June 26, 2025

Dear Colleagues:

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Michelle Stanley as Associate Vice Provost for Academic Programs at CSU Spur, effective July 1, 2025. Dr. Stanley will lead academic programming at the CSU Spur campus, including efforts to develop, grow, and launch Spur Start. Spur Start is a new and unique program beginning in the Fall 2025 semester that will offer students an opportunity to complete the first year of their Colorado State University education at the CSU Spur campus. After their first year, the student cohort will transition to the flagship CSU Fort Collins campus to continue pursuing their undergraduate degrees.

Dr. Stanley, Professor of Music and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies in the College of Liberal Arts, has served in several leadership roles in her 20 years at CSU including as Interim Vice Provost for Undergraduate Affairs; Special Assistant to the Provost and Executive Vice President; Interim Chair of the Music Department in the School of Music, Theatre and Dance; and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies in the College of Liberal Arts. She is also a member of CSU’s Incident Management Team, which helps to analyze and manage responses to federal impacts.

Dr. Stanley will bring to CSU Spur an impressive professional record in curriculum development, strategic leadership, CSU campus partnerships, and student success initiatives. Spur’s vision of bridging higher education, industry, and public engagement directly aligns with her work in building collaborative programs that connect students with real-world learning experiences. Additionally, she is a visionary around conceptualizing and implementing education models that create value, leverage resources, and inspire innovation. I am grateful to her for taking on this role as Spur’s first AVP for Academic Programs.

There are always many people to recognize for their contributions in producing a successful national search like this one, which drew an outstanding pool of candidates. Thanks to Paula Mills, Chief of Staff and Assistant Vice President for Strategic Partnerships in the Office of Engagement and Extension, who chaired the search committee and to all those who served alongside her throughout this process. And thank you to our caring and involved CSU community who participated through meetings with our finalists, attending public fora, and providing feedback.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Stanley on this new leadership role. She infuses a deep and pervasive commitment to access, equity, and excellence at every turn, and I look forward to seeing how she will elevate Spur’s academic programs and help the Denver campus continue to redefine the role of higher education.
Sincerely,

Marion

Marion K. Underwood
Provost and Executive Vice President