Beth Walker announced this semester would be her last as the dean of the Colorado State University College of Business Jan. 27 after 11 years in the position, according to a recent LinkedIn post.

Walker took over as dean of the College of Business in 2015, becoming the first woman dean in the college’s 60-year history. In 2021, she was also appointed as an American Marketing Association Fellow for her extensive work in research, theory and the practice of marketing throughout her career.

“After 11 years, I’ve decided it’s time to shift gears to spend more time with my family, enjoy more flexibility, and pursue new dreams,” the post reads. 

The announcement follows her fulfillment of two five-year terms as dean, along with a one-year extension of her appointment at the request of CSU President Amy Parsons and former Provost and Executive Vice President Marion Underwood in March 2025, citing the college’s success and global visibility under her leadership. 

CSU provided The Collegian with a statement from Interim Provost and Executive Vice President Lise Youngblade regarding Walker’s tenure. 

“Dr. Beth Walker has been a transformational leader in the College of Business, and the entire university has benefited from her vision, expertise and ability to connect our campus with other business leaders and visionaries,” the statement reads. “The college has witnessed a stellar rise during her tenure as dean, recognized repeatedly as one of the top schools of business in the nation and the best in the state of Colorado. She ensured ‘Business for a Better World’ anchored in societal and planetary well-being, wasn’t a tagline, but rather, a north star that the college embodies.” 

CSU also provided The Collegian with a statement from Dr. Walker that was sent to her colleagues within the College of Business.

“While I had initially planned to step down this summer after serving two five-year terms, I humbly agreed to serve one more year at the request of our President and Provost,” the statement reads. “Because my plan was announced well in advance of my transition next summer, our college and university are in the enviable position to have the time to carefully plan and conduct a national search for the next Dean of the College of Business.”  

The dean position was posted Sept. 30, 2025, and a search committee was formed to select the new dean. The opening was advertised on the College of Business website, LinkedIn and through direct outreach and nominations of potential candidates. A webpage on the CSU Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President website provides details about the search, including members of the search committee and the characteristics of the college’s ideal candidate. 

“For Colorado State University’s next dean of the College of Business, we seek a dynamic, passionate and caring leader with a strong scholarly record, deep academic values, excellent leadership skills, a proven track record in external relations and development, and a proven ability to manage in a way that can be leveraged to lead a world class College.” the website reads. 

Kellen Kurtz, the president of the College of Business Dean’s Student Leadership Council and student representative on the hiring committee, shared insight into the role of the search committee and its impact on the process thus far. 

“Everyone who served on this committee contributed equally as much, and everyone brought such a diverse set of perspectives to the table, and I know this has immensely contributed to an extremely successful search,” Kurtz said. 

Applications for the position closed Nov. 3, 2025, with interviews beginning Dec. 1 and finalist interviews held from Jan. 26 to Feb. 2. The final candidates and a decision timeline have not been announced, and the final decision will be made by Parsons. 

Sienna Gallegos, a CSU student studying business administration and a member of DSLC, shared her thoughts about what the college might begin to look like under new leadership.

“Changes might be coming,” Gallegos said. “Maybe not immediate, but I think it’s true in any organization (that) it takes about a semester for that new person to learn the culture, learn the processes and learn what makes people happy and what doesn’t make people happy.”

Reach Claire VanDeventer at news@collegian.com or on social media @RMCollegian.