Dear Roadrunners,
As we near the end of the semester and prepare for Fall Break, it’s a great time to reflect on the gratitude we feel for our incredible Metropolitan State University of Denver community. From our dedicated faculty and staff to our hardworking students, each of you contributes to making our campus a vibrant and welcoming place, and I hope you enjoy some well-earned time off.
Getting ready for the holidays
As a reminder, campus will be closed Thursday and Friday for Fall Break, and Winter Break, Dec. 25-Jan. 1, is just around the corner. I encourage everyone to clean out office refrigerators and remove any leftover food before heading out. Pest management becomes challenging when the campus is quiet, so let’s do our part to maintain a clean workspace.
In the meantime, most campus vendors have adjusted their operational schedules this week. Be sure to check out this list of Fall Break and Tivoli Student Union hours of operation before making plans.
As we enter this festive season, let’s also celebrate the diversity of traditions that make our community special. Many faiths observe significant holidays this time of year, while other folks choose not to celebrate at all. Whatever your traditions, please take a moment to honor the shared values of respect and inclusion and review the MSU Denver multiyear holiday and multifaith calendars.
Welcoming Matt Murray to MSU Denver
It’s my pleasure to introduce Matt Murray as our new senior facilities manager. Murray brings a rich and varied background to this role, including experience as an artist, Marine and former firefighter. His expertise in building and facilities management includes his time as the building-operations manager at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver and grounds-and-facilities manager for the Penland School of Craft in North Carolina.
Since joining MSU Denver on Nov. 4, Matt has already hit the ground running. He has tackled critical projects such as repairing the roof at the Center for Visual Art and collaborating with the Auraria Higher Education Center to address heating, ventilation and air-conditioning issues. Matt has shared his enthusiasm for the role and is eager to meet the people who make our campus community so dynamic. Please join me in extending him a warm Roadrunner welcome.
Join us for Lunch With Larry
The next Lunch With Larry is Dec. 6 at noon in Jordan Student Success Building Room 330C. Join me to ask questions, share ideas, provide feedback and hear campus-operations updates. The casual lunchtime conversation sessions also give me an opportunity to hear what is most pressing and important to the University community. So grab your lunch and join me for the upcoming session either in person or virtually.
Can’t make it in person? Join us virtually via Microsoft Teams:
- Meeting ID: 228 730 520 392
- Passcode: yMvGJV
I’m grateful for the collective efforts that make MSU Denver a special home for learning and growth. Enjoy the Fall Break.
Sincerely,
Larry Sampler
Chief Operating Officer and Vice President for Administration
Metropolitan State University of Denver
