Office of Public Relations — Newsroom
News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jacque Montgomery, 303.724.1528, cell phone 303.928.9093, Jacque.Montgomery@uchsc.edu
University of Colorado Denver Announces Plans for New Business School Location
DENVER (March 18, 2008) – University of Colorado Denver Chancellor M. Roy Wilson announced today plans to further integrate the Business School into the fabric of the downtown Denver business community. The Business School intends to consolidate from six locations to a newly acquired building at 1475 Lawrence Street, transforming the former multi-use office and retail facility into a dynamic place for business learning, collaboration and innovation.
“UC Denver’s Business School, serving the highest number of business students in the State, is unmatched in its promise to help both undergraduate and graduate students obtain a highly respected business degree,” said Wilson. “This purchase and exciting move exemplifies the University’s commitment to business education and its partnership with the Denver metro business community.”
The CU Foundation purchased the building for $24 million on behalf of the University of Colorado Denver. UC Denver’s plan to repurchase the building from the foundation and relocate the Business School has received preliminary approval from the Capital Development Committee of the University of Colorado Board of Regents. Additional approvals must be granted by the full Board of Regents, the Colorado Department of Higher Education and the General Assembly. Building renovations to accommodate academic use are expected to be funded by support from private donors. The Business School could open by 2010 at 1475 Lawrence St. if fundraising efforts are successful.
“The University of Colorado is committed to fostering connections with the Denver business community,” said CU President Bruce D. Benson. “Expanding our reach downtown will allow our business students and faculty to benefit from the expertise and opportunities that are in our back yard.”
The purchase and potential move were welcomed by one of the school’s strongest supporters, Richard Bard, who sits on the Business School’s capital campaign committee.
"As a center for academic excellence, the Business School serves as the Region’s headquarters for business innovation, entrepreneurship and inspiration that drives Denver’s economic vitality and global prominence,” said Bard, a prominent Denver business leader. “Our business community benefits greatly from the strong community engagement and transformative business education provided at UC Denver.”
The Bard Center for Entrepreneurship at the Business School is named after the Bard Family. Plans are being discussed for the center to also relocate to 1475 Lawrence Street. The Bard Center brings together students, faculty and entrepreneurs in programs, courses and activities that drive business creation.
“The Business School has a history of giving back to the businesses that have supported us over the years,” said Sueann Ambron, dean of the University of Colorado Denver Business School. “We are looking forward to partnering with them to build an even better school that stands poised to meet the demands of our business community.”
UC Denver’s Business School is the largest accredited graduate school of business in Colorado with more than 18,000 alumni. The school serves more than 1,000 graduate students and 1,400 undergraduate students each year. Students and faculty are involved in solving real-world business problems as they collaborate on more than 100 projects with area businesses every semester through classroom work, guest lectures and civic projects.
The University of Colorado Denver is one of three universities in the University of Colorado system. Located in Denver on the Downtown Campus and at Ninth & Colorado Blvd., and on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colo., University of Colorado Denver is Colorado's premier research university offering more than 100 degrees and programs in 13 schools and colleges and serving more than 28,000 students in Metro Denver and online. For more information, visit the website at www.ucdhsc.edu or the UC Denver Newsroom at www.uchsc.edu/news.