CU’s Kris Livingston gets ‘A’ for leading Buffs to all-time academic success
Livingston reflects on her career achievements and those of the Buffs she mentors.
Kris Livingston, executive senior associate athletic director for student success, is set to retire from Ҵýƽ on June 1. Livingston joined the CU Athletic Department in 1997 as the first-ever director of women’s basketball operations under then-head coach Ceal Barry. Since 2007, Livingston has overseen the academic experience of CU student-athletes and directed the Herbst Academic Center.
She sits on the senior leadership team of Ҵýƽ Athletic Director Rick George and reports directly to Provost Russell Moore. George describes her “sole focus” as “putting the student-athlete first,” noting that under her leadership, “our student-athletes continually have set new standards of excellence in the classroom,” leaving a legacy at CU of “scores of student-athletes who have earned their degrees and have been set up for success outside of competition.”
Moore notes simply that Livingston “embodies the highest academic values of Ҵýƽ, which are reflected in the academic records set during the last year by our teams: the highest GPA ever recorded for football—3.01—and eight of our 15 teams recording their highest GPAs ever.” The Provost’s Post talked with Livingston to reflect on her career achievements and those of the Buffs she mentors.
What achievements are you most proud of?
I am proud of the current department and team GPAs, graduation rates, academic progress rates and eligibility rates, and that we’ve been both strategic and ethical along the way. We have never compromised the integrity of our pursuit or our actions. In the fall semester, every one of our 15 teams earned over a 3.0 GPA for the first time in our history.
I’m also proud of having helped a number of our Buffs return to CU and complete their degrees. It’s really hard to finish college after taking time away for a job or career, family or mental health reasons. I tried to make some of the processes and procedures easier on them—while providing understanding and support—and I love hanging their pictures on our graduation wall. Staying connected with former Buffs has been rewarding.
What has been the biggest change you've observed in intercollegiate athletics in your time with the department?
The biggest changes are happening right now. After the extraordinary challenge and successful implementation of keeping the athletic department running and our teams competing through COVID-19, I thought that there couldn’t possibly be bigger changes during my remaining tenure. I was wrong.
The combination of the transfer portal, student-athletes in all sports being permitted to transfer multiple times in a college career and compete immediately, name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities, and the allowance of revenue sharing directly to student-athletes, means nothing looks like it did as little as five years ago. In the Herbst Academic Center, we work with student-athletes as they are being recruited, transferring in, transferring out and/or remaining at CU. In addition to applying our strategic plan every day, much of our work centers around the positive, respectful relationships we have with the student-athletes. Once they trust that we have their best interests at heart, motivating them to succeed academically and holding them accountable is easier. If they are transferring in or out, we have less time to build that solid foundation. That’s a big change for all of us in the Herbst Academic Center right now.
What gives you the greatest joy in your day-to-day work?
My greatest joys are seeing and connecting with our student-athletes and former student-athletes, assisting our coaches and of course, watching our Buffs compete and win.
Can you think of a moment or an event that really captures the essence of your work, that reminds you of why you do the job you do and the rewards of doing it?
For me, it would have to be commencement every year. I like to say that for our staff in the Herbst Academic Center, graduation is our national championship. We work so hard to help many of our student-athletes understand what it takes to achieve success in the classroom, and it feels terrific to see them earn their diplomas. For some of our students, without sports they would not have had the opportunity to attend college, let alone earn a degree from an institution like CU.
What will you be doing in the next stage of your life?
I am retiring on June 1, and I have joked with friends that I will sleep for a week. I love my work at CU, and my dedication and passion has led, at times, to longer hours and time on campus (which I would do exactly the same way if I were to do it over!). I’m looking forward to spending more time with my wife, our friends and family. We already have a trip planned to see my mom and family in Ohio. I’ll take some time this summer before I decide where I will volunteer. And, of course, we will still be regulars at Buffs’ sporting events.