By Caitlin Gibbons

The Board of Trustees meeting on Dec. 1 drew a crowd, with the Strategic Name Initiative as the headlining issue.

As reported in the 12/1 @Metro Special Edition, the trustees voted to delay a final vote on a new name for the institution for at least 30 days.

The board outlined four principles to uphold as the search for a new name continues: use University in place of College, keep Metropolitan in the name, have Denver in the first or second position in the name and minimize potential trademark litigation.

Six new study-abroad courses to be offered
The board approved the following six new study-abroad courses that will start in the 2012 spring semester:

• Ethiopia Program
• Spain: History, Life and Culture
• Global Environmental Field Problems and Geo Systems of the World
• Art and Culture of Early Modern Italy
• International Entrepreneurship Experience: Scotland-Ireland
• Understanding Modern Turkey

Dazbog lease approved for Student Success Building
Metro State can now add landlord to the many hats the College wears. Colorado-based Dazbog Coffee will be renting a stand-alone building to be constructed outside of the Student Success Building. In addition to the revenue from the lease, the College will also receive a portion of Dazbog’s sales as a donation to the Metro State Foundation.

The College is also in talks with Colorado-based Red Robin to add a Burger Works to the Hotel Learning Center.

“We looked for companies who are franchised companies and that are headquartered in Denver. Not only will they be paying rent, but they will be making contributions to the foundation that will benefit students through scholarships,” President Stephen Jordan said. “Both Dazbog and Red Robin wanted to be true partners.”

Garcia-Berry’s term expires
Trustee Maria Garcia Berry’s second term on the board is coming to a close. She was first appointed to the board in July 2003 by Gov. Bill Owens and was reappointed in January 2008 by Gov. Bill Ritter. Board Chair Rob Cohen said the Dec. 1 meeting was likely Berry’s last, but if a new trustee is not named by the Feb. 2 , 2012 meeting, she will attend.

Serving on the board since its creation, Garcia Berry has played a significant role in making the two new buildings a reality, said Jordan. Garcia Berry also served as the board’s representative on the Auraria Board of Directors and helped lead the thinking about the Auraria Master Plan.

“She has made an unbelievable substantive change in the nature of the school for a long time,” Jordan said.

The board voted to postpone a presentation about the return on investment from the Right Sizing with Technology project. A planned brief presentation on the College’s new Strategic Plan was tabled, with the trustees choosing to review the materials before the full presentation at the February meeting.