The Colorado State University System Board of Governors met at the CSU Spur campus in Denver on December 4 and 5, making decisions that will reshape CSU Pueblo’s leadership and financial landscape as it heads into 2026.
Rhonda Epper, currently president of Trinidad State College, emerged as the sole finalist for CSU Pueblo’s presidency on Thursday. The announcement followed a national search that began in August, with a 12-member advisory committee sifting through applications, interviewing 12 candidates, and ultimately presenting four finalists to the board. That process built on listening sessions the board held with CSU Pueblo’s campus community over the summer.
Under Colorado law, a mandatory 14-day waiting period follows the announcement of any finalist for a public university presidency. The board plans to meet again in mid-December to formally consider Epper’s appointment, though its next regular meeting isn’t scheduled until February 2026.
The board also tackled budget realities that many regional universities face right now. Garrison Ortiz, vice president of university operations and chief financial officer, walked members through projections showing new resources of $1.278 million for the coming year.
Gail Mackin, provost and executive vice president of academic affairs who’s serving as interim executive director of research, brought better news. CSU Pueblo landed one of only 10 spots nationwide for the SCALED grant in 2023, securing $7.8 million from the Department of Education’s Postsecondary Student Success Grant program. The four-year grant funds student success initiatives across all three CSU System campuses.
The Institute of Cannabis Research keeps building its reputation. Working with a fiscal 2026 appropriation of $3.075 million and a proposed fiscal 2027 budget of $3.8 million, the institute now channels 70% of its funding directly into cannabis research throughout Colorado. It’s currently backing 16 research projects. The institute celebrated its 10th anniversary this year.
Punya Nachappa from CSU Fort Collins, delivered the opening plenary keynote at the Cannabis Research Conference in Portland in October, speaking to more than 330 attendees from 36 states and nine countries. The institute’s Journal of Cannabis Research has become the leading publication in its field. The next National Cannabis Research Conference runs October 19-21, 2026, in San Diego.
Shaylan “Shay” Wilson, ASG president at CSU Pueblo, offered brief remarks to the board. A political science major who’s worked in student government since her freshman year, Wilson has advocated consistently for student mental health resources and campus safety improvements. Both issues connect directly to the board’s programming priorities in this budget cycle.
The board won’t meet again until February, giving the campus community several months to prepare for leadership and budget transitions. CSU Pueblo heads into spring semester with interim leadership while the formal appointment process plays out, working to keep momentum on initiatives that need both steady hands and clear vision for what’s ahead.
