MAY 8, 2025 | NEWS | By Tessa Frantz, Co Editor-in-Chief
Manya Whitaker has served as Colorado College’s interim president since July 1, 2024. Now, in May 2025, Whitaker has nearly served a full academic year in the role. With oneyear left in her tenure, Whitaker reflects on the joys and challenges of the job thus far.
“The word that comes most clearly to mind is proud,” she said. “I’m proud of the campus for coming together after a tough year last year. And with everything happening with higher ed, it’s a moment for us to come together, and the campus has taken up that call.”
Looking back on the year, Whitaker says she feels a sense of dignity. In light of attacks on higher education from the Trump administration, she feels that CC has remained united and optimistic as an institution. From CC campus culture to administrative shifts, Whitaker believes that CC has remained strong on all ends.
Whitaker mentioned that a major priority of her presidency has been helping the administration shift from isolated decision-making to working cross-functionally. “CC has a history of being very siloed in their operations, so it’s a big shift for people to start communicating [and] making strategic plans that take into account cascading implications across the campus.”
Whitaker’s Operational Governance Structure was first introduced to bring more people into decisions concerning CC-related issues. Conversations surrounding things like parking, commencement and Llamapalooza are now deliberated by entire teams, instead of individuals.
“[Leadership at CC] has been isolated decision making, and what that causes is a lot of confusion about who made the decision, how was this made and then it causes problems because we didn’t think through things” she said.
One of Whitaker’s biggest challenges during her first year of her presidency was dealing with competing priorities. Using time, money and other resources strategically was constantly on her mind. “It’s always difficult to make sure that all of the constituents’ needs are met because everyone has different needs and wants.” Specifically, Whitaker emphasized how she worked to meet the needs of community members without sacrificing other groups in the process.
Politically, the world of higher education has been shaken. With international student visas under attack, federal funding cuts and a Harvard lawsuit against the Trump administration, there has been no shortage of chaos for colleges and universities. From a CC perspective, threats to international students and federal funding and grants continue to concern Whitaker. “The continued changes and cuts to research funding […] are concerning because we think there’s going to be even more,” she said. “I know how much work and [how many] years go into even applying for a grant, so then to get a grant taken back is catastrophic.”
Another major concern for Whitaker is the potential cancellation of subsidized federal loans. Action against federal loans could have an extremely detrimental impact on the CC student body, who count on reasonable interest rates on their loans. “I had loans from college, subsidized and unsubsidized. I had loans from my undergraduate institution as well as from the federal government. The low interest rate made me actually able to pay it back once I got a job.” Whitaker worries that higher interest rates on loans will set “generations up for a lifetime of debt.”
CC has made efforts to reclaim agency in this uncertain period. On April 22, Whitaker signed a letter put together by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), which advocated for the values of higher education in light of stark changes at the executive level. “Everything in that letter aligns with CC and what we care about,” Whitaker confirmed.
Furthermore, in response to the Endowment Tax Fairness Act, CC sent two representatives to Washington D.C. for Hill Day. While there are no major updates on the proposal and its implications for CC, the representatives “came back very positive” and were able to directly explain the detrimental impact the Endowment Tax Fairness Act would have on financial aid.
Recently, under Whitaker’s leadership, CC made the decision to reenter the US News & World Rankings. Under the leadership of former president L. Song Richardson, CC withdrew on the basis that the institution’s values were not accurately reflected in the rankings.
While Whitaker contends that there was reason in the initial decision to withdraw, she says CC must currently use any means to bolster its reputation. “One metric through which we do that is the rankings. That is the most obvious way to say who we are,” she said.
Whitaker also mentioned how the rankings provide information to prospective students about CC. She hopes that by rejoining, more people will be able to recognize CC’s merit. “It is an opportunity to brag about what we do well and to recognize that we have great faculty and student engagement. We need to be able to tell that story.”
Culturally, Whitaker says she notices a positive shift in student attitudes. “I do think campus this year was a little more joyful. Even the volume in Rastall is louder.” Events to promote student connection, like the campus sleepout, which occurred early in the first Block of the academic year, will happen again next fall.
At the administrative level, CC has faced many triumphs as well as challenges. The CC endowment recently exceeded 1 billion dollars, and both athletic and general fundraising goals have been met before the June 30 deadlines.
Whitaker, however, mentions that there are things the administration can do to improve for next year. “I think operationally, we need to tighten up,” she said. “We’ve made great progress through the operational governance model, but we still have a lot of work to do to ensure cross-divisional communication.” Some teams, like the events team, are stretched thin. Whitaker hopes to reallocate labor to lessen the pressure on overworked teams.
Looking ahead, the Board of Trustees has begun the process of confirming a president following Whitaker interim presidential term. They have brought in a leadership consulting firm, Russel Reynolds, to assist in the national search for a successor. But Whitaker is ready to take on the permanent role of president of CC. “I have put my name in the hat for the presidential nomination.”
Whitaker has long-term goals for the college and, above all, hopes to solidify the college’s place as a prestigious institution. “I really do want us to be a well-known liberal arts institution across the country.” Specifically, this entails increasing the geographic diversity of the student body and continuing to grow faculty research.
In the wake of her first year, Whitaker sums up her time as interim president with one word: gratitude. “I’m grateful because people took a chance on me,” she said. “A president can only lead when people are willing to follow.”