CMC Board of Trustees seeks two new members

At its Oct. 22 meeting, the Colorado Mountain College Board of Trustees voted to add two new at-large trustee seats to its board as permitted under C.R.S. § 23-71-110.

Currently, the CMC board consists of seven elected trustees who represent the following school districts: Eagle County School District, Lake County School District, Aspen School District, Steamboat Springs School District, Summit School District, Salida School District, Roaring Fork School District Re-1, Garfield District 16 and Garfield RE-2. Since 2020, a non-voting trustee liaison has represented Salida on the CMC board. In 2023, the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges honored the CMC board with a national award of excellence in leadership and governance.

Following its decision, Board President Chris Romer explained trustees’ reasoning for increasing the size of the board. “The CMC Board of Trustees is a high functioning, collegial and productive group of citizen volunteers,” Romer states. “Adding two new members to the board will allow us to better represent the diversity of the college’s tax district while adding to the collective wisdom of the board with additional backgrounds, ideas and experiences.”

The trustees seek to add two at-large members to the board who have varied and diverse backgrounds, which includes but is not limited to, race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, socioeconomic background and geographic location. The board will consider the following factors in making these appointments:

• Background, experience, skills and expertise that complement the existing makeup of the board
• The college’s operational needs and strategic priorities and goals
• Representation from diverse professional, social, geographic and demographic backgrounds and lived experiences.

Based on its current makeup and needs of its students and communities the college serves throughout its district, the board is particularly interested in appointing individuals to these at-large seats who reside within the CMC taxing district in Salida and western Eagle County. Individuals who have demonstrated commitment to and involvement with the college will also be preferred.

The following is the anticipated timeline to appoint new trustees:

• November 8 – December 6: Interested individuals may submit an application letter (details below) for consideration by the Board
• December 7 – 10: Board to review application
• December 11: Board to vote on new at-large trustees
• January 14: Installation of new trustees

An individual who is appointed to an at-large trustee seat will need to run and be elected in the college’s next regular biennial school election in November 2025.

To be considered for a CMC at-large trustee seat, please submit a letter of interest to Board President Chris Romer at:

Chris Romer

President

Colorado Mountain College Board of Trustees

c/o Heather Weems

802 Grand Avenue

Glenwood Springs, CO 81601

trustees@coloradomtn.edu

In their letter, candidates should address the following questions:

• Why do you want to serve on the CMC Board of Trustees?
• Describe your background, including relevant skills and experience, that you believe would contribute to the strength and effectiveness of the CMC Board of Trustees.
• Describe any previous experience you have in governance or serving on a board.
• Describe your approach to working within a diverse board and college community.
• Describe any prior involvement or connection you have with CMC. If none, explain any prior experience you have with any other institution of higher education or K-12 experience within or outside of Colorado.
• Confirm your willingness to run for election in November 2025 if appointed to an at-large seat.