One example of a program that CU offers since it is a flagship school is a RAP (Residential Academic Program) class. Here, students listen to a presentation in a RAP class located in Farrand hall. (CU Independent/Emily Haag)
Bronson Hilliard, director of media relations and a spokesperson for CU, said a flagship institution within a university system is the original campus from which all the other schools within the system have grown.
A flagship school usually has significantly more funding, a larger student population, extensive research programs and diverse graduate programs, as well as a goal to instill a sense of volunteerism among students, Hilliard said.
He said that since CU-Boulder is a flagship, its programs, faculty, administration and students are expected to maintain academic standards, as well as partake in community service.
“Students are held to high standards of civic and community engagement,” Hilliard said. “In general, flagship universities tend to attract high-quality faculty, significant federally sponsored research dollars, and are centers of innovation and repositories of state pride.”
According to the Colorado website, in 1876, CU-Boulder was the first university to be chartered by the state of Colorado, which was also established that year.
CU-Boulder was the first CU campus and therefore operates as the flagship school for the whole CU system.
While Boulder is the flagship for the CU system, the University of Colorado and its other campuses in Colorado Springs and Denver and the Anschutz Medical Campus constitute the flagship university for the entire state.
Hilliard said that because CU-Boulder operates as a flagship for both the state of Colorado and all CU schools, the title is taken very seriously.
“Our fortunes have been tied to the state of Colorado,” he said. “Being a flagship institution is a special role to play on both levels. We occupy that role with great enthusiasm and are privileged and humbled by that role.”
He said CU-Boulder is a nationally recognized model flagship school.
“Every year, CU-Boulder is always among the top three institutions recognized by the White House for having the highest number of students join the Peace Corps,” he said.
Peter Simons, director of the Institute for Ethical and Civic Engagement, said CU has become a prominent example of how a university should be run.
“CU is a role model for universities across the country,” Simons said. “A university from South Carolina is coming next week to talk with us about civil engagement among our students. What puts us in the flagship category is students applying what they learn inside the classroom outside of the class.”
CU-Boulder is continuing to actively better its vision of how a flagship university should operate by introducing and implementing a strategic plan called Flagship 2030.
According to the website, the Flagship 2030 plan is a way of maintaining CU’s high standards while becoming “a leading model of ‘the new flagship university.’”
The program will achieve this by implementing 10 long-term “Flagship Initiatives” and eight short-term “Core Initiatives.”
According to the Flagship 2030 website, the initiatives will help maintain CU’s exemplary reputation on a national and global level. Several task forces made up of members from the university and its constituencies will be used to develop the concepts in the flagship initiatives. Action plans put together by individuals from various units will help implement the core initiatives.
Hilliard said that, as a flagship school, it is important not to become complacent. Flagship 2030 is a way to foster innovation and make stronger connections with everyone affected by CU.
“Taking on the role of a being a flagship is a special responsibility, not to just rest on our laurels, but to keep redefining what we do in a way that makes us closer to all of our stakeholders [students], alumni, tax payers, law makers, donors to CU and the general public,” he said.
He said students and groups like Honor Council, The Herd, Greek organizations, campus volunteer groups and many others contribute to maintaining excellence at CU-Boulder.
Ian Glass, a 21-year-old senior English and humanities double major, said he thinks going to a flagship school offers great opportunities.
“I respect the other schools [in the CU system], but I want to go to the school that offers the most,” Glass said. “Boulder embodies the ideals that all the satellite proxies are based on.”
Hilliard spoke to the relationship the Boulder campus has with other campuses in the CU system.
“Being a flagship institution is something special that we take pride in, but we don’t look down upon our fellow institutions,” he said. “We view ourselves as a first among equals.”
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Alex Lemley at Alexandria.lemley@colorado.edu.
