University, city host CU Night in Downtown Boulder
Chancellor Philip DiStefano and other CU Boulder representatives joined city of Boulder leaders on Wednesday, July 27, for an event celebrating upcoming partnerships and to share details about the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Summit.
CU Night in Downtown Boulder drew approximately 250 attendees to the Boulder Theater for food, drinks and community—and to learn about how CU and the city are committed to addressing major challenges, including climate change.
The chancellor highlighted several projects with community impact, including CU Boulder South, the conference center-hotel, future campus plans, the work of the Renée Crown Wellness Institute and the status of the Pac-12 Conference.
“As I hope you can tell, ‘stagnant’ is not a word in our vocabulary at CU Boulder,†DiStefano said. “And I know the same is true across the city of Boulder.
“I love Boulder, and we are our best when the university and city are working together. It’s the energy, innovation and care within this community that gives me hope that, together, we can chase the opportunities and address the challenges before us.â€
The event, emceed by Chief Sustainability Officer Heidi VanGenderen, also included remarks from Mayor Pro Tem Rachel Friend and Chip, CEO of the Downtown Boulder Partnership. Chip does not use a last name.
Assistant Professor Karen Bailey from the Department of Environmental Studies shared a snapshot of her research on climate adaptation and resilience while Assistant Dean Jamie Wittenberg from the University Libraries highlighted the Buffs One Read selection for fall: Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge & the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer.
Jim Anaya, distinguished professor at the University of Colorado Law School, shared details about the Global Climate Summit, to be hosted Dec. 1–4 at CU Boulder in partnership with United Nations Human Rights.
The event preceded Bands on the Bricks, the popular summer concert series on Pearl Street, which CU Boulder sponsored on Wednesday.