This story was originally published by Chalkbeat.

DENVER | In June, the Colorado Department of Higher Education announced a newly revamped Basic Needs Campus designation recognizing 17 colleges and universities for supporting students facing challenges such as food insecurity and mental health needs.

The designation is one of four state recognition programs aimed at encouraging public and private colleges and universities to better support students. While the designations don’t come with additional funding, they establish statewide standards for how colleges and universities provide services that help students stay enrolled, graduate, and prepare for careers.

CDHE Chief Educational Equity Officer Gillian McKnight-Tutein said the designations have helped hold schools accountable even without funding. She added they have fostered collaboration among campuses and created a sense of pride as schools share strategies to help students succeed.

“Schools want to send a signal to their students, ‘We got you, we have your back, and we will take care of you when you’re here,’” said McKnight-Tutein, who oversees the state’s designation programs.

The revamped Basic Needs Campus designation combines the former Healthy Minds Campus and Hunger Free Campus recognitions. Here’s a rundown of all of the higher education designations and what they mean.

What are the designations?

Colorado’s higher education designations fall into three broad categories: student success, career preparation, and student well-being. The state has plans to create other designations, McKnight-Tutein said.

The first category, which includes designations created by the state legislature, focuses on student success.

In 2024, Colorado lawmakers created the First-Generation Serving Institution designation to measure how well colleges and universities support students who are the first in their families to attend college. To earn the designation, schools must enroll first-generation students at rates above the statewide average. Twenty-one schools have earned the designation.

Lawmakers also created the Thriving Institutions designation this year. The state expects to begin recognizing campuses this fall and honor colleges and universities based on measures including student retention and graduation rates.

The second type of designation focuses on how well colleges and universities prepare students for jobs.

The Career Connected Campus designation recognizes schools that provide students with work-based learning experiences and prepare them for in-demand, high-wage careers. Twelve schools have earned the designation.

The state also recognizes colleges and universities that participate in a network of schools seeking to expand work-based learning opportunities.

The third category centers on students’ social well-being. That includes the revamped Basic Needs Campus designation, which awards schools “cornerstone” or “comprehensive” status based on the mental health and food support services available to students.

McKnight-Tutein said the designations help signal to students that certain supports should be available no matter where they attend college in Colorado. The department also encourages campuses to test new approaches and share successful practices with one another.

How Western Colorado met the designation’s expectations

Western Colorado University has earned three designations: Basic Needs Campus, First-Generation Serving Institute, and Career Connected Campus.

Holly Hunter, the school’s assistant director of community wellness, said earning those designations requires offering services students might need, such as food pantries, advisors to connect students to government assistance, and on-campus mental health counseling.

Meeting the designation standards also means making sure every staff member knows what resources are available and can connect students with them. Students don’t just get food, Hunter said. They interact with staff who are trained to ask questions and build relationships.

Hunter recalled conversations with a student that revealed a family member had been diagnosed with cancer.

Hunter and other staff quickly connected the student with community groups that helped arrange transportation home. They also worked to make sure the student’s academic needs were addressed, asking questions such as, “How are we making sure that your academics are managed? Who’s the person talking with all of your professors?”

“And I think that’s one of those things where everybody is involved in that student’s success,” Hunter said.

Which campuses have designations

First-Generation Serving campuses

Aims Community College

Arapahoe Community College

Colorado Northwestern Community College

Community College of Aurora

Community College of Denver

Front Range Community College

Lamar Community College

Morgan Community College

Northeastern Junior College

Otero College

Pikes Peak State College

Pueblo Community College

Red Rocks Community College

Trinidad State College

Adams State University

Colorado Mesa University

Colorado State University Pueblo

Fort Lewis College

Metropolitan State University of Denver

University of Colorado Denver

University of Northern Colorado

Six other public and private colleges get recognition for participating in the FirstGen Forward Network. They are:

Colorado State University

Regis University

University of Colorado Boulder

University of Colorado Colorado Springs

University of Denver

Western Colorado University

Career Connected campuses

Colorado College

Colorado School of Mines

Colorado State University Fort Collins

Colorado State University Global

Metropolitan State University of Denver

Regis University

University of Colorado Denver

University of Denver

University of Northern Colorado

Western Colorado University

Community College of Aurora

Pueblo Community College

Basic Needs campuses

Colorado School of Mines

Colorado State University Fort Collins

Colorado State University Pueblo

Fort Lewis College

Metropolitan State University of Denver

University of Colorado Boulder

University of Colorado Colorado Springs

University of Colorado Denver

University of Northern Colorado

Western Colorado University

Aims Community College

Arapahoe Community College

Colorado Mountain College

Community College of Aurora

Front Range Community College

Pikes Peak State College

Red Rocks Community College

Jason Gonzales is a reporter covering higher education and the Colorado legislature. Chalkbeat Colorado partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. Contact Jason at [email protected]. Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.

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