Colorado State University Research Centers Ask for Input in Budgeting Decisions

Colorado State University Agricultural Experiment Station announced today a series of eight community meetings to help identify priority programs in the current higher education budget environment.

The Colorado State University Agricultural Experiment Station programs face between 15 percent to 20 percent budget cuts, totaling about $1.5 million. These cuts will be permanent reductions to research and educational programs conducted across Colorado. The programs include outreach education to local communities and research through nine research centers across the state that focus on animal and crop production. In addition, Agricultural Experiment Station funds campus-based programs that allow the university to share cutting-edge information with students and citizens about agriculture, natural resources and economic issues.

"The magnitude of state budget reductions will require significant changes in how the Colorado State University Agricultural Experiment Station conducts research throughout the state," said Lee Sommers, Colorado State University Agricultural Experiment Station director.

During the community meetings, Sommers will seek input from clientele to identify critical programs and criteria that could be used to restructure existing research programs located at off-campus research centers and on the university campus in Fort Collins. The meetings are open the public and are scheduled as follows.

  • 9 a.m., Monday, April 28, Plainsman Research Center, 42790 Highway 160, Walsh.
  • 3 p.m., Monday, April 28, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension Otero County office, 411 North 10th St., Rocky Ford.
  • 9 a.m., Tuesday, April 29, Colorado Potato Administrative Committee building, 1305 Park Ave., Monte Vista.
  • 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 29, Colorado State Cooperative Extension La Plata County office, 2500 Main Ave., Durango.
  • 9 a.m., Wednesday, April 30, Southwestern Colorado Research Center, 16910 County Road Z Yellow Jacket/Cortez.
  • 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 30, Western Colorado Research Center at Orchard Mesa, 3168 B ½ Road, Grand Junction.
  • 10 a.m., Thursday, May 1, Gunnison County Fairgrounds, Multipurpose Building, 275 S. Spruce St. (1 block south of Safeway), Gunnison.
  • 10 a.m., Friday, May 2, Washington County Event Center at the fairgrounds, 552 W. 2nd St., Akron (off Highway 34 on the west side of town).

For more information, contact the Agricultural Experiment Station director’s office at Colorado State University at (970) 491-5371.