Colorado policy institute renamed the Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy; announces a partnership with Metropolitan State University of Denver
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Contact:
Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy:
Scott Fisher, scott.fisher@evidence-based.org, c 303-434-0411
MSU Denver:
Tim Carroll, carrollt@msudenver.edu, c 303-870-7705
Renamed the Romer Institute in honor of Governor Roy Romer; his gubernatorial papers donated to MSU Denver as a teaching archive for the next generation of Colorado public leaders
A tribute, too, to Bea Romer, whose pioneering work made early childhood education a cornerstone of Colorado public life
DENVER - The Institute of Evidence-based Policymaking (IEBP) today announced that it is being renamed the Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy and is establishing an affiliation with Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) - the university that Governor Roy Romer championed into existence as a young state legislator more than six decades ago.
As part of this affiliation, Governor Romer will donate his papers to MSU Denver's archives encompassing his 12 years as Governor. The collection will be a valuable resource for research and study. Governor Romer’s career spans decades in public service — from his years in the Colorado Legislature and three terms as governor to his leadership of the Los Angeles Unified School District and national education-reform efforts.
Governor Romer built institutions on the conviction that good decisions require honest evidence, that common ground is more available than politics suggests, and that the people who govern communities deserve the best available information. The Romer Institute exists to carry that conviction forward.
Governor Jared Polis called the announcement a landmark moment for Colorado:
“Governor Romer showed Colorado and the country what it looks like when a leader governs from the evidence. His record is a masterclass in finding common ground. The Romer Institute carries that same discipline into the work it brings to state and local decision-makers, and I can’t think of a more fitting name for an organization doing exactly what Roy Romer spent his career demonstrating was possible. The affiliation with MSU Denver, the university he built for working Coloradans, makes this moment complete. And Bea Romer’s pioneering work to make early childhood education a foundation of Colorado policy, work that created the framework our universal preschool program is built on, reminds us that evidence-based governing runs in this amazing Colorado family.”
Professor Paul Romer, 2018 Nobel Laureate in Economics, reflected on his father's governing legacy and the Institute's mission:
“When my father took office in 1987, Colorado was in its worst economic downturn since the Depression. His response was to invest - in Denver International Airport, the Convention Center, the Colorado Rockies - and to listen. He listened because he knew that no one has special access to the truth. Because he listened, business, labor, and both political parties all stayed on task and worked to make Colorado stronger. The progress during his three terms shows what's possible when politicians are decent enough, pragmatic enough, and humble enough to lead by following the truth. The Romer Institute supports this old-fashioned approach to leadership by providing rigorous, honest research that decision-makers can actually use.”
Renaming the institute: a tribute to Governor Roy Romer
Governor Romer's career is a highly instructive example of evidence-based, nonpartisan governance. As a three-term Governor, he played an instrumental role in creating Denver International Airport and securing the Colorado Rockies through sustained community engagement. His "oatmeal circuit" of Adams County diners was evidence collection as much as politics, letting the concerns of working people shape decisions. He co-founded Western Governors University by following evidence about learner needs rather than institutional convention. He led the Los Angeles Unified School District. Governor Romer’s approach throughout his career has been characterized by defining the problem clearly, gathering the best available evidence, engaging the people affected, and acting on what the evidence supports.
That is precisely the mission of the Institute he is now honoring with his name. Since its founding in 2023, IEBP has provided Colorado’s governor and local executive policymakers independent, nonpartisan policy analysis designed to be accessible, timely, credible, and actionable.
The announcement also honors the memory of Bea Romer, Colorado’s First Lady for twelve years and a pioneering advocate for early childhood education, who passed away in 2023. Through her dedicated leadership on behalf of children, Bea helped shape Colorado’s preschool landscape for generations.
A legacy gift of $2 million over five years from the Romer family makes the renaming possible and provides long-term support for the Institute’s mission, and the family has committed to an active role in building the broader philanthropic base that will carry the Romer Institute forward.
Balan Nair, chair of the Romer Institute’s board of directors, reflected on the significance of the naming:
“Governor Romer governed with the understanding that the best decisions come from the highest quality data, honestly gathered and clearly presented, regardless of where it leads politically. That is what this Institute was built to provide, and that is what this board is committed to sustaining. The Romer family’s generosity makes it possible for that commitment to endure.”
Shepard Nevel, CEO of the Romer Institute, said the naming represents both a responsibility and an affirmation:
“Governor Romer's three terms and his tenure as Superintendent exemplified evidence-based governance and a deep commitment to understanding how decisions affect the people they're meant to serve. Having his name on the Institute, and having it affiliated with the university he built, is an honor and a responsibility to keep doing work that is rigorous, independent, and actionable.”
Affiliation with Metropolitan State University of Denver
The affiliation between the Romer Institute and MSU Denver is a natural homecoming. As a young state legislator in the early 1960s, Romer chaired the task force that recommended the university’s establishment and guided the appropriations bill through the Colorado Senate. As President Davidson has said: “We literally would not exist as a university if it were not for the determination and tenacity of Roy Romer.”
Under the agreement, which preserves the full independence of both institutions, the Romer Institute and MSU Denver will co-host public policy convenings, including the Romer Institute Evidence in Practice Speaker Series and ballot measure forums. The Romer Institute will engage MSU Denver students through presentations, practitioner networks, and observation opportunities within its statewide network of executive policy makers. The two organizations will also explore joint grant proposals and curriculum development in evidence-based policymaking.
Janine Davidson, President of Metropolitan State University of Denver, welcomed the partnership.
“Roy Romer’s belief in expanding access to education helped make MSU Denver possible 60 years ago, and his commitment to public service and pragmatic leadership continues to reflect the values of our university today. This affiliation creates meaningful opportunities for our students to engage with public policy and civic leadership, while helping preserve and share the legacy of one of Colorado’s most consequential public servants.”
MSU Denver Provost, Matthew Makley, PhD. emphasized the benefit to future leaders:
“This partnership will help prepare the next generation of Colorado leaders, public servants, and policymakers to confront the increasingly complex challenges facing our state and nation — from water scarcity and rapid population growth to political polarization, public trust, and economic inequality.”
The Romer gubernatorial papers: a teaching archive comes home
Governor Roy Romer will donate his papers to MSU Denver’s from his 12 years as Governor. The collection will be a valuable resource for research and study. The papers will support undergraduate research and a new curriculum initiative developed collaboratively by the Romer Institute, MSU Denver faculty and the University’s Institute for Public Service. Students will have the opportunity to engage directly with original materials documenting Gov. Romer’s leadership, policy strategies and governing challenges, supporting research projects and experiential learning opportunities across multiple disciplines.
Cross-partisan leadership in a divided environment.
Throughout his career, Romer operated on the conviction that evidence presented clearly and in a nonpartisan manner can cultivate common ground even in politically divided environments. That conviction, that disagreements between people are usually about means, not ends, and that good information helps find those means, is a founding premise of the Romer Institute’s work.
About the Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy
The Romer Institute of Evidence-based Policy is a Colorado-based nonpartisan nonprofit research organization committed to unbiased, evidence-based research adhering to the highest standards to support executive decision makers in the public and private sector. The Institute operates with a commitment to being reliable, unbiased, entrepreneurial, highly customized, and timely. Learn more at evidence-based.org.
About Metropolitan State University of Denver
Metropolitan State University of Denver is Colorado’s student-centered public university—offering affordable, flexible degree- and career-focused programs in the heart of downtown Denver. MSU Denver connects learners of all backgrounds to exceptional teaching, real-world experience and meaningful opportunities in Colorado’s economy.
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