Announcements

UCCS enrollment is largest-ever. Enrollment exceeds 8,450 students this fall, a more than 6 percent increase both in headcount and student credit hours, the highest in the university’s history. (More)

9/11 remembered. Almost 3,000 flags decorated campus green space today as the campus paused to remember the events of Sept. 11, 2001. See photos of the remembrance.

Fall forums outline budget challenges, solutions. UCCS must improve processes, efficiency and embrace new revenue-generating models, Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak told more than 400 faculty and staff who attended one of six fall semester forums. (More)

Giant map to aid geography education. A giant National Geographic map arrived in Colorado Springs this week to assist in improving understanding of the physical characteristics, history, and varied cultures of North America. (More)

Boomer to celebrate birthday. October will bring the sixth birthday of Boomer, the UCCS athletic mascot. How was Boomer selected? And how did UCCS athletic teams come to be known as the Mountain Lions? Staff writer Ron Fitz takes a look back at UCCS athletic mascot history. (More)

Year in Preview. Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak will host two Year in Preview sessions for senior administrators, deans, faculty department chairs, and directors at 11:45 a.m. Sept. 23 and 7:45 a.m. Sept. 24. The sessions will provide details about challenges ahead for the university.

Intersections Film Festival. An opening reception for the Intersections Film Festival 2009 is scheduled for 6 p.m. Oct. 16 in Dwire Hall, beginning a three-day showing of award-winning films and documentaries from Turkey, Iran, the Arab Middle East and Morocco. (More)

Tobacco-free UCCS? Members of the UCCS Campus Tobacco Task Force are interested in campus opinions about tobacco policies and having a tobacco-free campus. The survey is available on surveymonkey.com. Questions? Contact Barbara Joyce, associate professor, Nursing, bjoyce@uccs.edu, 255-4430.

Retention, H1N1 on Faculty Assembly agenda. Today’s 12 p.m. Faculty Assembly meeting will be in UC 303. Barb Gaddis, Carmen Abeyta and Brad Bayer from Student Success lead a discussion of student retention and the role of faculty.  Stephanie Hanenberg, director, Student Health Center, will also give a short presentation on H1N1. A summary of the meeting will be in the Sept. 18 edition of Communique.

Kudos

Eve Gruntfest, professor emeritus, Geography and Environmental Studies, recently was awarded the Kenneth Spengler Award from the American Meteorological Society. The award is presented to an individual or organization whose efforts have contributed to the growth of weather and climate enterprise and linking public, private and government sectors. Gruntfest is currently a part-time research professor at the Trauma, Health and Hazards Center.

Josh Dunn, associate professor, Political Science, recently completed “From Schoolhouse to Courthouse: The Judiciary’s Role in American Education.” Dunn and co-editor Martin West, Harvard, brought together experts in political science, education policy, and law to paint a portrait of the role of the courts in K-12 education. The book was published by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute and Brookings Institution Press.

Who’s New

Cheryl Lee recently joined the School of Public Affairs as an outreach and student services specialist. She will be responsible for implementing a student recruitment plan for the school’s degree and certificate programs in addition to working with alumni and coordinating online program offerings. (More)

In Memory

Kevin Smoliak, graduate student, College of Education, died Sept. 3. See the statement issued by the university.

In the News

• KRDO aired a story about 9/11 events in 9/11 Remembrance Events In Southern Colorado
• The Colorado Springs Gazette wrote about geography education efforts in A roundup of regional school news
• The Colorado Springs Gazette wrote about economic development efforts in Operation 6035 study nearing completion, but release date unknown
• The Colorado Springs Gazette wrote about UCCS athletics in UCCS men knock off CC in men's soccer
• The Colorado Springs Gazette wrote about efforts by the Gallery of Contemporary Art in You say you want an ‘evolution'
• The Colorado Springs Gazette quoted a UCCS faculty member in City of Colorado Springs can't find data used to justify USOC deal
• The Colorado Springs Gazette quoted a UCCS faculty member in Colorado cuisine: Think global, eat local
• KKTV aired a story about a controversy and quoted a UCCS faculty member in Controversy Surrounding President Obama's Speech
  
• The Colorado Springs Business Journal quoted a UCCS faculty member in No Colorado agency, department immune from state budget scalpel.
• Newsweek quoted an emeritus faculty member in Winning Isn't Everything: Why 'Everyone Gets a Turn' May Be Good for Little Kids