After 17 years of dedication and work at Colorado Mesa University (CMU), now-former President Foster retired last year, leaving a rather large vacuum of space to fill.

While the Board of Trustee’s unanimous replacement John Marshall may fill this void like a key-and-lock, it’s time that CMU is led through a fresh perspective and expands from its shell.

It would make a lot of sense for the former Vice President of Student Services to be next in line for the presidency; yet, this exact comfort with tradition and familiarity is what is keeping the university from reaching its fullest potential.

Out of the three top candidates, two have doctorates, experience with other schools and would be breaking precedent by earning the title of CMU President as a minority. Interestingly enough, Marshall is neither one of these two.

Regardless, the Board of Trustees chose Marshall to lead the university into the future of which will likely remain similar to the present.

After all, it only makes sense that the former President’s right-hand-man would be inclined to carry out the Foster legacy.

What may be more critical than geographical prespective are the fresh prespectives CMU will be missing after having declined two minority leaders, of which the university has never seen before.

This is not saying that the new president has to be ethnic, or a woman in order to properly lead the university.

Yet, it certainly seems as if both candidates had higher ranking credentials than Marshall.

Marshall certainly has what it takes to lead CMU, and I can rest assured things will carry on much as they did under Foster’s administration.

However, I will always wonder what CMU could have been in the differing experienced and capable hands of Dr. Abel Chavez or Dr. Mirta Martin.