Spring Break
Officials stress proposed CSU-Pueblo will be 'autonomous'
Steven Kaup
The proposal was reviewed at a State Board of Agriculture meeting in Pueblo Tuesday, and was addressed by CSU President and chancellor of the university system, Al Yates to Pueblo community leaders.
Currently, the CSU system includes Fort Lewis College, USC and CSU.
The proposed name change, combined with plans for a USC-supported Master's of Education degree program this summer, points to strong support by both schools for the union.
"The Pueblo community is very excited," said Ed Bowditch, chancellor for administrative affairs to the State Board of Agriculture. "(Yates) focused on assuring the community that any changes were to enhance and preserve education quality."
USC-CSU merger advocates say that creating a closer relationship between the schools would streamline the administrative affairs and education potential at both universities.
USC President Tito Guerrero, III has great enthusiasm for the pros-pects, but warns that it's a concept that is easily misunderstood
"This is a merger with the two schools and it does not create a branch university of USC, " said Guerrero "We will not lose autonomy, and both schools will benefit from the merger. We're already going to see the benefits this summer when the Master's of Education program takes affect at the CSU campus."
USC faculty representatives at Tuesday's meeting supported the possible name change, with the condition that Pueblo's university would remain fully autonomous. Student response to the delocalizing of the university's title found mixed reaction.
In an informal poll held at USC's student union, 359 students strongly agreed versus 116 in disagreement to the change. Some students worry that adopting another schools name will change how USC works.
Joshua Sparks, a sophomore at USC majoring in business, foresees problems.
"It will hinder retention at USC and the cost of tuition will increase," he said. By adopting CSU's title for a school 160 miles away, Sparks said requirements to attend USC could become more strict.
"I came to a business school for business school, " Sparks said. "If I would have wanted to go to CSU I would have driven 3 1/2 hours."
According to published reports, the State Board of Agriculture President Stewart Bliss of Denver nixed discussion during Tuesday's meeting.
Bliss said the board needs to await results from the two-year review of higher education, due out next fall, before further discussion.
Additional plans for solidifying the cooperation between the sister schools include a cooperative extension, upper-level engineering course, a new academic program in counseling and shared campus data and functions.
