By KARRIE WILLIAMS
associate director, college relations

When Tom Nycum accepted a job with the 2002 Olympics two years ago, he knew he would one day return to higher education. He'd spent most of his life in the hallowed halls of academe: as vice president of administration services at the University of Utah, vice chancellor for administration at the University of California-Riverside, assistant vice chancellor of facilities management at the University of California-Berkeley, the physical plant director at the University of Florida, and assistant director of the physical plant at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He wanted to return to a campus somewhere, someplace after the Olympics. It took CC, though, to lure him away before the Salt Lake City games even began.

Nycum returns to his home state this spring to be the new vice president of business and finance, a senior staff position held since 1991 by Jan Legoza. Legoza, who leaves CC in solid financial condition (as demonstrated by financial upgrades by both Moody's and Standard and Poors), will be the new vice president of business and finance at Whittier College in California.

The managing director of games services at Salt Lake City, Nycum oversaw several key areas of hosting the 2002 Winter Olympics -- spectator services, ticketing, accreditation, accommodations, medical services, food services, and protocol.

He is intimately acquainted with new student housing, having developed the Fort Douglas site that will double as the Olympic Village for up to 4,000 athletes and coaches in 2002. Nycum coordinated that project for the University of Utah and helped negotiate a contract that allows Olympic organizers to use the facility for a month in exchange for a $28 million contribution to construction costs.

Nycum worked on the expansion of the University of Utah's Rice Stadium, site of Olympic opening and closing ceremonies. And he has worked closely with Intermountain Health Care and University Hospital officials who will deliver Olympic medical services. He also has considerable experience with food-service companies.

Originally from La Junta, Nycum is anxious to move back to Colorado. "I wanted to get back into higher education, preferably a private, smaller school setting. Colorado College is the perfect solution. At this time in our careers, my wife and I want to live in a place where it's easy to get to know the community. Our son and our four-year-old granddaughter live in Denver, so we'll be close to family, too."

Nycum's wife, Vicki, has taught accounting for 20 years. She's been the department chair of the School of Accountancy at Weber State University in Ogden for several years.