James Williams
The Paw Print
Governor Bill Ritter recently selected Alamosa resident and Adams State alumnus Arnold Salazar to a three-year term on the Board of Trustees for Adams State College. Salazar replaces Alamosa CPA Tim Bachicha whose term had expired.
In addition, Gov. Ritter reappointed both Charles Scoggin of Boulder and Stephen Valdez of La Jara to three-year terms as trustees. The three terms are set to expire on December 31, 2013.
“As Colorado recovers from the worst economy since the Great Depression, our colleges and universities are critical to economic opportunity,” Gov. Ritter said. “The people I have appointed and re-appointed understand that the best economic-development strategy and the best anti-poverty strategy is an education strategy. Students and families will be well-served by each of these board members.”
“Higher education in this state is at a real crossroads,” Salazar said. “We need to figure out how we’re going to make higher education a state priority and budget for it. While this is a challenge, it is exciting. The state needs to figure out how to sustain higher education funding, so that it’s not subject to the peaks and valleys of economic fluctuations. It’s important that we create opportunities for people to earn a college education.”
Salazar explained the unique perspective he brings to the ASC board. “I’m a local person who has an extensive network of statewide contacts; I’m connected to three-quarters of the state with my job. I’m from the San Luis Valley and have lived here all my life, but through my work I’ve spent a significant amount of time working in Denver with various state agencies.”
Adams State President David Svaldi said, “Arnold Salazar is a highly successful community leader who is passionate about his beliefs and values. He is an excellent addition to the ASC Board of Trustees, and I look forward to working with him.”
Salazar graduated Cum Laude from Adams State in 1975 with a degree in social welfare, and followed with an MSW in Social Work Administration from the University of Michigan. He is currently the Executive Director of Colorado Health Partnerships, an organization that covers 43 counties, mostly in rural Colorado. Additionally, Salazar is responsible for coordinating the activities of the partnership of eight mental health center providers and the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing.
Salazar previously served as the Executive Director of the San Luis Valley Mental Health Center and as a paralegal investigator for the Public Defender, working mostly in the Colorado State Penitentiary.
Salazar also serves as Chairman of the Colorado Conservation Voters Action Fund.
His local service involvements include participation with the San Luis Valley Hispanic League, San Luis Valley Area Health Education Center, the Alamosa County Democratic Central Committee, and Alamosa’s community radio station, KRZA, at one point serving as board president. He was also active with the Alamosa Community Economic Development Corporation and was the San Luis Valley Representative for the Colorado Hispanic Agenda Project.
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