Former University of Denver Chancellor Ross Pritchard has died at age 95, according to an article in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He was DU’s Chancellor from 1978-1984, a term that started well, but ended in disgrace. Continue reading Former DU Chancellor Ross Pritchard dies at age 95, led DU from 1978-1984
We reported recently here about DU’s new brand survey, which includes a question probing the favorability of the term ‘Pioneers’ as it relates to DU. While our sources indicate DU initially only sent this survey out to 5,000 alumni, the DU Advancement Office has indicated that other voices are acceptable to take the survey, so we’ve included the link below. Let your voices be heard! Continue reading All DU Alums and Stakeholders Can Participate in DU’s New Brand Survey
The University of Denver is testing favorability of the term “Pioneers” as part of a 2020 brand reputation study.
This is believed to be the very first time that the University has included its own 95-year-old nickname as part of brand testing. It is also interesting that this testing is being carried out in the summer months, during a pandemic and during a time of racial conflict in the country. It’s also not clear who is receiving the survey. Some DU alumni have received it while others have not, and we’re not yet clear on what other audiences are being surveyed as well. Continue reading DU testing favorability of the term “Pioneers” in new 2020 brand study
DU Chancellor Jeremy Haefner announced in a Community Meeting today that DU has a current budget shortfall of at least $45 million, as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, DU will be making some large budget cuts to mitigate the losses, including at least 38 full layoffs announced today, along with 37 more employees who were given extended administrative leave with benefits, along with other across-the-board salary reductions of up to 10% for those earning more than $90,000 annually and other projected administrative savings. Continue reading DU Reveals $45 Million COVID-19 Shortfall, Begins Wielding Budget Axe
As if everyone already doesn’t know, there has been a lot of disturbing news lately. Not just nationally with COVID-19 and the racist murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and most recently, George Floyd, but in our own backyard as well. A photograph showed a prospective DU student, who was slated to enroll this fall, wearing blackface with a racist caption (his admission was later rightly revoked by DU), and a 40-year-old DU yearbook photo resurfaced showing a DU residence hall floor dressed in white robes surrounding a black student. In response, current DU students have initiated a petition and are demanding special accommodations for students of color during this time. Continue reading DU’s own response to racism juxtaposed with national reaction and reflection
While the University of Denver continues to address the issues and costs of the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual #1DAY4DU campaign continues this year with a new twist. Rather than donations being directed to a variety of departments and clubs, donors are encouraged to contribute to the new Student Commons (i.e. student union).
In our view, no single gift to DU at this time would be more important than supporting this new campus asset. With many students, staff and friends of the university in quarantine, nothing offers the DU community more promise than a gathering place which brings people together again in the heart of the DU campus.
While DU is addressing the unfortunate costs of the pandemic, we can play a small role in helping DU get back on its feet.
Take a few moments to give.
Click HERE to give.
Now is a suitable time to drill down on a community announcement by Chancellor Jeremy Haefner during his COVID-19 briefing on April 29th. Chancellor Haefner stated that DU’s planning efforts, led by his appointed team, will include, “an exploration into ‘property acquisition, mergers, and acquisitions’ of other universities and/or businesses.”
What does that mean? And who better than LetsGoDU to speculate about what an acquisition might look like and who/what it might be? Continue reading Could a Rocky Mountain Campus be in DU’s future?
Jason Evans, a DU alumnus and former CNN journalist who now lives in Denver, has recently started a new blog called “inthebluecrewdu” which addresses news topics and stories in the wider University of Denver community. He recently scored a 30-minute interview with DU Chancellor Jeremy Haefner. Among the topics covered were specific questions regarding both DU Athletics in the pandemic era, as well as questions about the recent IRISE controversy with the Pioneer nickname. With Jason’s permission, we’ve clipped Haefner’s answers to these key questions below. If you’d like to read the entire interview, you can read it on Jason’s blog, here. Continue reading Chancellor Haefner Comments on DU Athletics and Recent Pioneer Nickname Events
On May 4, 1970, 1,500 DU students gathered on the University of Denver campus to publicly mourn four students at Kent State University in Ohio who were shot and killed by national guardsmen. The protest also centered on President Richard Nixon’s foray into Cambodia which risked an extension of the Vietnam War.
This was a surprising development because DU was not known as a politically active hotbed. The protest on campus made national news and thrust the University of Denver into the national spotlight. Continue reading 50 Years Ago: DU Thrust into the National Spotlight with Woodstock West
In a community announcement, DU Chancellor Jeremy Haefner said DU will “reopen with face-to-face classes when we begin our fall quarter in mid-September, even if it must be modified in some way.” This assumes no local, state, or federal barriers that would limit, modify, or halt a planned reopening. Continue reading DU Planning on Fall Re-Opening
