Woody
Tim Foster, president of Mesa State College, was in Montrose last week meeting with the advisory group of Mesa State College/Montrose. He stopped by the Daily Press, along with the director of strategic initiatives, Derek Wagner, a Montrose native and Montrose High School grad. The Notebook of course couldn’t help myself: I grabbed pen and pad and we had an interview.
Many know Foster from his days in elected office. Foster, a Grand Junction native who is married and the father of four sons, was a state representative from 1988 to 1996, the last three years as the GOP majority leader. He was twice appointed the executive director of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education and served in Gov. Bill Owens’ cabinet. He graduated from the U. of Denver School of Law in 1984 and was a partner in a Grand Junction law firm. Five years ago, he was appointed the 10th president of Mesa State. During the interview, Foster was candid, blunt and in his words, “prickly,” with his responses. (Frankly, it was refreshing, the straight talk.)
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Foster: “Mesa State will absolutely be a part of Montrose’s future. There is a higher education reality, however, with the large cuts in the state’s education budget. Mesa State is efficient at what we do and I’d rather put more money into education than bricks and mortar. We spend more here (Montrose) than we take in. We provide academic basics, the library is not expensive (housing the campus) and it’s a day and night student population.”
(The state of Colorado is cutting almost $7 million in funds next year, and $7 million in 2011-12. The current year, the state cut $6.4 million, but that was “backfilled” by federal stimulus money. Regarding efficiency, Mesa State ranks second in Colorado with non-faculty support staff to students, 30 to 1. Metro State in Denver leads. Mesa State Colleage leads Colorado public colleges in the fewest administrative costs per student ” $676. CSU/Pueblo is $817, the University of Northern Colorado is $909.)
• A few years ago, the city of Montrose donated 85 acres near Cerise Park on the “hogback” for Mesa State/Montrose expansion. What are Mesa State’s plans to develop the property? Foster: “I’d prefer to deliver more academic programs to students than expand or build buildings. Selling that land, or a portion of it, is something we’ve looked at and using those revenues to expand course study. You have to look at the students, too. Online education has its own student. Mesa offers both. Part of American culture is the human interaction of going to college. Mesa fills those options efficiently. Mesa in Grand Junction was built steadily, slowly with a focus on enrollment growth, then buildings.”
(Mesa State has about 7,000 students in Grand Junction and 253 in Montrose, a number which has been consistent over the last five semesters. There are four “live” degree programs at Mesa State/Montrose, the most well-known is its nursing curriculum. Others include business-related certificate attainment, and liberal arts degrees with a combination of local attendance, online, video conferencing and attending some study in Grand Junction. About 20 to 30 recent Montrose High School graduates attend Mesa State/Montrose.)
• Lastly, there has been discussion that Mesa State/Montrose could be developed into a corporate training center for large companies. Montrose has the attractions: a first-rate airport with good connections, recreational amenities and a “get away from the office” lifestyle which many large companies use to further develop strategic thinking. Would Mesa State be involved?
Foster: “We would play a role, but we would not drive that ongoing discussion.”
Jim wrote on Nov 19, 2009 9:14 PM:
Julie wrote on Nov 19, 2009 8:47 PM:
citizen wrote on Nov 19, 2009 7:26 PM: