For 21 years, Bob Schur has been an indispensable member of the Colorado State University community.
He’s been at the table during major policy decisions. He has helped protect the CSU community through environmental health decisions. He helped create and operate programs to provide financial assistance to students and employees in need.
At the end of December, Schur left his position as executive director of Policy, Risk and Environmental Programs in the Division of University Operations and took on a new title: Retiree.
“I’m a little bit nervous and a little bit relieved,” Schur said of his retirement. “There are a lot of things I need to do before I think of things I want to do.”
Schur’s retiree designation comes after an impressive career as an attorney practicing medical law for 15 years in California and Fort Collins, and a varied career at CSU. He served the University as a contracts manager, assistant legal counsel in the Office of General Counsel, and director of Procurement and Contracting Services before becoming executive director of Policy, Risk and Environmental Programs.
“Although Bob has had many different roles during his tenure at CSU, I have had the opportunity to work directly with him in each of these roles,” said Lynn Johnson, vice president of University Operations. “Bob has always been extremely responsive, willing to do the needed research, and always able to put pen to paper in an amazing way. If University Operations were a bus, as the ‘policy guru,’ Bob was clearly in the right seat. He will certainly be missed by me and all of CSU.”
Employee assistance programs
Schur left his mark on some of the most critical CSU programs providing assistance to employees. He helped develop and co-chaired CSU Cares, a privately funded program that provides grants to employees affected by natural disasters, and the Employee Hardship Loan Fund, which provides low-interest loans to employees. He also served as chair for Commitment to Campus, the Professional Development Awards program, and served on the Affordable Housing task force.
“Serving the employees of CSU on these committees was one of the favorite aspects of my job. I treasure the opportunities I had to play a role in making their lives better,” Schur said. “What I am most proud of in my time at CSU was the opportunity to contribute to the creation of the Principles of Community, which I believe will be an enduring hallmark of the University.”
Schur said he is looking forward to the next chapter of his life and is excited about spending more time with his grandchildren, Lyle, 5, and Georgia Rose, 2, as well as daughters Katie and Shelby and his wife of 30 years, Joni. And once the weather warms up, he’ll surely be seen around town riding his Triumph motorcycle or on the pickleball court. Although ready for a new chapter in his life that doesn’t include reporting for work every day, he said there is much he will miss.
“I’m going to miss the community and the camaraderie. I’m going to miss being involved in the day-to-day activities of the University. But most of all, I’m going to miss my friends at CSU,” said Schur. “I’m also going to miss my office view down the Oval. A beautiful view in any season.”
Tammy Hunt takes on new role
With Schur’s retirement, Tammy Hunt was named the policy program manager for University Operations. A longtime co-worker of Schur’s, both at CSU and before that in his local law practice, Hunt said she is delighted to take on the new role. “I love the work that I’ve been doing with the policy office and am excited to assume the additional responsibilities,” Hunt said.
Johnson said Hunt’s new role is a natural fit for her.
“A few years back, we were fortunate in being able to add Tammy to our team,” she explained. “Tammy has introduced several electronic tools to the policy development process and has worked closely in support of the policy office work. Tammy was a perfect choice to follow in Bob’s shoes to continue the great work he has been doing.”
Hunt began her career at CSU in 2017 as an administrative assistant in Campus Recreation.
“My time at Campus Rec afforded me an incredible opportunity to learn about CSU from a student affairs perspective,” she said. “I embraced the supervisor development trainings and learned more about the student culture and Principles of Community, and developed relationships with colleagues throughout many areas of the university.”
After a year in that role, Hunt was hired as an assistant in the policy office, working with Schur.
“I’ve spent the last two years immersing myself in CSU policy, which has allowed me to engage with and learn from many of the incredible leaders here at CSU – not the least of which was Bob Schur,” she said. “With his retirement, I feel like I have some big shoes to fill and intend to work hard to honor the hard work that Bob did during his tenure with CSU.”
