Dear ColoradoSPH Friends and Supporters,
I am thrilled to share some exciting updates and accomplishments with you. Just as our Colorado School of Public Health community is about to embark on strategic planning for years 15 through 20, the Council on Education in Public Health (CEPH) reaccreditation site visit was a resounding success. The school received a preliminary finding of “met” on all 43 criteria! This prestigious recognition speaks volumes about the dedication and excellence of our community.
While the term “met” does not sound groundbreaking at first, achieving this status is a rarity and places esteemed position among schools and programs. The CEPH review gives new meaning to the word “thorough.” Every aspect of the school was examined, and we passed (preliminarily) with the highest regard. This achievement sets a strong foundation as we enter this next strategic planning phase. The next step is final approval by the CEPH board of councilors in August. We look forward to sharing the results of that final decision.
With this vote of confidence, we are eager to enter strategic planning. We are ready to craft new mission and vision statements that reflect our aspirations and commitment to excellence. We will commit ourselves to a new set of core values. Building on the school’s original mission statement “to become a premier institution,” we aim to become an even more influential institution, “shaping the future of public health”. These defining statements will guide us as we grow our community and help us meet the evolving public health workforce needs, provide innovative solutions through our research, and ensure that health equity is achieved through the application of our work.
I am excited to embrace the challenges we face although they are, undoubtedly, daunting. But it is when the Colorado School of Public Health faces its greatest challenges that we RISE. We have weathered dire economic times, unfavorable political climates, and public health crises. Each time, we came together as a school community and demonstrated renewed commitment to our mission, vision, and values. Each time, we overcame the challenges. Now, we will prioritize where precious resources will be spent. And in doing so, we embrace our communities who supported us from the beginning and those that joined us along the way.
Our goal for planning years 15-20 is to work together and identify pathways for:
(1) developing and delivering high-quality academic programs that meet our students’ and the public health workforce needs;
(2) conducting innovative public health research;
(3) nurturing relationships with communities;
(4) embedding health equity into all our endeavors; and
(5) ensuring that ColoradoSPH is an employment destination for talented staff and faculty.
We are committed to attracting more students, expanding our impact, and taking a bigger place on the public health stage.
Why are we so passionate about our purpose in public health? Because we are a community that rejects health inequities, challenges obstructive policies and behaviors that stand in the way of safer and sustainable communities, or for that matter, refuses to accept the dire fate of our planet. We believe in our ability to devise the solutions others have not considered. We are drawn to the Colorado School of Public Health because of our impatience, and readiness to move ahead, knowing that few barriers in tradition or mindset stand in our way. We believe with these barriers removed, the rest—whether economic, political, or crises—can be overcome. We deliver public health in our unique Colorado way, unencumbered by preconceived molds. We are a community of courage and conviction.
Let’s take a moment to celebrate the school’s achievements. On March 18, 2024, the school will host a “Founding Funders” event where we will express gratitude to our many supporters and celebrate the success of the school. This event will showcase the stories that demonstrate our impact on the health and wellbeing of our community. We deeply appreciate those who had the vision, conviction, and belief in our school and mission and were willing to make a transformational investment in us. These visionary partners set the example for many of us to follow, as demonstrated by growth in scholarship funds and endowments. Their vision will allow us to be bold in years 15 through 20 and attract new leaders and students who will become leaders. We are delighted to share that 100 people have RSVPed for this event, with commitments continuing to come in. We look forward to seeing so many of you there.
In the coming months, we will share the draft mission and vision statements, along with our renewed core values. We eagerly look forward to your input. To optimize collaboration, the five department chairs, Associate Dean for Administration and Finance, and I are aligning our budget model with our values. I hope to share the principles of this model as it takes shape.
Before I close, I would like to send a special shout out to Dani Brittain, Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs and her team, led by Tony Romero, Michelle Bell, KC Hall, and Louange Mbala for their exceptional efforts in making the reaccreditation process a huge success. We have much to celebrate, and I am excited about the journey ahead.
March 15, 2024