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College starts search again

Finalists for CMC dean not hired

Tom Ross

— The Alpine Campus of Colorado Mountain College in Steamboat Springs is back to square one in its search for a dean.

The community college hosted three finalists for the position Sept. 14 and 15, but the interviews did not result in an offer being extended to any of the candidates, college spokeswoman Denise Roach said.

“There wasn’t consensus among the members of the search committee (on any one of the three candidates),” Roach said. “They just didn’t seem to be the right fit — what we’re looking for in a campus dean. It just wasn’t there.”



The school is re-advertising the position on specialized Web sites, and the screening process will begin again, Roach said. Although previous candidates are eligible for the next round, the search committee will not return directly to the last pool of applicants; candidates must re-apply for the post.

The decision to hire a dean for the Alpine Campus is up to CMC President Bob Spuhler.



The dean’s position came open in June when former Dean Robert Ritschel resigned after 5 1/2 years to become president of Spoon River College in Illinois. The advertised salary range is $70,956 to $89,520.

The finalists were among 80 people who originally applied for the job. Of the total, 21 were determined to meet the minimum qualifications for the position, Roach said. The search committee included members of the faculty and administration as well as Steamboat Springs School District Superintendent Donna Howell. The committee conducted telephone interviews with 10 candidates before deciding on the four finalists.

The committee selected three men and one woman to visit the campus for interviews. The woman withdrew before the interview process. The three finalists included the former assistant dean of a community college in Eastern Montana, the dean of a campus within a large system of technical colleges in southern Wisconsin and a former university administrator from Oregon.

The chairman of the selection committee is John Marrin, dean of the CMC Timberline Campus in Leadville. He could not be reached for comment Wednesday. The committee is scheduled to reconvene Nov. 4 and resume searching for a dean.

The Alpine Campus is one of six within the CMC system in communities on Colorado’s Western Slope. It offers continuing education as well as two-year degree programs.

— To reach Tom Ross, call 871-4205 or e-mail tross@steamboatpilot.com


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