Centennial State News

Colorado State University has recently held a variety of public input sessions as part of its search to find the school’s next president.

Colorado Public Radio reports that Nick DeSalvo, a first-generation college student at CSU, was among various community members who voiced their opinion on what they want from who is chosen for the role.

“We need a president who understands that there are many students who do not have their mothers or their fathers paying for their college,” DeSalvo said during one of the August listening sessions, according to Colorado Public Radio.

In addition to finding ways to reduce costs for students, Colorado Public Radio states that other actions community members hope the new president will do include offering better compensation for staff and faculty, and providing additional resources for marginalized and underrepresented students.

CSU System Chief Academic Officer Rick Miranda became interim president on July 1 following then-CSU President Joyce McConnell’s departure on June 30.

According to Colorado Public Radio, McConnell would get a $1.5 million buyout for the remainder of her contract as part of the separation agreement with the Board of Governors. McConnell also resigned from her tenured position at CSU’s Warner College of Natural Resources.

Miranda is not seeking to serve as president permanently, thus a 31-member Presidential Search Advisory Committee will use the information gathered from community input sessions to find qualified candidates.