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Mary Dambman - CANDIDATE- University of Colorado Regent-7th Congressional District

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Admin
Club Member
Junta Member
Mary Dambman

mary_dambman_candidate_for_CU_Regent_CD7.jpg


Phone: 303.770.3249
Email: mary@maryforcuregent.com

Education: Bachelor of Science - Wayne State University, Masters Degree - Colorado College

Job: Member of Board of Directors for nursing home, Treasurer of the Butterfly Pavilion

Term: Running for 2012 - 2018

CANDIDATE- University of Colorado Regent-7th Congressional District (R)

Bio: Mary was born into a military family in Colorado Springs. She earned the Trustee Scholarship at Colorado College, before earning her B.S at Wayne State University in Michigan.

Mary began her career by teaching English and the Air Academy and was later elected President of the Air Academy Education Association. After 10 years she moved to Connecticut where she was elected to the Simsbury Town Council. In 1982 she moved back to Colorado where she ran for the State House of Representatives in District 20.

Mary has worked with numerous educational groups, including: The Professional Association of Colorado Educators (PACE), honorary membership in Delta Kappa Gamma (professional teachers organization), taught the 'Gear Up' remedial reading program for the CCHE (Colorado Commission on Higher Education).

In her time on the House of Representatives Education Committee, Mary played a roll in the following: Creating the reorganization of Higher Education legislation, amended the state budget bill to provide MRI equipment for CU Health Sciences Center, acquiring the science and engineering build at the Colorado Springs campus of CU, securing in-state tuition rates for dependents of active-duty military personnel as well as education programs for National Guard members and military Reservists.

Effects on Athletics:

Response to Allbuffs Question and Answer:
Interview with Mary Dambman

AB: How do you view the role of CU athletics, in particular football?
MD: "It's an important role. Gosh, the CU football team is not doing so well this year but they've had good years, they're in a (re)building mode. I've followed CU football for many years. One of their past coaches Gary Barnett taught at Air Academy High School, where I was a teacher. He came in about the time that I was leaving. But I've followed CU football for many years."

AB: Do you think that the current product on the field is up to school standards or is even acceptable?

MD: "The standard can vary from year to year depending on the goal of the particular time, the manpower they have to work with, the coaching staff, the athletic director's mission. The standards may differ from year to year, and that is OK. As I mentioned they're in a (re)building mode right now. And so we have to go through the pains of building a team for a few years."

AB: Speaking of building, do you have a stance on any facility upgrades?

MD: "Not in particular. I'm not that familiar with the upgrades they would be looking for."

AB: Are you comfortable with the job the current administration is doing with support and execution of athletic initiatives?

MD: "Yes I am. I think they've weathered some tough times in the past few years, and have maintained a credibility and so I'm looking forward to (working with) the current athletic administration."

AB: Do you have any particular visions for the future of athletics at CU? Anything you would like to initiate yourself?

MD: "I don't know that CU athletics and it's football team will ever be number one - The things of which the school is noted. But I think they can have a very credible role in bringing pride and sportsmanship and school spirit to both the students and the alumni of the university."

AB: For all sports would you like to see the number of sports offered at CU increased, decreased, or kind of where it's at now?

MD: "I'm going to tell you quite honestly my favorite spectator sport is hockey. And I don't know that I'm seeing a whole of effort in that direction out of CU. I watch DU, I watch Colorado College, which is my alumni. I just love ice hockey."

AB: Do you have any schools that you consider to be peers or on the same level as CU in the Pac-12 or nationally?
MD: "To be honest I haven't paid close enough attention to the other teams of the new conference. Those who are more integrated within the entire football program are the ones who should make those decisions. So I'm certainly not up to speed there. I'm concerned about academics."

Quotes regarding athletics:
 
Is she running unopposed in the 7th?

I'm only basing this on her bio, so take it for what it's worth - she doesn't appear to have much affinity for athletics. I don't see anything there that would lead me to believe she'd be a friend of the athletic department.
 
Perhaps - I think we need to remember however, that the Regents job is so minor with regards to athletics. I suspect that you would struggle to find athletics mentioned in the bio's of any regent candidates. However, we've seen some of the current regents respond to emails from our members expressing their concern with the state of football.

Mary is the one person (as of yesterday morning, so things may have changed) who has responded to Michael - so will definitely have some insight from her side of things in the coming days.
 
The Regents job may be minor in regards to athletics, but that's the part of the job we want to have addressed. Athletics, and the stance our candidates take towards athletics, is our issue. We can let somebody else worry about tuition, out-of-state recruitment, etc. We are specifically interested in how the Regents view and will support the athletic department at CU-Boulder.
 
Of course I understand that - which is why we've put together this forum. My point was that you appear to be trying to say someone doesn't support something simply because it isn't in their 2 paragraph biography. My point was that none of the regents are likely to have anything in their bios about athletics, so it is premature to label someone as pro or anti athletics.

We've added the extra sections to each bio which should address our specific questions - it is just going to take a little bit of time to fill that information in - but we're working on it.
 
I hear you. And make no mistake, I'm fully in support of what the junta is doing here. I think it's terrific and it really adds value to the allbuffs membership. Nice work.

My comments were qualified by the statement that they're completley based on what I'm reading in the bio. I'm making assumptions without any facts to back them up. Sorry about that.
 
The Regents job may be minor in regards to athletics, but that's the part of the job we want to have addressed. Athletics, and the stance our candidates take towards athletics, is our issue. We can let somebody else worry about tuition, out-of-state recruitment, etc. We are specifically interested in how the Regents view and will support the athletic department at CU-Boulder.

The regents job may be minor to athletics but they are the ones who have responsibility for overseeing the president and the chancelors, they people who drive the actual operation of the university and it's campuses.

I fully agree with those who say that the purpose of the university is not athletics but like it or not athletics is the most visible part of the university on a day to day basis. I also think that athletics is a good indicator of the level of expectations that are held and that are supported in the university. If we are willing to support a lack of excellence in any one major part of the university that makes that same level of performance acceptable elsewhere in the university.

We also know that the reputation of the university is tied to the athletic program, again rightly or wrongly. The quantity and quality of student applicants, the profile of the university in business/social settings and the success of appeals for fundraising is all related to athletic success.

All of this makes athletics a concern for the regents and the people they supervise.
 
I should add that Mary is NOT running unopposed. She is running against Irene Griego. Irene was appointed to the position last year after the former Regent resigned
 
Mary was nice enough to give us 15 minutes of her time earlier in the week to talk CU with Michael K.

Interview with Mary Dambman

AB: How do you view the role of CU athletics, in particular football?
MD: "It's an important role. Gosh, the CU football team is not doing so well this year but they've had good years, they're in a (re)building mode. I've followed CU football for many years. One of their past coaches Gary Barnett taught at Air Academy High School, where I was a teacher. He came in about the time that I was leaving. But I've followed CU football for many years."

AB: Do you think that the current product on the field is up to school standards or is even acceptable?

MD: "The standard can vary from year to year depending on the goal of the particular time, the manpower they have to work with, the coaching staff, the athletic director's mission. The standards may differ from year to year, and that is OK. As I mentioned they're in a (re)building mode right now. And so we have to go through the pains of building a team for a few years."

AB: Speaking of building, do you have a stance on any facility upgrades?

MD: "Not in particular. I'm not that familiar with the upgrades they would be looking for."

AB: Are you comfortable with the job the current administration is doing with support and execution of athletic initiatives?

MD: "Yes I am. I think they've weathered some tough times in the past few years, and have maintained a credibility and so I'm looking forward to (working with) the current athletic administration."

AB: Do you have any particular visions for the future of athletics at CU? Anything you would like to initiate yourself?

MD: "I don't know that CU athletics and it's football team will ever be number one - The things of which the school is noted. But I think they can have a very credible role in bringing pride and sportsmanship and school spirit to both the students and the alumni of the university."

AB: For all sports would you like to see the number of sports offered at CU increased, decreased, or kind of where it's at now?

MD: "I'm going to tell you quite honestly my favorite spectator sport is hockey. And I don't know that I'm seeing a whole of effort in that direction out of CU. I watch DU, I watch Colorado College, which is my alumni. I just love ice hockey."

AB: Do you have any schools that you consider to be peers or on the same level as CU in the Pac-12 or nationally?
MD: "To be honest I haven't paid close enough attention to the other teams of the new conference. Those who are more integrated within the entire football program are the ones who should make those decisions. So I'm certainly not up to speed there. I'm concerned about academics."
 
Mary was nice enough to give us 15 minutes of her time earlier in the week to talk CU with Michael K.

That's a great interview. I'm not particularly liking the responses, though. Sounds to me like she has no desire to improve things.
 
This quote, in particular, is troubling to me:

AB: Do you think that the current product on the field is up to school standards or is even acceptable?
MD: "The standard can vary from year to year depending on the goal of the particular time, the manpower they have to work with, the coaching staff, the athletic director's mission. The standards may differ from year to year, and that is OK. As I mentioned they're in a (re)building mode right now. And so we have to go through the pains of building a team for a few years."
Christ. Is it up to standard or not? Standards don't change, lady. They are what they are. You either have them or you don't. That's why they're called standards.
 
I would like to see a question added that starts with the correlation that a strong football program has to increased applications followed with "what changes are you willing to push to make this happen at CU?"
 
First off, I think we should say thanks you to Mary for taking the time to respond to Michael.

I agree that the responses aren't quite what we are looking for.
 
I agree that the responses aren't quite what we are looking for.

I think we need to look at them in-light of how here counterparts running are answering the same questions. I doubt anyone is going to agree to turn us into K ST.
 
This quote, in particular, is troubling to me:

AB: Do you think that the current product on the field is up to school standards or is even acceptable?
MD: "The standard can vary from year to year depending on the goal of the particular time, the manpower they have to work with, the coaching staff, the athletic director's mission. The standards may differ from year to year, and that is OK. As I mentioned they're in a (re)building mode right now. And so we have to go through the pains of building a team for a few years."
Christ. Is it up to standard or not? Standards don't change, lady. They are what they are. You either have them or you don't. That's why they're called standards.

It's basically how someone would look at your average high school program. That the coach and AD are at the mercy of the talent that just happens to come through the school at a particular time. Like we're down now, but in 10 years, maybe we'll be better, it'll work itself out.

I do like her stance on hockey though.
 
Yes, I like her stance on Hockey, although I don't see her doing anything in particular to bring about a varsity hockey program at CU. The standards comment really rubs me the wrong way. How in the hell can you say standards vary from year to year? Seriously, what kind of bull**** is that?

She's lucky she's not running in my district. I couldn't bring myself to vote for somebody like that.
 
Yes, I like her stance on Hockey, although I don't see her doing anything in particular to bring about a varsity hockey program at CU. The standards comment really rubs me the wrong way. How in the hell can you say standards vary from year to year? Seriously, what kind of bull**** is that?

She's lucky she's not running in my district. I couldn't bring myself to vote for somebody like that.
It's a juice box answer, i.e. standards vary by who we bring in. It should always be: Here are our standards bring in people who meet them.
 
You know what, at least she took the time to respond to a sports website about sports questions. That's more than ANY other regent (currently elected or running) has been willing to do. Her answers may not have been the home runs I was hoping to hear, but I'm going to give her credit for that at least.
 
You know what, at least she took the time to respond to a sports website about sports questions. That's more than ANY other regent (currently elected or running) has been willing to do. Her answers may not have been the home runs I was hoping to hear, but I'm going to give her credit for that at least.

Right now she's the only one who's responded as of yet. All regents have received 2 calls and an email from us.

Hell one guy even ignored the Daily Camera.
 
You know what, at least she took the time to respond to a sports website about sports questions. That's more than ANY other regent (currently elected or running) has been willing to do. Her answers may not have been the home runs I was hoping to hear, but I'm going to give her credit for that at least.


I do give her a great amount of credit for responding. That's good. Having said that, I'm still not thrilled about her responses. I suspect the majority of the candidates for Regent would give similar responses, if they decided to respond at all. Very, very disappointing.
 
Her answers on sports are probably what my answers would be if I was asked questions about a struggling theater program.
 
This quote, in particular, is troubling to me:

AB: Do you think that the current product on the field is up to school standards or is even acceptable?
MD: "The standard can vary from year to year depending on the goal of the particular time, the manpower they have to work with, the coaching staff, the athletic director's mission. The standards may differ from year to year, and that is OK. As I mentioned they're in a (re)building mode right now. And so we have to go through the pains of building a team for a few years."
Christ. Is it up to standard or not? Standards don't change, lady. They are what they are. You either have them or you don't. That's why they're called standards.

That's exactly the one that got to me, too... Like you said, your standards are your standards. You might not meet them all the time (in fact, if you do your standards are probably too low), but that doesn't mean you lower your standards. It means you improve your performance...
 
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