Presidential transitions are important moments in the life of the university, and the Board of Governors of the Colorado State University System is committed to finding the best person to lead CSU Pueblo through the upcoming presidential transition and into a new era. We are grateful to everyone who completed the survey questionnaire and participated in our public listening sessions to help us best understand the qualities and experiences you hope to see in the University’s next president.

Those listening sessions and survey results have helped us form a clear picture of the qualities and types of experiences we hope to find in this new leader. The results of both exercises made it plain that connecting to the community of Pueblo and the surrounding Southern Colorado region is critical to the success of the next president. Similarly, it is clearly a high priority that we find someone with a commitment to the vital role and mission of a Hispanic-Serving Institution (on the verge of becoming a Minority-Serving Institution) who supports the University’s efforts to be welcoming and inclusive, and to deliver high-quality, innovative education to people from all walks of life. The Board understands the importance of shared governance in an academic environment and is committed to finding a president who shares this view, being able to fully engage faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the community in the life and future of the university. The university appears to be seeing new student enrollment growth based on recent investments, and a new executive leadership team is in place to support a new president, who will bring their own experience and knowledge in leading high-performing teams and managing complex organizational budgets where resources are aligned with priorities.  Opportunities exist for continued, improved alignment with the other campuses of the CSU System, including utilization of a shared infrastructure to lower costs and improve support to CSU Pueblo.  In short, we believe this is a bright moment for CSU Pueblo, and we are confident this opportunity will attract many highly qualified leaders from both academic and non-traditional sectors.

We believe that people with the skills to be successful in this role exist within Colorado and, similarly, that an understanding of Colorado in general and Pueblo more specifically is both critical at this stage of the University’s development and most likely to be attained within Colorado. For this reason, the Board will conduct the presidential search focusing within Colorado. The position description, to be finalized by the search advisory committee, will be posted to the CSU Pueblo presidential search website and the university community will be notified.  There will be a period of nominations and applications that will be followed by a selection of qualified candidates to be interviewed by the search advisory committee. This will be a confidential search in accordance with Colorado law, as has increasingly become the norm in higher education, in order to attract the most qualified candidates. The search advisory committee will recommend a slate of candidates to the Evaluation Committee of the Board of Governors, which is the hiring authority for the position.  The Board anticipates being able to conduct and conclude such a search before the end of the calendar year, when President Mottet will step down. This timeframe and scope will ensure a more seamless and less disruptive transition that capitalizes on current, positive momentum.

The Board and the Colorado State University System are committed to finding an exceptional leader with a deep appreciation for the culture, needs, and promise of Southern Colorado and the unique mission and character of Colorado State University Pueblo – and we believe this process will allow us to best deliver on that commitment. 

Presidential Search Timeline (Subject To Change)

About the Position

CSU Pueblo seeks a skilled administrator with exceptional communication and interpersonal skills to serve as the chief administrative officer of the University. The president has general authority and responsibility for the strategic leadership and management of the institution and its resources, within the direction of the Colorado State University System Board of Governors and under the supervision of the CSU System Chancellor. The Board of Governors is nine-member Board appointed by the Governor of Colorado and confirmed by the State Senate. The CSU System mission is to support, enhance, and protect the unique missions of the CSU System institutions and encourage collaboration that benefits all students and Colorado. The CSU campuses include CSU Pueblo, the flagship CSU campus in Fort Collins, the fully online CSU Global, and the non-degree-granting CSU Spur public experiential campus in Denver.

Benefits

The anticipated salary range is $275,000 - $305,000, commensurate with experience, as well as discretionary incentive compensation, moving, travel and housing allowances.

CSU Pueblo Administrative Professionals Handbook

Application and Nominations

CSU Pueblo seeks an accomplished leader who understands the unique role and value of a regional comprehensive university and will engage, collaborate and inspire faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the surrounding community to achieve a shared vision of excellence.

The Search Advisory Committee invites letters of nomination and applications (letter of interest plus resume/CV detailing education and employment history). These should be submitted to CSUPuebloPresidentialSearch@colostate.edu  by September 11, 2023, for full consideration. References may be requested as needed. Review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the appointment is made. This will be a confidential search in accordance with Colorado law, as has increasingly become the norm in higher education, to attract the most qualified candidates.

The Colorado State University System does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, religion, national origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status or disability.

About Us: One of three campuses in the Colorado State University System, CSU Pueblo is a public regional, comprehensive university located about 100 miles south of Denver. A federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution, CSU Pueblo currently serves more than 3,500 students—among the most diverse student bodies in Colorado. Described by the CSU System as “diverse, intimate, and supportive,” CSU Pueblo serves the Southern Colorado region offering both undergraduate and graduate degrees in business, education, engineering, nursing, science, social sciences, arts, and humanities. Independently accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, CSU Pueblo also maintains specialized accreditation in many academic programs.

CSU Pueblo’s campus, spanning more than 275 acres, crowns the north end of Pueblo, Colorado. Pueblo is a historically and culturally rich city of over 100,000 located in the heart of the state, along the Arkansas River near the Greenhorn Mountains in the colorful Pikes Peak region of Southern Colorado. Approximately 300 sunny days a year attract outdoor enthusiasts to a full slate of summer and winter recreational activities, encompassing water sports at Lake Pueblo, biking or running along Pueblo’s beautiful river trail system, golfing, playing tennis, hiking or skiing in the mountains to the west, or just getting some sun. The nightlife venues feature local and national artists performing at the Sangre De Cristo Arts & Conference Center, dinner theaters, and local nightclubs. The city features shopping malls and a 14-screen theater approximately 2 miles from campus, and the Royal Gorge Bridge is less than an hour away.