Reports: CU degree as good as gold
Oct 15th
CU-Boulder degree rated highly
nationally for return on investment
nationally for return on investment
When it comes to landing “good paying” jobs and receiving a high return on investment, University of Colorado Boulder graduates are in good shape nationally, according to two recent reports.
CU-Boulder ranked in the top 20 in a recent report released by SmartMoney that rated the return on investment for 50 of the nation’s priciest colleges for out-of-state tuition. CU-Boulder, at No. 19, finished just behind Princeton University and ahead of Harvard University, Cornell University and Yale University in the rankings, which compared starting tuition (class of 2009) to recent and mid-career median salaries of graduates.
CU-Boulder also fared well in PayScale.com’s mid-career salary ranking, coming in at No. 35 out of 452 state schools ranked for return on investment.
“This is good news for our graduates,” said CU-Boulder Provost Russell Moore, the chief academic officer of the Boulder campus. “It is good news for the constituents of the state of Colorado and the parents of students who attend the University of Colorado.”
The median salary for recent CU-Boulder graduates (out of school three years) is $45,000, while the mid-career (out of school 15 years) median salary is $87,100, according to figures compiled by PayScale.com.
“What this shows us is the return on investment for our out-of-state students is very good, but for our in-state students, who receive the same median salary coming out of school, the return is even better because they don’t have to put as much money in up front,” said Lisa Severy, director of CU-Boulder’s Career Services office.
There are several reasons for CU-Boulder graduates excelling in the job market, according to Moore.
“For a large research university, we engage undergraduates in experiential learning,” Moore said. “Our students have significant opportunities to engage in cutting-edge research, creative work and studio activities. We engage them at a higher frequency than most other public research universities, in fact, I would argue, many private research universities.”
The interdisciplinary nature of the curriculum at CU-Boulder also plays a role, according to Severy.
“We have a lot of programs that are multidisciplinary,” Severy said. “Since the world of work is multidisciplinary, this training is especially marketable when you graduate, because our students are used to working with other people outside their specific areas of study.”
While proud of the recent rankings, Moore expects the bar to be even higher in the years to come.
“We think we bring a lot of value to higher education and we are very excited about some of our innovative programs that will move the bar even higher,” Moore said.
Boulder County to begin mailing ballots Monday
Oct 12th
Boulder County, Colo. – The Boulder County Clerk & Recorder’s Office on Monday will begin sending ballots to voters who have requested a mail-in ballot for the 2012 General Election.
So far, 132,381 Boulder County voters are set to receive mail ballots for the Tuesday, Nov. 6, election. Voters who turned in their registrations or mail ballot requests by Oct. 9 should receive their ballot in the mail by Friday, Oct. 19. (Mail-in ballot requests received since Oct. 9 are still being processed and may take a few extra days.) Each mail ballot packet includes a list of ballot drop-off points that will open between now and Election Day. After returning their ballot, voters can check www.BoulderCountyVotes.org to make sure it was received.
Voters who aren’t signed up to receive a mail-in ballot can still request one by visiting www.GoVoteColorado.com with a Colorado ID or driver’s license; completing a request form at www.BoulderCountyVotes.org; emailing Vote@BoulderCountyVotes.org; or calling 303-413-7740.
Boulder County voters have the choice of voting by mail-in ballot, at an early voting location or at their polling place on Election Day. They can visitwww.BoulderCountyVotes.org to check their registration, view ballot content, request a replacement ballot if their ballot is lost or damaged, or find more information about the election.
Boulder County registration statistics (as of Oct. 12):
- Total registered voters in Boulder County: 248,141
- Active registered voters: 181,360
- Active mail ballot voters: 132,381 (includes 124,022 active permanent mail-in voters)
- Active registered voters: 181,360
Recent voter registration activity in Boulder County:
- People who have registered to vote in Boulder County since Aug. 1: 19,328 (includes new voters and new county residents). Of those transactions, 5,241 were online.
- Total number of people who have registered or updated their registration in Boulder County since Aug. 1: 56,994. Of those transactions, 17,193 were online.
Key Dates for the 2012 General Election:
- Week of Oct. 15: Ballots will be sent to voters who have requested a mail ballot for the general election or signed up as permanent mail-in voters.
- Monday, Oct. 22: Early voting begins. Locations and hours are available at www.BoulderCountyVotes.org.
- Tuesday, Nov. 6: Election Day. Polling locations will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. All ballots must be in the hands of the Boulder County Clerk & Recorder’s Office by 7 p.m.
Boulder County to celebrate opening of Josephine Commons, named for a mine owner AND a human rights activist
Oct 11th
70-unit low-income development for seniors was fully leased within 5 days
Boulder County, Colo. – Just one year after its groundbreaking, project managers, elected officials, and residents will gather on Thursday, Oct. 18 to celebrate the grand opening of Josephine Commons, one of Boulder County’s largest affordable housing developments.
The grand opening celebration will take place from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 18 at Josephine Commons, 455 N. Burlington Ave. in Lafayette. Congressman Jared Polis and the Boulder County Commissioners will be among those who will speak. There will be tours of the buildings and property, and the public is invited to attend.
Planning, construction, and operations of Josephine Commons are being overseen by the Boulder County Housing Authority (BCHA), a division of the county’s Department of Housing and Human Services (BCDHHS). The county received a Certificate of Occupancy in late August for Phase I of the project, and had leased all of the apartments within five days. “The very quick lease-up is certainly a testament to the need for low-income housing in Boulder County,” said Frank Alexander, who is director of both the BCHA and BCDHHS. “It’s heartening to know that this project is helping boost the self-sufficiency and dignity of so many of our seniors.”
Phase I of Josephine Commons features 74 units on 3.4 acres of county-owned land in east Lafayette. This includes 70 apartment-style units in a mid-rise building. The 78,000-square-foot three-story main building also features a library, great room and large commercial kitchen. The project’s Phase II, Aspinwall at Josephine Commons, will feature 72 additional townhomes and duplex units for low-income seniors and families, and will break ground in mid-2013.
Funding for the $17.9 million Phase I of Josephine Commons has come largely from private investors through Low Income Housing Tax Credits arranged by the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority. Significant support also came from Boulder County taxpayers through $400,000 in Worthy Cause funding. And $550,000 in Colorado Home Investment Partnership (HOME) funds were provided by the Colorado Division of Housing. Other business support included a $12 million construction loan from Citibank.
Josephine Commons is named afterone-time owner of the Rocky Mountain Fuel Company, which once ran a coal mine where the development now sits. In the early 1930s, Roche stood out as a champion of workers’ rights, instituting the highest wages in the mining industry, fighting against child labor, and inviting unionization of her mines.
Also significant is the fact that the retired coal mines were used as renewable energy for Josephine Commons. Geothermal wells were drilled to depths of 400 feet, passing through the old mine shafts. Pipes were then installed to feed the heating and cooling systems, a process that greatly reduces the energy required for temperature control in the buildings. The project also features more than 100 kilowatts of rooftop and carport solar panel electricity generation.
