Colorado Mountain College trustees decide on interim president

Debbie Crawford

Various trustees spoke to Dassance’s capabilities in helping the college make a smooth transition in hiring a new president, giving praise to his past experience as a college president. Dassance was president of the College of Central Florida for 15 years, where he was named president emeritus upon his retirement in 2011. He holds a Ph.D. in higher education administration from the University of Virginia.

In addition to appointing an interim president, the board voted this week on two tuition issues. Unanimously, the board is in support of the Colorado ASSET bill, which is currently being considered by state legislators in Denver. If passed, the bill would allow undocumented students meeting certain criteria to pay in-state tuition at Colorado’s public colleges and universities.

Trustees also voted earlier this week to freeze tuition levels for 2013-14, keeping them at current levels, in accordance with the recommendation of a staff committee.

“In the state of Colorado and nationally, there is an initiative to enhance student access to higher education, keeping tuition as affordable as possible,” said Linda English, chief financial officer, Colorado Mountain College. “By having no increase in tuition, we will remain the best value in Colorado.”

The college’s current tuition rates for lower-division courses are $56 per credit hour for in-district students, $95 for in-state students and $299 for out-of-state students. This year Colorado Mountain College’s full-time, in-district students paid tuition of less than $2,000 for courses toward associate degrees, and in-state students paid less than $3,000.

In the 2011-12 academic year, the most recent year for which comparable figures are available for other colleges and similar courses, this compares to averages of nearly $3,500 per year at other community colleges in the state, more than $7,000 for Colorado’s four-year public schools and more than $8,000 at public four-year colleges nationally.

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About Colorado Mountain College

Colorado Mountain College is a two-year, comprehensive community college that also grants bachelor’s degrees. Through its 11 learning locations grouped into seven physical campuses, as well as via distance learning, CMC serves the educational needs of a population spread across 12,000 square miles in north-central Colorado – an area the size of Maryland. The college provides liberal arts and science certificate and associate degree programs, bachelor’s degrees in business administration and sustainability studies, basic and lifelong learning, and customized business training. Colorado Mountain College prepares Colorado’s workforce through apprenticeships, internships and experiential learning in beautiful mountain settings.

Our mission is to create a better future. Our vision is to become first choice in learning, partnerships, and leadership.

Colorado Mountain College is located in Steamboat Springs, Rifle, Carbondale, Glenwood Springs, Glenwood Springs-Spring Valley, Aspen, Edwards, Dillon, Breckenridge, Leadville and Buena Vista. Of these locations, our three campuses in Spring Valley, Leadville, and Steamboat Springs are residential. The college’s Central Services administrative offices, which serve all other locations, are located in downtown Glenwood Springs.

Colorado Mountain College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The college has been offering classes since 1967, and its website is www.coloradomtn.edu.

For more information about Colorado Mountain College, the media contact is Debra Crawford, public information officer, at Central Services in Glenwood Springs, 970-384-8535, dcrawford@coloradomtn.edu.