Governor announces precautionary measures. Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter announced Thursday plans to help the state deal with the national economic crisis. The governor’s announcement prompted a response from CU President Bruce Benson who pledged to work closely with state officials. (Read more)

Reisher family to provide scholarships to attend UCCS. Current Colorado community college students interested in continuing their education at UCCS as well as continuing UCCS students will be aided by a new scholarship from the Reisher Family Scholarship Fund of The Denver Foundation. (Read more)

Police officer suspended. A UCCS police officer was suspended without pay this week following his arrest on felony charges. See the statement issued to the media here.

Colorado Springs economy mixed in 2009. Concerns about job losses, foreclosures, and the “ratchet down” effect of TABOR on municipal budgets, are negatives for the southern Colorado economy, according to two UCCS faculty members. (Read more)

Ancient Hawaiian practice demonstrated. Relief from the danger of high blood pressure doesn’t have to come in the form of a pill, according to a new assistant professor at UCCS.
Kikikipa Kretzer, assistant professor, Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences, believes an ancient Hawaiian stress reduction technique can have positive effects on individuals who suffer from hypertension and other stress-related disorders. (Read more)

CU president encourages continued personal information diligence. Since the launch of the University of Colorado’s IT Security Program in 2007, our university system has made rapid progress in protecting Social Security numbers, credit card numbers and other personal and financial information pertaining to current and prospective students, faculty, staff, donors and other people who rely on CU services. (Read more)

Participation in tenure process encouraged. Provost Peg Bacon encouraged faculty to read a report on proposed changes in faculty tenure policies and to participate in scheduled October voting this week during the first fall forum of the fall semester. See the PowerPoint used at the forum here.

“The Grapes of Wrath,” live. Theaterworks, in conjunction with the All Pikes Peak Reads project, will perform “Grapes of Wrath” from Sept. 25 through Oct. 19.  This classic John Steinbeck novel, adapted by Frank Galati for theater, tells the story of the Joad family as they head west to California during economic desperation. During their trek, this ordinary family encounters greed, lust, fire, rain and murderous rage.  Student matinees will be performed on Sept. 30 and Oct. 2, 7, 9, 14, 16.  All matinees begin at 10:30 a.m. Faculty and staff who buy tickets online can use the promo code “Grapes” to save $5 per ticket. (Read more)

Bad news, good news. The bad news is that flu season is almost here. The good news is that the Student Health Center will again offer to faculty, staff and currently enrolled students a vaccination for $20 beginning Oct. 6. To schedule your shot, call 262-4448.

Students, administrators, athletes open new school. Robert Wonnett, vice chancellor, Student Success, and Brad Bayer, executive director, Student Life and Leadership, joined with students from the Chancellor’s Leadership Class and Mountain Lion Athletics to lead discussions about the U.S. Constitution Thursday as part of grand opening ceremonies at Galileo School of Math and Science in District 11. UCCS also was a co-sponsor of author Daniel Pink’s keynote speech. (Read more)

Philanthropist provides Wall Street Journal to students. When businessman and former Colorado Rockies owner Jerry McMorris was a young man, he spent a part of each morning speed-reading The Wall Street Journal. He credits part of his business success to the broad financial picture he developed from gleaning the pages of the financial paper. Now, he’s offering that same chance at success to business students at UCCS. (Read more)

Kudos

Kulumani M. “Ranga” Rangaswamy, professor, Mathematics, will be celebrated by colleagues from across the globe today and throughout the weekend as part of the Southern Region Algebra Conference meeting on campus. Rangaswamy is retiring from UCCS having served as department chair for more than 12 years as well as interim dean of engineering.

Who's New / Changes

Deborah Dobson, associate director of development, CU Foundation, effective Sept. 29. Dobson previously was at the University of New Mexico in a fundraising position.

Megan Fisher, associate director of development, CU Foundation. She previously was assistant director of development.

Kami Stum, administrative assistant, CU Foundation. She previously was business support assistant.

In the News

• The Pueblo Chieftain wrote about the arrest of a UCCS police officer in Former police chief arrested in sex sting
• The Colorado Springs Gazette published a guest column from President Bruce Benson in How higher education transforms our lives
• The Colorado Springs Gazette wrote about UCCS athletics in UCCS men, women to rely on ex-area prep athletes
• The Denver Post editorialized about upcoming ballot initiatives in Amendment 50 is too risky a bet
• The Boulder Daily Camera wrote about CU “green” efforts in CU named one of top 15 sustainable campuses
• The Denver Post wrote about a new gift in Grandparents launch Down syndrome institute
• The Colorado Springs Gazette wrote about growing companies in The Colorado Springs Technology Incubator is on a growth track
• The New York Times wrote about a program at UCCS in Conservatives Try New Tack on Campuses

For more CU news mentions, visit www.uccs.edu/ur