Search for the 16th President of Colorado State University

About the Search

The Colorado State University System Board of Governors is launching a national search for the next President of CSU. To ensure a successful search for a visionary and accomplished leader who can harness and strengthen the remarkable momentum of this leading national public research University, the Board of Governors has established a Presidential Search Advisory Committee and has selected a premier national search firm to help identify the next leader for Colorado State University.

Virtual and In-Person Listening Sessions

The search committee for the next president of CSU hosted a series of public listening sessions Aug. 22-31, 2022 to hear from stakeholders about what qualities they want to see a new leader bring to the Fort Collins campus. (Full announcement from August)

Listening Sessions Feedback Reports

Thanks for Sharing Your Opinions

To understand what qualities people hope to see in the next president, the CSU System launched a survey (based on a similar survey developed and used at MIT) that has been widely distributed to students, staff, faculty, alumni, donors, and elected officials.

The survey was open to the public and is available in English and Spanish.

Survey responses were accepted through August 31, 2022.

Full position description

The Board of Governors of the Colorado State University System invites letters of recommendation and applications for the position of President of Colorado State University.

Presidential Search Advisory Committee

The 31-member Presidential Search Advisory Committee will conduct listening sessions and provide input on the development of a job description that will be used in a national search that results in a qualified and diverse candidate pool. The committee will identify and interview a set of candidates and then recommend qualified candidates for consideration by the Board of Governors, which is the hiring authority.

Members of the Search Advisory Committee include:

  • Armando Valdez, Board of Governors; Committee Chair
  • Reham Abdunabi, Political Science; student
  • Brett Anderson, alumni/donor; administrative professional
  • Dr. Olivia Arnold, Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences; non-tenure-track faculty
  • Polly Baca, Board of Governors
  • Stacey Baumgarn, CSU Facilities; state classified staff
  • Dr. Albert Bimper, professor of Ethnic Studies; Athletics administrator and alumnus; associate vice provost and associate dean for the College of Liberal Arts; interim chief of staff
  • Don Brown, former Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture; alumni/donor
  • Carla Dore, Workplace Resource; alumni/donor
  • Dr. Nate Easley, Board of Governors
  • Paula Edwards, alumni/donor
  • John Fischer, Board of Governors
  • Dora Frias, Director of El Centro
  • Bill Hammerich, Colorado Livestock Association
  • Dr. Sonia Kreidenweis, Atmospheric Science; University Distinguished Professor; and Interim Dean of the Graduate School
  • Faith Largo, Natural Sciences/Biology; student
  • Rob Long, Finance and Real Estate/Business Administration; student and ASCSU representative to the Board of Governors
  • Betsy Markey, Board of Governors
  • Todd Marksberry, CEO, Canvas Credit Union; donor/corporate partner
  • Dr. John Moore, Ecosystem Science and Sustainability; faculty
  • Dr. Andrew Norton, Agricultural Biology; faculty representative to the Board of Governors
  • Erik Olson, alumni/donor
  • Kathay Rennels, Interim VP for Engagement and Extension
  • Jimena Sagàs, University Libraries; faculty
  • Ivan Caro Terrazas, graduate student in Physics
  • Laura Thornes, International Programs, Administrative Professional representative
  • Toni-Lee Viney, Mechanical Engineering; administrative-professional
  • Dr. Diana Wall, School of Global Environmental Sustainability; University Distinguished Professor; faculty
  • Dr. Lise Youngblade, Dean, College of Health and Human Sciences
  • Marcus Zacarias, Political Science; student
  • Alisha Zmuda, Classified Personnel Council

Charge to the Committee

Presidential Search Timeline

By end of July 2022

Search Advisory Committee appointed

By end of July 2022

July-August 2022

Launch of Stakeholder Input Survey

July-August 2022

August 15, 2022

Search Advisory Committee charged

August 15, 2022

Last half of August 2022

Search Advisory Committee listening sessions

Last half of August 2022

Early September 2022

Position description finalized and posted

Early September 2022

Early November 2022

Search Advisory Committee identifies candidates for confidential interviews

Early November 2022

Early November 2022

Candidate interviews with Search Advisory Committee

Early November 2022

By end of November 2022

Committee recommends candidates to the Board of Governors for consideration

By end of November 2022

Search Firm

The Parker Executive Search firm, which has conducted more than 2,000 senior-level searches over the past 30 years, will assist with the national search. Parker Executive Search is a top global executive search firm. It has a national and international client base that includes leading colleges and universities, top intercollegiate and professional sports programs, Fortune 1000 corporations, nationally recognized academic health sciences centers, and hospitals/health systems.

About Colorado State University​

Colorado State University is one of the nation’s top public research universities and an institution on the rise. In the last decade, CSU has produced record enrollment, built on all-time highs in student diversity and student success; record fundraising far outpacing ambitious goals; groundbreaking research driven by a highly productive faculty; a campus revitalized by a transformational building campaign; and, perhaps most important, an unrivaled learning environment where nine of 10 recent graduates say they would choose CSU again and rate their education as excellent.

Students studying
Colorado State in Fort Collins promotes innovation, technology, and entrepreneurialism.
Students at Horsetooth Reservoir
CSU is located on Colorado's Front Range in a beautiful city with access to the best mountains and recreation in the nation, including Horsetooth Reservoir.
Veterinary Medicine students working with a horse
CSU's Veterinary School, ranked third in the nation, improves the health of animals, people, and the planet through innovative and dedicated teaching, research, outreach, and clinical service.
Students on campus
With sustainability as a core and strategic CSU value, Colorado State has been recognized as one of the top universities in the country for sustainability education, research, and engagement.
CSU Mountain Campus
CSU's 1,600-acre Mountain Campus at 9,000 feet, is a unique opportunity for student learning, conferences, workshops, meetings, and retreats in the natural world of the Rocky Mountains.
Colorado State University Basketball
Colorado State's athletics programs succeed in competition and in the classroom.
CSU Campus
As more than 5,000 students make campus their home, students find a community that adds to their university experience.
CSU Graduates
Graduates from the College of Business celebrate their achievements at the spring Commencement ceremonies.