Dear members of the UCCS community,

I wanted to take a moment to provide an important update on the future of CU’s digital education programs, systemwide and here at UCCS.

Based on the many valuable lessons we have learned about online learning during the past 18 months of the pandemic, higher education leaders are reevaluating the role online learning will play in a future where students are expecting the option of both online and on-campus experiences. It’s clear that the future is hybrid.

With these trends and insights in mind, CU System President Todd Saliman has asked the chancellors to develop campus-level visions and approaches with the hope of more closely aligning our digital strategy with resources. President Saliman has announced that the CU System will pause its search for an Office of Digital Education (ODE) leader so the campuses have time to assess their needs and ODE and the campuses can optimize organizational structures. Courtney Borton has been appointed to serve as acting associate vice president and head of ODE while maintaining her current role as assistant vice president of marketing and communication. 

This presents a great opportunity for us. I have asked Harper Johnson, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Technology and Human Resources, to work with our campus leadership, deans, faculty, staff, and me on an inclusive online approach for UCCS that focuses on the needs and preferences of our students. Faculty will be deeply engaged in this visioning process which will begin soon and unfold over this academic year.

UCCS has been a leader in online education since 1996 when we launched our first online degree program. Additionally, our 2030 Strategic Plan guides us to continue to strengthen our online program offerings.

This is an exciting time to reimagine the way we deliver education and meet the needs of southern Colorado’s workforce. I promise that we will provide regular updates on our progress toward our online education future.

Respectfully,

Venkat Reddy
UCCS Chancellor