University History - 1997 Flood

President Yates Issues a Challenge

Published July 2007

Cutting short a leave, President Yates returned to campus and participated in flood recovery efforts. Moreover, within a few days he issued a message expressing his pride in the tremendous progress already achieved, and appropriately acknowledging the "irrevocable losses" that for some represented the work of a professional lifetime.

Piles of damaged furniture outside of Lory Student Center.

Damaged furniture and equipment is removed from Lory Student Center.

A more focused and important statement came more than seven weeks later in his annual address to the university. Nature provided a touch of irony because rain fell as President Yates spoke to the crowd of approximately 2,000 faculty, staff and students huddled together on the Oval:

"Welcome! We begin this year unlike any other in memory. The July flood brought an unwelcome and unprecedented challenge to our campus. We met the challenge; we passed the test. And in the process we learned much about ourselves—about our courage and perseverance, about our resolve and capacity for community and compassion. We learned, too, that there can be true unity in adversity. We did well and can be pleased."

After citing specific examples of unusual heroism and dedication, he continued:

"This experience has, in so many ways, shown how closely our behavior can mirror our rhetoric when circumstances demand. Our character as a University and a community was tested in a very public way, and we passed the test. Indeed, the response to the flood has proved much of what has been said in recent years about the strength of this community, about our resilience and commitment. We are challenged, now, to demonstrate that same character in confronting the many other critical issues that lie ahead."

'We can be better than we've been'

Yates then issued a challenge that urged additional effort—effort to actualize goals fundamental to the on-going strategic planning process:

"The flood offered many lessons, not the least of which is that we can be better than we’ve been. We have the opportunity to rebuild and improve upon what we had before — to seize this chance to transform Colorado State University into the kind of institution we all want it to be. Let’s use what we’ve learned and invented in these last several weeks to ensure that the University that emerges from this crisis is a better and stronger place—in all of its dimensions — than it was the 27th of July. And please hear this: Only if we do this — only if we are better in the end — can we claim that our recovery efforts have been successful."

Goals outlined

Which goals would make CSU better? The first involved a curriculum and a learning environment that shifted the focus from what the instructor taught to what the student learned. Course content and improved delivery of that content were keys to improvement.

The second concerned the issue of diversity, not merely a rich variety of people and cultural perspectives but a welcoming atmosphere that elicited a sense of community and inclusion for everyone.

The third emphasized the traditional land-grant institutional mission of outreach, where knowledge developed at CSU could be effectively disseminated to meet society’s needs.

The fourth goal involved the university’s overall quality—efficient, fiscally prudent management; superior teaching and research; and functional, aesthetically satisfying facilities.

Extraordinary mettle and ingenuity

During the past weeks Colorado State University had demonstrated extraordinary mettle and ingenuity, and in doing so manifested qualities and potential that made anything seem possible.

During the past weeks Colorado State University had demonstrated extraordinary mettle and ingenuity, and in doing so manifested qualities and potential that made anything seem possible. Determined leader that he was, Albert Yates cannot be faulted for seeking an even higher level of excellence.

A critical decision to make CSU "better than we’ve been" concerned damaged buildings. Should they simply be repaired and made useable as quickly as possible, or should they fully renovated in accordance with basic elements of the university’s main campus master plan? Following their first inspection on July 29, Gerry Bomotti and Judson Harper updated the president on conditions, and met with him later that day.

Goals included resuming summer school as soon as possible and meeting the August 25 starting date for fall semester. In discussing damage to buildings, Gerry Bomotti recalled that "a number of them were on our near-term list for renovation. And so Al asked that I put together a plan that we could bring to the legislature."

Opportunity to acheive long-lasting renovation

Suddenly, the disaster became an opportunity, not merely to repair damage but to achieve long-lasting renovation. Eddy Hall was one example.

"We could have had the bottom of Eddy back in service probably by mid-fall of '97," said Bomotti, "but we don’t do that unless you know that you’re not going to do any other work with it. And we had a different plan . . . We wanted to put classrooms down there and move the offices upstairs. It was important to get that direction set early on and we did."

Knowing that a meeting was scheduled with the legislature's Capital Development Committee within a few days, Bomotti and his staff worked round the clock—examining pertinent physical plant records, updating them to incorporate flood damage costs and "trying to use unit values to come up with total building renovations."

This was a bold move because the Capital Development Committee was certain to ask, "How do we know these estimates [are] accurate? Have you had enough time?" Yates, however, saw delay as self defeating. To wait several months while plans and presentations were perfected would put the university hopelessly behind in its need to rebuild. A master plan had already been devised, which included the essential elements for renovation. Trusting this plan, Yates told the legislators, you give us this money and we’ll do what we promise. In the final analysis the renovations came within 1 percent of the original estimates.

Support from state government outstanding

Remodeled and recovered Morgan Library

A remodeled Morgan Library emerges better than before the devasting 1997 flash flood.

Bomotti recalled that support from the government of Colorado in this time of crisis was outstanding. CSU alumnus Governor Roy Romer came to Fort Collins the day after the flood, "leant his support and gave us $5 million in emergency funds."

Local representatives, such as Steve Tool and Peggy Reeves, were enormously helpful as were Dotti Whamm, chair of the Capital Development Committee, and Tony Grampas and Elsie Lacy of the Joint Budget Committee. "Al talked to them and they basically said, what can we do for you? Let us know, bring us a plan, we want to help."

Campus emerged from flood in better condition

As a result much of CSU’s campus emerged from the flood in far better condition sooner than anyone could have anticipated. "From a facilities standpoint," said Bomotti, only half jokingly, "we did in 18 months what we would have done in about 14 years." The personal costs in time and stress were enormous, but so were the long-term benefits to the University.

More about the flood

Historical accounts in this series of articles, were compiled and edited from Democracy's University - A History of Colorado State University 1970-2003, written by James E. Hansen II (University Press of Colorado, 2007).

To order a book, call (970) 491-6198, e-mail Resource.Center@ucm.colostate.edu or visit 115 General Services Building on Colorado State’s main campus. Cost is $27, not including tax or shipping. The books are also available at the CSU Bookstore in the Lory Student Center.