Making Pivotal Decisions
The year 2003 was a pivotal year for Mesa State College. Going into that year, Mesa State was one of three state colleges left in the State Colleges in Colorado consortium following the departure of Metro State the prior year. By July 1, 2003, Adams State, Mesa State, and Western State were also stand-alone institutions with independent boards of trustees. For the first time in decades, Mesa State College could determine its own fate.
The CMU Board of Trustees has nine voting members and two non-voting members, who represent students and faculty. The 2003 trustees appointed by Governor Bill Owens were Garrett Branson (student representative), Luis Colón, Lena Elliott, Jamie Hamilton, Thomas Kaesemeyer, Steve Meyer, Charlie Monfort, Carol Nesland, Jane North, Gayla Jo Slauson (faculty representative), and James Wexels.
In January 2025, Elliott, Hamilton, Kaesemeyer, Meyer, Montfort, and Slauson met at CMU to reflect on their turbulent first year and the consequent growth of CMU over the next two decades. Following this meeting, Lena Elliott, chair of the 2003 board, was effusive in her praise of the original trustees. “Governor Owens put together a great board. Visionaries, business leaders—everybody had experience in education and on boards. This group just clicked.”
Immediate Challenges
Once assembled, the new board immediately faced two major challenges. The college budget was in deficit, and Mesa State did not have a permanent president.
“My main concern was choosing a new president,” recalled Tom Kaesemeyer. After a search process that extended into 2004, the board unanimously chose Tim Foster and unknowingly set off a firestorm of community dissent.
First, there were questions of Foster’s suitability. “Tim was more of a businessman than he was an academic,” said Steve Meyer. “The presidents, especially at Mesa State, were all academic presidents.” Faculty and local media were critical and suspicious of the search process, with the student editor of The Criterion suing the trustees under Colorado’s open-meeting law.
But the choice of Foster, according to the trustees, was obvious. “It wasn’t even a close question at all. It was very clear that Tim had the skills, the personality, and the strength to be a good president,” shared Kaesemeyer.
According to the trustees, one of the many reasons Foster was hired was his business mindset. “The financial aspect scared the heck out of me when we first sat down and looked at those numbers. We found out we were about two million dollars-plus in the red because nothing matched up,” Charlie Monfort remembers.
“One of the first things (Foster) did was eliminate the deans,” said Steve Meyer. “Tim recognized redundancy in the system in terms of positions, and he also recognized an opportunity,” explained Kaesemeyer. “He looked at the department chairs and said, ‘Let them do their job.’ It was a logical step, but it took a lot of courage.”
And while this cost-saving move shook up the faculty, Gayla Jo Slauson added that ultimately, “the department chairs appreciated being given a bigger role.”
According to Monfort, everything was on the table in terms of financial stability. Building new dorms and expanding food services was seen as a money maker, and new campus facilities became a top priority. “We started that fairly early in our trusteeship. I think that’s what really instigated the growth of this campus,” he explained.
The Next Hundred Years
Closing the conversation, the 2003 trustees discussed the challenges they see as CMU moves into the next hundred years.
State funding continues to be a top-tier issue, especially during years when the state budget is tight. Slauson pointed out that as Grand Junction becomes more expensive, it’s hard to “bring in faculty.” But with record-setting student enrollment and consistent growth, attracting and retaining additional faculty is a necessity. “There is only so much you can do with adjuncts,” she explained.
Jamie Hamilton, who along with Slauson served as both a State Colleges in Colorado trustee and as a Mesa State trustee, reframed the question. “I see nothing but opportunities going forward,” he stated. “Because that’s what this community has done. When they hit a roadblock, they figure it out and get it done. So, when I hear people talk about challenges, I see nothing but opportunities for Colorado Mesa University.”
A Story 100 Years in the Making
Want to learn more about CMU's history? Purchase Colorado Mesa University - A Century of the Maverick Spirit, written by Amber J. D'Ambrosio and Kristen Lummis. The 192-page book chronicles CMU's 100-year journey of growth, resilience, and community impact, celebrating the people and moments that shaped our Maverick history.
CMU's Century Project honors one hundred years of Colorado Mesa University's rich history - celebrating the people, milestones and spirit that have shaped our enduring legacy. As we reflect on this meaningful milestone, proceeds from the commemorative Century Book and events throughout the year will benefit the Century Scholarship, ensuring that future generations of CMU students can continue to grow, learn and carry the CMU legacy forward.