President keeps job after faculty uproar over remarks

Western Colorado University President Greg Salsbury will keep his job after his comparison of Black Lives Matter protests to the Jan. 6 insurrection — and other allegations of inappropriate statements and behavior — prompted the majority of faculty members to vote in favor of his ouster.

“I believe we have bright days ahead, and I’m looking forward to the future with President Salsbury’s leadership,” said Chris Blees, leader of the university’s Board of Trustees, which agreed Tuesday night to retain Salsbury despite the campus uproar.

Salsbury declined an interview request Wednesday.

The Gunnison university’s Board of Trustees issued a statement supporting Salsbury, noting a need to build trust and commit to prioritizing diversity and inclusion efforts.

“Given all the factors involved, we support the president and look forward to fostering unity through transparency and accountability, bringing together the best efforts of the board, the president, faculty, students and the entire WCU community, to lead Western successfully into the future,” the board said in its statement.

The board members also released an action plan in which they state they will improve communications between the board and among the administration and university, “discern and proclaim core values,” and strengthen the commitment to shared governance and policies.

While faculty noted prior transgressions in a Faculty Senate statement, the last straw that led to more than 50% of faculty voting in favor of firing Salsbury was the president’s statement in the wake of Jan. 6 equating Black Lives Matters protesters with the Capitol breach.

“Over the last year, rioting, burning, looting and violence have emerged from protests across our country — resulting in seemingly endless confrontations, destruction of entire cities, properties, serious injuries, the public’s overall sense of security and deaths,” Salsbury wrote.

“Most of us have watched these events unfold with a mixture of confusion, fear, disgust, anger or sorrow. Many have openly questioned whether this is America any longer. The violence yesterday that interrupted the traditional, peaceful transfer of power punctuated these feelings.”

In the subsequent months, outraged faculty members organized the vote urging the Board of Trustees to oust Salsbury, noting a history of what they described as the president’s ignorance of diversity and social issues and “lack of leadership.”