Published: Oct. 17, 2023

Daryl Maeda sees role as undergraduate dean in three parts, all to serve students

As dean of undergraduate education, I help CU Boulder think holistically and strategically about the undergraduate student experience across the entire university. Within that context, I see my role as having three parts, all of which serve students.

Part one: To advance student success from an equity-minded and data-informed perspective.

In this role, my team and I work closely with units across campus, including the colleges, schools, and programs, the campus advising community, Student Affairs, the Office of Data Analytics, the Registrar’s Office, Enrollment Management and many others. We strive to use data to identify impediments to student success and equity gaps, propose innovative solutions and work with partners to implement them.

Daryl Maeda Headshot

Part two: To oversee the Office of Undergraduate Education, which includes 11 units that provide support and opportunities to students.

The units within the Office of Undergraduate Education may seem quite different, yet I see them as enriching the student experience and contributing to the overall success of Buffs.

My role here is to lead, promote, and advocate for these programs, which include:

  • Presidents Leadership Class and the Army, Navy and Air Force ROTC programs for students exploring leadership.
  • The Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program, which funds students interested in conducting research.
  • Top Scholarships, working with coaches for students applying for prestigious scholarships, including the Fulbright, Marshall and Astronaut scholarships. 
  • The Undergraduate Enrichment Program, which brings together Boettcher, Norlin and Daniels scholars, and also the Student Academic Success Center, which provides exceptional underserved students with opportunities to learn together and create community.
  • Education Abroad, which provides myriad options to students who want to explore the world, and conversely, International Student and Scholar Services, which ensures that students and scholars around the globe can enhance our university by studying and conducting research here at CU.
  • The Writing Center, which offers all students the opportunity to become better writers.

Part three: To serve as the dean for the Program in Exploratory Studies (PES)

As dean of PES, I encourage our students to work closely with our excellent advising team to explore the abundance of programs offered, to find what sparks their passions, and to adopt a growth mindset that enhances their understanding of themselves and drives them to engage with and advocate for their communities.

Looking ahead: To continue to help improve retention and graduation rates and educational equity, and to enhance the First-Year Experience

I’m delighted to be a part of the team working to strengthen the academic support network and the CU LEAD Alliance. In response to a charge from Provost Moore, I am co-leading an effort to create a framework to ensure that all students who would benefit from wrap-around services have access to them.

I’m also dedicated to partnership with a number units to bolster the First-Year Experience for incoming students and improving access to advising, tutoring, and other forms of academic support for all of our undergraduate students.

Like Coach Prime, we are bringing a new sense of excitement and possibility to undergraduate education at CU. Sko Buffs!

Daryl Joji Maeda
Dean and Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education

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