On Aug. 10, Mesa State College became Colorado Mesa University. CMU’s 20-year plan covers campus expansion, a re-vamped mascot and the possibility of more academic programs.
In the school’s 20-year plan, they are looking to expand to the west towards Seventh Street and north of Orchard Avenue. According to a recent news release from CMU, the $7.1 million transaction was completed on Aug. 8 to acquire Community Hospital’s eight-acre site on the corner of 12th Street and Orchard Avenue.
“The sale will help expedite the planning for a replacement facility for Community Hospital while providing more space for the growing MSC campus,” the release read.
The purchase of Community Hospital’s site will allow CMU to break ground and begin building a new residence hall they plan to call Orchard Avenue Student Housing, which will be intended to hold upperclassmen that wish to live on campus.
“Students want to live on campus, and that’s really a compliment to us and Residential Life,” President Tim Foster said.
Orchard Avenue Student Housing is due to open in the fall of 2012. Three more residence halls are on the wish list.
CMU is continuing to purchase houses and expand westward towards Seventh Street. Foster said reaching Seventh Street is still a few y

ears off, as it takes time to purchase one house after another and remodel them, since many houses were built in the time where asbestos was common.
The school is looking to add three more parking structures as well as two surface parking areas that will hold 260 additional vehicles between the two.
Three more academic classrooms are also on the list, one of which could potentially be the new home for Mass Communications, which would move out of the Fine Arts building into one of their own, which would additionally allow the Art Department to spread out through the building.
New programs have also been discussed, but it is ultimately up to the specific academic departments to decide whether or not to expand their programs.
“We’re not looking to add programs just for the sake of adding programs,” Vice President of Student Services John Marshall said. “The school’s first priority is strengthening the programs they already have.”
The new school name will also come with a new, updated Maverick.
“The logo has to work in a variety of places, and that’s one of the problems we have with our current Maverick logo,” said Executive Director of Marketing Rick Taggart.
According to Taggart, although the current Maverick looks good on its own, a logo that works in a variety of places is needed.
Currently, the school is focused on getting their census data, but they hope to do be done with the process the first week in September so they can focus their efforts in creating a new Maverick, which will look good in a multitude of aspects, including new athletic uniforms and attire.

acastro@mavs.coloradomesa.edu