Announcements

Largest cash donation. A $5.5 million gift to support the continued success of UCCS and to help the campus meet its highest priorities was received this week by Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak and Maurin Anderson, vice president, CU Foundation. The gift from an anonymous donor specifies that $5 million be used to support students, including scholarships and financial aid, as well as $500,000 to be used to assist the campus in meeting its other top priorities at the chancellor’s discretion. In coming weeks, Shockley-Zalabak will share additional plans for the gift and for the use of funds.

Know your campus. What campus unit received more than 500,000 visitors last year? And how does the Kramer Family Library stack up when compared to libraries on other university campuses? Teri Switzer, dean, Kraemer Family Library, recently shared facts and figures about the department. See her presentation (.ppt)

U.S.-Korea relations. Foreign policy, security and the role of higher education are among the topics planned for a U.S.-Korea Foreign Relations Forum planned 9:30 a.m. to noon March 13 in University Center 302. Members of the campus community will be joined by U.S. Air Force Academy faculty, community members, and representatives from the U.S. Department of State, International Visitor’s Program . The event is sponsored by the College of Education with assistance by the UCCS Center for Homeland Security. For more information, contact Debby Jennings, djenning@uccs.edu, 255-3718. (Read more [pdf])

Prius a hit. UCCS Police Department members shared their newest crime-fighting tools, two Toyota Prius patrol cars with the campus this week, drawing the attention of local media in addition to comments from faculty, staff and students. The hybrid-electric vehicles replace two 10 mpg SUV’s and are expected to deliver more than 40 miles per gallon. (Video available on the MediaWatch page)

Making a difference. Efforts to reduce energy use on campus are making a measureable difference, according to Kevin Gilford, a UCCS graduate student working for the Office of Sustainability. Using a formula for energy use intensity, which combines natural gas and electricity use, Gilford has noted positive change in campus energy use. For example, the Science Building moved from a 140 energy use intensity rating in 2005 to 121 in 2008. The Kraemer Family Library moved from 106 in 2005 to 96 last year. For energy saving tips to improve this year’s number in your campus building, take the conservation pledge (.pdf).

Dean candidate to visit. Marc Ingber, professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of New Mexico, will present to the campus at 4 p.m. March 12 in the University Center Theater. A reception will follow. He is a candidate for the position of dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

CU Foundation's new web presence. The University of Colorado Foundation recently launched a new web site, www.cufund.org with a renewed focus on the human impact of private support for the University of Colorado. The site showcases new multimedia features and enhancements that including new videos featuring Barbara Swaby, professor, Education, students Roberto Padilla and Terry Garrett, and the Bachelor of Innovation program.

Kudos

Ten employees made nearly 400 phone calls to prospective out of state students Tuesday and Wednesday evening. The calls, made to students admitted to UCCS for the fall semester, served as a way both help increase fall enrollment and also reach out to students to ensure they had all the UCCS related info they needed. Many thanks to those listed below for their efforts:

• Meredith Barrow, Admissions Services
• Brad Bayer, Student Life and Leadership
• Chris Beiswanger, Admissions Services
• Jeff Foster, University Advancement
• Rachel Gibson, Admission Services
• Jennifer Hane, University Advancement
• Amy Hill, Chancellor’s Leadership Class
• Shannon Huddleston, Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment
• Eric Nissen, Admissions Services
• Allison Swickard-Gorman, University Advancement

In the News

• The Denver Post wrote about a controversial tuition bill in Lines drawn on tuition
• The Colorado Springs Business Journal wrote about the future of UCCS in Southern Colorado innovation strategy
• The Colorado Springs Business Journal wrote about a new clinic operated by the Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences in IRS posts site for COBRA questions
• The Colorado Springs Gazette wrote about UCCS green efforts in UCCS police buy hybrid patrol cars
• National Public Radio interviewed Tom Wynn, professor, Anthropology, about links to human evolution and art in Art and Evolution
• KOAA interviewed Daphne Greenwood, professor, Economics, about home mortgage bailouts, video available in mediawatch.
• The Colorado Springs Gazette published a story about a UCCS graduate student in Former Olympic wrestler Wheeler training to become police officer
• The Colorado Springs Gazette interviewed Steve Kirkham, athletic director, as part its feature on the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 100 YEARS in the making
• The Colorado Springs Gazette interviewed Fred Crowley, senior instructor, College of Business, for a story Housing industry remains weak in February
• The Denver Post wrote about tuition policies in In-state tuition dangles in reach of illegal immigrants
• The New York Times wrote about changes in college selection in Well-Regarded Public Colleges Get a Surge of Bargain Hunters

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