A Message from President Aceves

Preparing for a Hope-Filled Future

Our Campus Conversations have been gratifying as participation has been strong and discussions have been thought-provoking, insightful, and helpful.

 In my introductory remarks, I have shared some goals from my vision for Regis beginning with a commitment to build upon innovative curricular and co-curricular programs that support academic excellence and align with our Jesuit Catholic mission and values. We must expand the awareness of Regis' distinctiveness in the Rocky Mountain region to become a more sought-after university. Through investment in our faculty and staff, we will make progress toward becoming an employer of choice. Through engagement with the community, we will amplify our role as a trusted partner.

The conversations have also revealed a heightened concern regarding the university's current and future financial position. Not surprisingly, there are many stories that highlight how colleges and universities are dealing with the pandemic’s impact on enrollment.  We are experiencing a significant decline in students graduating from high school and a student loan debt crisis that has more families questioning the value of a higher education degree. While Regis is not immune to these challenges, I believe that working together, we can find creative and innovative solutions to mitigate these trends. I also want to be honest and transparent by sharing that I recognize that some of the changes will not be easy.

With support from the Board of Trustees, Regis' financial position allowed us to leverage and put in place strategies that provide us with a financial bridge designed to buy us time to act. It includes:

• A Board of Trustees-approved three-year plan to align expenses with revenues.
• A sustained commitment to invest in our people by including compensation adjustments in the FY 2024 spending plan.
• The review and implementation of recommendations from Mindstream, the higher education consulting firm hired to support the "Organized for Success" initiative. We see the changes leading us to a financially sustainable future.

As I mentioned last week, challenging times can either draw people together in a spirit of solidarity or drive people away to their individual corners. We continue to survive, and with a disciplined approach to growing revenue and controlling spending, we will thrive thanks to our community's resilience and a common desire to serve our students, the institution, our community, and each other. We must act purposefully to maintain and strengthen a relational culture at every level through structures that support employees and encourage conversation and collaboration.

This is what lies ahead, and I am honored to be your companion as we embark on this challenging but hope-filled journey.

Kindly,

Salvador