Dear Friends,

Yesterday, the Board of Governors of the Colorado State University System announced the appointment of Dr. Tony Frank as the 14^th president of Colorado State University, effective July 1, 2009.

As you may know, the board named Tony interim president in November 2008 and since then he has done a great job at demonstrating his leadership. He faced a big test almost right off the bat because of a very large shortfall to Colorado’s budget and Tony had the serious challenge of making significant budget cuts, while keeping the integrity of CSU’s academics and research intact.  He’s reached out to different communities across Colorado and has done some great work already to make sure CSU is serving Colorado during an economic downturn, while also making sure everyone knows that CSU is dedicated to its land-grant mission of access and affordability. 

Tony has received strong support from alumni and CSU supporters who tell me they appreciate his open communication and straight forward, down-to-earth leadership style. I’m confident Tony will continue to build on the respect he has around the state to promote and advance CSU, and he’ll welcome your involvement as you partner in this effort. If you want to get more regular updates from Tony and campus, I invite you to subscribe to his online newsletter, Competitive Edge (click this link for more:http://edge.colostate.edu/). Students and faculty feel comfortable working with him, knowing he will represent them and their interests. Colorado State University is in capable hands with Tony at the helm.

Most importantly, Tony loves and believes in CSU! Please join me in congratulating Tony Frank and go Rams!

Sincerely,

Dr. Joyce Berry
Vice President
Advancement and Strategic Initiatives

For more information on Dr. Frank click here.

Over the next two months, over 5,000 incoming students are expected to visit Colorado State and participate in orientation sessions.  First, welcome new students and visiting parents.  This is such an exciting time for you and we know you’ll enjoy yourselves.  Believe it or not, this new place–with buildings you don’t know the names of and unfamiliar faces–will become your home away from home and many of those unfamiliar faces will become lifelong friends.  By this time next year, you will have mastered the campus layout and be the one giving directions instead of asking for them.  I warn you, your time is going to go by fast … so enjoy every moment! 

We’re so happy to welcome you to  the CSU family!

Dear CSU Family,
I am thrilled to share some very exciting news with you.  Colorado State University Professor Bryan Willson, co-founder of Envirofit International and Solix Biofuels, has been named a “Scientific American:10″ and  joins President Barack Obama, Microsoft mogul Bill Gates and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg in the first honor roll for innovations that benefit humanity.

“Willson, a mechanical engineer, has expanded his cramped, Fort Collins lab into a hothouse for clean energy inventions. But the innovation he inspires doesn’t end there. By helping students and collaborators apply expertise in development economics and entrepreneurship, Willson makes sure that technical solutions reach those who need them.” 
—Sally Lehrman

We are so proud of Professor Willson for all that he has done for Colorado State University … and the world!

Dear Students,
Good luck on your finals this week!  I know you’ve already had a myriad of projects due and papers to write, but I hope this academic year ends with you feeling terrific about the work you’ve done.  Please have a safe and relaxing summer.

Best wishes,

Joyce

Dear CSU Family,
I discussed the Student Support Grant in a previous post, but I wanted to remind you that the time for giving to this important fund has not passed.  The Student Support Grant is a fund for students whose financial resources have suddenly been depleted due to the economy.  Your gift could be the difference between a degree … or dropping out.  I am so pleased with the support you all have provided so far and look forward to making a huge difference in our student’s education.

Click here to learn more about the Student Support Grant or to give today.

Very best,
Joyce

Dear Class of 2009,

It’s hard to believe in a few short weeks you will have achieved your graduation goals and become Alumni of this great University!  You’ve seen the campus change greatly since you began as freshmen; from new buildings to new leadership.  I hope you enjoyed your time at CSU, and you look back at your experiences with fond memories.

I’m so pleased that your class will install a clock on the Lory Student Center plaza as a way to leave your mark and celebrate your time at Colorado State University. This symbolic and generous gift will stand as a testament to the Class of 2009…and may help future students get to class on time! If you would like to donate to the Senior Class of 2009 Clock fund, visit the 2009 Senior Class Gift website for more information or to make a gift. 

Very best,
Joyce

Join a CSU tradition and get involved with CSUnity 2009! Each spring, over two thousand CSU students gather for a day-long service plunge in and around the Fort Collins community! Join fellow students in planting trees, painting houses, visiting with senior citizens, sorting food, and much more. Services are provided to neighbors in the community, the City of Fort Collins, state, county and federal agencies; and local non-profits.  A bountiful variety of volunteer opportunities are available.  All volunteers receive free breakfast, free lunch, and a CSUnity t-shirt.

Construction updates to the Colorado State University Student Recreation Center begin Monday, April 13, with the installation of a fenced staging area on the east side of the facility.

Project approved in 2008

The Student Recreation Center construction project was approved by the Student Fee Review Board in February 2008, Associated Students of Colorado State University in April 2008 and the CSU Board of Governors in May 2008. Funding for the Student Recreation Center project is part of a CSU campus bond that was secured in June 2008.

Phase one to be completed in January

Interior facility renovation and new construction will begin shortly. The first phase is scheduled to be completed in January 2010 with a new entrance, lobby, climbing wall, meeting rooms, massage rooms and court space available. The second and third phases of construction are scheduled to be completed by August 2010, culminating with a grand opening.

Construction updates will be sent periodically to the university community.

More information

For information regarding the project visit www.campusrec.colostate.edu/Page/Renovation.

Dear CSU family,

April is National Volunteer month, and CSUnity, Colorado State’s premier one day service event is about to kick off on April 18th, 2009. CSUnity, in its twelfth year, is a one day event in which CSU students engage the community in service.

2000 students, 200 projects

It began with the idea of getting students out, in and around Fort Collins, to show how much they care about the community that surrounds our beloved institution. It began with 85 students working for a handful of agencies around town. This year, CSUnity will be sending out more than 2000 students to over 200 project sites, and there is room for more projects.

The event is held from 9:00-3:00 p.m. on the 18th of April. In that time, students complete any manner of service project that is offered to them. They gather at the Lory Student Center at CSU and from there disseminate to their project assignments. Each project is assigned a team of students who come from student organizations, sororities and fraternities, as well as groups of individuals and friends who simply want to do something good. The volunteer event is open to any of CSU’s 25,000 plus student body.

Dear CSU Family,

We have such a strong tradition of excellent teachers and researchers at Colorado State and I wanted to congratulate the 2009 winners of the Best Teacher Awards.

 Brian Butki
Department of Health and Exercise Science

Chung-Fu Chang
Department of Music, Theater, and Dance

Michael Eckhoff, Ph.D. Candidate (M.A. ’05)
Department of Forest, Rangeland, and Watershed Stewardship

Tracy Richards (’97, ’01, ’03)
Department of Psychology

Alan Von Herrmann, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Mathematics

Toni Zimmerman
Department of Human Development and Family Studies

Congratulations and thank you for all you for Colorado State University!

Very best,

Joyce