Presidential Search

Dr. Stan Jensen to join college as president July 1

After negotiations with the Colorado Mountain College Board of Trustees, Dr. Stan Jensen has accepted the position of president of the comprehensive community college. He will join CMC at its district offices in Glenwood Springs on July 1, immediately following the retirement of current college President Dr. Bob Spuhler

“I am very excited to be coming to Colorado Mountain College,” said Jensen. “I think the best days for Colorado Mountain College are ahead of us. I look forward to serving and leading the college toward a galvanizing kind of future.

With his background (see profile) in leadership training within colleges, Jensen said in his new position he’ll continue to build teams and see that leadership development takes place within the seven-campus comprehensive community college

For 19 years Jensen has been president of a company that provides training in leadership development, team building, process improvement training and strategic planning to businesses, colleges and nonprofit organizations. He led a strategic planning retreat for Colorado Mountain College two years ago.

Jensen holds a doctorate in education, a master of divinity in education and pastoral studies and a bachelor of arts in speech communications

In the search process that started last summer, a screening committee composed of faculty, administrators, a student, a community member and two of the college’s seven trustees went through 48 completed applications. The screening committee then passed along recommendations for five finalists to the CMC Board of Trustees, who agreed to interview all five finalists

In late January the five finalists came to the college for a series of interviews and forums with the board, the screening committee, College Council (the college’s decision-making body, composed of senior administrators, two faculty representatives and all seven campus deans) and other groupings of staff, faculty, students and community members. Interviews were conducted in person and via interactive video system, to allow participation from all of the college’s locations. In addition to committee recommendations, the board included in its deliberations the results of an online survey

Current president Spuhler’s contract expires June 30, at which time he will retire. At that time he will have worked at the college for 20 years, or half of the college’s existence. As president, he has overseen the college’s seven campuses for the past five years.