University of Colorado Boulder

About The University of Colorado Boulder is one of only [38 U.S. public research institutions in the Association of American Universities (AAU)](https://www.aau.edu/who-we-are/our-members/university-colorado-boulder), a group of institutions widely recognized as America’s leading research universities. **Mission & Vision** **Our mission** is to serve as the [state of Colorado’s comprehensive graduate research university with selective admission standards](https://www.colorado.edu/about/mission "Mission"), offering a comprehensive array of undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degree programs. **Our vision** is to be [a leader in identifying and addressing the humanitarian, social and technological challenges of the 21st century](https://www.colorado.edu/chancellor/strategic-plan). CU Boulder History Project **Project Mission & Goals** To deepen CU Boulder's institutional memory, former Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano established the **CU Boulder History Project** in January 2020, and asked Associate Professor [Polly E. Bugros McLean](https://www.colorado.edu/cmci/people/media-studies/polly-e-bugros-mclean) from the College of Media, Communication and Information to serve as project chair, confident in her extensive knowledge of the history of the campus and the Boulder region. Since the project's inception, a cross-generational, multidisciplinary committee led by McLean and supported by collaborative working groups, history watchers and community partners has endeavored to discover CU Boulder's untold stories – and often complex history – through intersectional perspectives. The collaborators have worked to capture and preserve the experiences of the unique people, singular voices and milestone events that have helped make CU Boulder what it is today. Among the project's guiding principles are commitments to: - Providing a more complete and accurate telling of CU Boulder’s history - Drawing out new and diverse stories from missing, overlooked or forgotten voices - Building the campus's understanding of its strengths and flaws throughout its history - Supporting a process of change through openness, transparency, collaboration and accountability