December 12, 2024

Kenneth T. Christensen Named Next Chancellor of CU Denver

DENVER – University of Colorado President Todd Saliman announced today that he selected Kenneth T. Christensen, Ph.D., to serve as the next chancellor of CU Denver. Dr. Christensen was selected following a national search, and he will officially begin as chancellor on Feb. 1, 2025.

“Dr. Christensen brings a deep commitment to CU Denver’s mission and student success as well as an impressive understanding of higher education’s ability to transform individual lives, our great state, the nation and the world,” said Saliman. “I was impressed by the strong support he received from CU Denver faculty, staff, students and community members following his campus visit and open forums. Dr. Christensen’s deep understanding of CU Denver’s unique opportunities make him the ideal person to lead the institution forward.”

Dr. Christensen joins CU from Illinois Institute of Technology, where he served as provost, senior vice president for academic affairs and chief academic officer. During his time as provost, Dr. Christensen built a diverse leadership team that collaboratively emphasized strong shared governance to ensure the growth and success of Illinois Tech’s diverse student population. This includes launching academic initiatives that emphasize workforce readiness, introducing a pathway for undecided students to explore degree possibilities, and charging a university-wide task force to modernize the core curriculum around the entrepreneurial mindset, design and innovation, computational/data literacy and leadership.

As someone of Hispanic heritage, Dr. Christensen passionately co-led Illinois Tech’s path to Hispanic-Serving Institution status and drove strategic fundraising and partnership building to expand the institution’s impact in education, research and economic development while also ensuring it was a foundational partner in regional research consortia. He first joined Illinois Tech in 2020 as the Carol and Ed Kaplan Armour College Dean of Engineering. Prior to that, he served on the faculty at Notre Dame, the University of Illinois and the University of New Mexico. A native of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Dr. Christensen holds degrees from the University of New Mexico, the California Institute of Technology and the University of Illinois.

“I am grateful and humbled for the opportunity afforded me by President Saliman to lead Colorado’s premier public urban research university in collaboration with its dedicated faculty, staff and alumni in service to students from all walks of life, Denver and the state of Colorado,” said Dr. Christensen. “This institution’s honorable mission of inclusive education and innovation was readily apparent to me during my interactions with the search committee and my campus visit, and this mission aligns with my own values and priorities as an academic leader. I am thrilled to join the University of Colorado as CU Denver’s next chancellor and to support the campus community in their transformative work to ensure and expand student success, scholarly impact and economic development.”

Following the announcement from then-CU Denver Chancellor Michelle Marks in July 2024 that she would step down as chancellor in August, President Saliman named Ann Schmiesing, Ph.D., vice chancellor for academic resource management at CU Boulder, interim chancellor of the Denver campus effective Aug. 26. Dr. Schmiesing will return to the Boulder campus when Dr. Christensen officially joins the CU Denver community.

The national search for the next CU Denver chancellor launched in August 2024 with a focus on identifying a highly qualified, diverse pool of candidates. Judi Diaz Bonacquisti, Ed.D., CU’s vice president and senior diversity officer, served as chair of the search committee, which consisted of CU Denver faculty, students, staff, alumni, donors and community members. The search process was guided by CU Regent Policy and assisted by AGB Search.

About the University of Colorado Denver

CU Denver is one of Colorado’s premier public urban research universities, offering more than 100 degree programs in seven schools and colleges and a broad spectrum of bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and professional and continuing education options. Research, internship, and apprenticeship experiences are a hallmark of a CU Denver education, giving learners an excellent education and real-work skills and job experience along the way. Globally connected and locally invested, CU Denver partners with more than 14,000 future-focused learners—among the most diverse in the state—to design accessible, relevant, transformative educational experiences for every stage of life and career. Its proximity to downtown Denver enables many opportunities to enhance lives, careers, and professional networks as the campus is located within steps of the city’s business, political, and arts corridor. CU Denver faculty inspire and work alongside students to solve complex challenges through boundary-breaking innovation and impactful research and creative work. As part of the state’s largest university system, CU Denver is a major contributor to the Colorado economy, with 1,900 employees and an annual economic impact of $684 million.

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