Building the Campus of the Future

Campus Success

CU Boulder features a historic campus in an incredible urban and natural setting. The continued success of the university requires close alignment of the university’s physical, digital and financial resources.

CU Boulder is planning for the future to ensure that our campus continues to sustain world-renowned research, a diverse, equitable and inclusive community and the well-being and success of our students.

Aligning our physical, digital and financial resources

As one of America’s leading public research universities, CU Boulder is focused on creating a student-centered campus culture that enables the belonging and success of everyone in our community. Aligning our resources toward these values is vital to meeting the university's mission.

Every 10 years, CU Boulder updates its Campus Master Plan, which articulates the university’s priorities and guides decision-making about its physical spaces for the ensuing decade. The 2021 Campus Master Plan recognizes CU Boulder as a world-class institution in research and academics. It provides a visionary framework for the campus spaces that enhance the university’s ability to achieve its mission.

With an eye to the future, the Campus Master Plan details bold, actionable steps that:

  • Address today’s challenges
  • Provide a model for resilient and sustainable campus planning
  • Foster community belonging
  • Strategically advance CU Boulder’s priorities as a world-class academic institution

How CU Boulder is Funded

To guarantee long-term fiscal sustainability, the university’s budget should serve as a tool for accomplishing its mission as a world-class public teaching and research institution. With input from campus stakeholders, a new budget model has been built to provide greater flexibility for strategic investment, increase transparency, better reflect the university’s values, provide incentives that support growth and ensure accountability.

Digital resilience, data security and robust, seamless technology offerings are vital to the success of our university mission of education and research. Our provides campus with innovative, customer-focused IT support and core IT services.

Creating a Sustainable Campus

CU Boulder has a strong legacy in the sustainability space, from launching the nation’s first student-led environmental center in 1970 to setting a standard as the first university to achieve STARS Gold status. University leaders know we must keep pushing boundaries with both our research and operations if we are to address the humanitarian crisis of climate change and ensure a sustainable future for all. 

CU Boulder South

To successfully build a Campus of the Future, CU Boulder must provide academic, research and residential spaces for the students, babyÖ±²¥app and staff of today and those who will join the university community in the future. CU Boulder South offers the university a unique opportunity to protect vulnerable neighbors from future flooding and maintain public open space while responsibly providing academic and residential space for non-freshman students and employees.

CU Boulder South represents a critical component of the university’s future success by ensuring that students, babyÖ±²¥app and staff can reside in the community where they work and learn.