After 27 years of service to Colorado State University, Executive Director of the Lory Student Center Mike Ellis retired this past summer. Succeeding him is Montez Butts, a veteran of higher education. Since officially joining the staff on Aug. 3, Butts said he has been adapting to the new role and will continue in his mission to create change in the name of student success.

Butts said he has always had a passion for student life and higher education, having formerly worked at universities across Colorado, including University of Northern Colorado, University of Colorado Boulder and Metropolitan State University of Denver. Over his 20 years of experience, Butts said he has built a reputation through fostering authentic relationships and has a clear style centered on collaboration.

“For me, really the first three to six months is about listening and learning,” Butts said regarding his first steps as he steps into his position. “(It’s) trying to figure out, from my perspective, (the) things that are going well and things that we need to take care of.”

Butts said he intends to demonstrate a leadership style built on the feedback and understanding of not only the staff but the students around him.

“My desire is to continue to be in student union spaces so the LSC can continue to grow … and continue to make this a place and space that people are proud to work in,” Butts said. “Students enjoy being in the facility, and they see us continuing to push the envelope as opposed to being stagnant.”

When asked about what his focus will be coming into the role, Butts said he plans to continue investing in the infrastructure that ensures student needs are met.

“It’s about investing in a space so that it becomes more flexible, adaptable and the technology is where we want it, and we continue to maintain that investment so that we continue to meet the students’ needs,” Butts said.

Butts said his time in higher education has only furthered his passion for fostering student success. At CSU, he plans to highlight the needs of students amid ongoing changes in higher education.

“My tagline is ‘one LSC, one focus,’ and that one focus is student success,” Butts said. “What I want folks to understand is I want folks to have a positive experience, where they feel they are cared for by the staff of the LSC.”

With this mindset, Butts also said he will aim to emphasize the increasing need for sustainability practices in student unions and meeting places. This means advancing CSU’s commitment to sustainability and ensuring the values of CSU students are recognized and cared for.

“How we integrate technology is critically important,” Butts said. “Students are expecting to see their values reflected in the facilities.”

Butts holds a dual bachelor’s degree in sociology with an emphasis on criminal justice, as well as speech communication with an emphasis in human communication. Following this, he received a Master of Arts in educational leadership and policy studies and is currently pursuing a doctorate in education through the University of Colorado Denver. He said he hopes to use his education to continue to build a career in higher education, as well as to continue to learn what the needs are of other professionals in his field.

Through his passion for student care and success, Butts said he hopes to create a future for the LSC that continues its past success and builds up all who are a part of it.

“I’m here to focus on doing the work of focusing on the people, the facility and creating an experience where staff, students and guests feel cared for,” Butts said.

Reach Tobias Thomasson at news@collegian.com or on social media @RMCollegian.