CAMPUS NEWS

DU WINS NCAA HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP

April 13th declared Pioneer Hockey Day
The University of Denver won the NCAA hockey championship for the first time since 1969, somehow surviving a 6-on-3 siege in the final minute of play. Two of its players were in the penalty box covering their eyes as the Black Bears pulled their goalie to provide a sixth attacker against three DU defenders. Fortunately for DU, the only goalie left on the ice, the Pioneers' Adam Berkhoel, continued to reject everything the Black Bears threw at him, making Gauthier's first-period goal hold up for the victory. That produced just the third shutout in the history of the national championship game. Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry was among the attendees. Denver won five national titles in a 12-year span in the 1950s and '60s, but none since 1969.

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ALPHA ZETA’S NEWEST NEIGHBOR GETS A NAME

The University of Denver’s new College of Law was recently named in honor of the late Frank H. Ricketson Jr. Ricketson was a 1919 graduate of the Westminster College of Law, which later merged with the DU College of Law. Prominent in Denver's civic and cultural life for half a century, Ricketson provided for several Colorado institutions in his will. He left the University of Denver $7 million for the law school. The Park Hill law complex was named for Ricketson, and his gift was divided into two approximately equal funds. One of them has enhanced programs at the law school since that time, while the other was invested for future use. Over the years, the second fund grew to $12 million and was instrumental in the plan to finance the new law building, which opened last August 2003.

LACROSS STADIUM TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION THIS SUMMER

This summer DU will break ground on a $5-million stadium solely for lacrosse, the fastest growing sport in Colorado. Construction of the Lacrosse Stadium will be completed by February 2005. The 2,000-seat stadium will replace the temporary bleachers between the lacrosse and soccer fields adjacent to the west entrance of the Ritchie Center. The north-facing stadium will feature stone walls with pre-cast concrete bench seating, locker rooms for men and women, public restrooms, a concession area, a viewing pavilion/conference room and a press box that will also serve the soccer field to the south.

THE UNIVERSITY OF DENVER’S FIRST PRESIDENT

Colorado Governor Bill Owens' former secretary of technology was appointed the University of Denver’s very first President last fall by Chancellor Daniel L. Ritchie. Holtzman was a controversial presidential semifinalist at Colorado State University. His candidacy made headlines for weeks as critics charged political interference when Owens endorsed him before the school launched its search. The day after Holtzman was rejected by CSU, Ritchie offered him the newly created job. Last month the millionaire told his boss, chancellor Daniel Ritchie, he will work for no pay - just as Ritchie does. "I told him I wanted to make that contribution," said Holtzman, an investment banker who made a fortune in Eastern Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Ritchie says he has no plans to retire soon and that Holtzman is not DU's chancellor-in-training, despite persistent rumors on campus.

DU INTERVIEWS APPLICANTS: ALL OF THEM

DU staff and alumni recently completed face-to-face interviews with next year's batch of prospective students. All 3,800 of them. Between December and February, in hotels in 29 cities, at least two or three DU representatives spent at least 20 minutes with each applicant. DU spent about $425,000 on the process, dubbed the Hyde Interviews, after Ammi Hyde, one of the original faculty members at DU. The University is recruiting alumni for the next set of interviews late this year. We want lots of our Beta alums out there scooping out DU’s incoming students for good Alpha Zeta prospects! If you are interested in joining an interview team in the Ammi Hyde Interview program, contact Director of Alumni Admission Megan Hinton at 800.525.9495 or mhinton@du.edu, or Beta’s contact Jason LeGrand at 303-871-4674 or jlegrand@du.edu. In other Admissions news, Thomas F. Willoughby, vice president of admission and financial aid at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, will become the University of Denver’s Vice Chancellor for Enrollment on July 1.

JUST A REMINDER:

HOMECOMING
OCTOBER 22-24, 2004

UNIVERSITY OF DENVER ALUMNI REUNIONS
Class of 1954 Reunion: June 4-6, 2004
Class of 1979 Reunion: Oct. 22-24, 2004