Announcing Retirement of Executive Vice Chancellor Rod Nairn, 9-17-2025

Dear students, faculty and staff,

I write to share the news that CU Anschutz Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs Roderick Nairn, PhD, has announced his decision to retire.

Dr. Nairn has been an integral part of CU Anschutz since our early days on this campus, joining us in 2007 as vice chancellor for university initiatives and vice provost for the consolidated University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus. He was named provost and vice chancellor for academic and student affairs the following year. Dr. Nairn continued to lead these areas on both the CU Denver and CU Anschutz campuses, through many challenging and transformational times. He was appointed to his current role four years ago, overseeing faculty, academic and student affairs across CU Anschutz, and we have appreciated his deep, steadfast dedication and enormous impact. In recognition of his service, he received a special resolution of appreciation from the CU Board of Regents.

On a personal note, Rod has been with me for the entirety of my tenure as Chancellor. His wisdom has been an invaluable asset to me throughout that time, and his friendship to me and many others has contributed to all. 

Over the course of his tenure, Dr. Nairn has been instrumental in boosting our academic mission and expanding our reach. He developed robust pathway programs and intercampus educational offerings that have brought generations of future leaders in health, medicine and basic sciences to train here. Under his watch, we have grown enrollments, expanded student support services and increased the number of degrees awarded annually. He also led us tirelessly through our initial accreditation in 2011 and our reaccreditation in 2021. 

Dr. Nairn has been a vital force for advancing the growth and evolution of our campus, contributing to key academic milestones including the establishment of the Colorado School of Public Health and the launch of numerous degree programs and centers on both campuses. He has elevated the visibility of our academic programs and fostered a collaborative culture that continues to draw top faculty and students.

A biochemist by training, Dr. Nairn is also a tenured professor of biology at CU Denver and a professor of immunology and microbiology in the CU School of Medicine, with numerous publications and a textbook to his name. He has mentored and inspired many trainees throughout his career, and our campus owes him a debt of gratitude for positioning us for our next chapter.

We are grateful that Dr. Nairn will remain in his role full time through the end of this calendar year, transitioning to part time through June 2026 as we bring his successor on board. An internal search will begin immediately. 

Please join me in thanking Dr. Nairn for his tremendous contributions to CU Anschutz, CU Denver and the university ‒ and for all he has done to advance academic medicine throughout a distinguished career. We are a stronger institution for his steady and thoughtful leadership, and we are deeply appreciative of all he made possible over the past 18 years. We will share details about an event to thank Dr. Nairn in person once finalized, and we wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement. 

Sincerely,

Don Elliman
Chancellor