EWU’s Jordan is Denver bound

Stephen Jordan plans to stay for Eastern Washington University’s spring commencement and then he’ll leave to become the new president at Metropolitan State College of Denver.

By the sound of it, he’ll likely take willing EWU administrators with him.

Jordan officially accepted the Colorado job Wednesday afternoon when it was offered by the college’s board of trustees and starts his new job July 1. Details of pay and benefits will be hashed out in an executive session today.

Jordan, who has been EWU’s president for seven years, said he and his wife, Ruthie Jordan, have a lot to do before leaving EWU.

“We’ve got to buy a house, move my mother back to Denver,” Jordan said. “We’re obviously very excited about it and at the same time very sad. We have a genuine love for this place. It’s been seven years of our life. It’s going to be hard to leave all of that.”

On Friday, EWU’s Board of Trustees named the university’s current provost, Vice President of Academic Affairs Brian Levin-Stankevich, as interim president if Jordan chose to leave. Levin-Stankevich could not be reached for comment.

Jordan, who will become the 15th president of Metropolitan State College of Denver, began his career in Colorado in 1975 and has a doctorate and master’s degree in public administration from the University of Colorado at Denver. His bachelor’s degree in political science is from the University of Northern Colorado.

The board voted 9-0 to offer the presidency to Jordan, said Metro college spokeswoman Cathy Lucas.

Jordan’s hiring comes after an 18-month national search that started with 200 applicants. He was named as the solo finalist March 11 and went to Metro’s campus for interviews March 15.

Clearly, his track record at EWU made him a top candidate, said Jordan’s associates. Jordan led EWU