The Crow Canyon Archaeological Center has embarked on a reorganization that the center’s president, Deborah Gangloff, says will help streamline operations and emphasize revenue generation.
Six full-time employees were laid off, effective Tuesday, including a vice president, two directors and three professional staff.
“Trimming staff was necessary to align our budget revenues and expenses while ensuring continued archaeological research and educational programming in partnership with American Indians,” Gangloff said. “The reorganization will position Crow Canyon to continue as a successful, financially sustainable nonprofit organization.”
No programs will be cut, she said.
Most departments will be clustered under two vice presidents. Program departments will be supervised by Shirley Powell, vice president of programs, and Debbie Fish, vice president of operations, who will manage support functions.
Kim Karn, director of development, will head fundraising efforts. The former Publications and Communications Department will now be the Marketing and Sales Department. That director hasn’t been named.
The Cultural Explorations Department, which offers travel to archaeological and cultural destinations, will be managed along with research and educational programs and Crow Canyon’s American Indian Initiatives under the vice president of programs.
Last year, a pilot program that set up an archaeological field school for college students at the Crow Canyon campus was a success. Nine students enrolled and college credit was offered through Adams State College.
“We want to grow and expand that program,” Gangloff said. “We noticed there are less field schools for student archaeologists, and we saw an opportunity to fill that market. With our research labs, experts in the field, and access to ruins, we’re the perfect fit.”
Crow Canyon recently met a $1.3 million goal to build six student cabins and a first responder cabin for school program participants. The new cabins will be used by school groups starting next spring. Each cabin has men’s and women’s bathrooms and provides sleeping quarters for 24 students, plus four adults. A seventh new building houses the first responder and nurses stations.
“The new cabins are wonderful. They’re safer and more comfortable for the students and adults, and are handicap-accessible,” Gangloff said.
So far in 2015, 3,399 people have participated in Crow Canyon programs. Crow Canyon employs 63 people, including full-time and part-time staff members and interns. They have 11 archaeologists on staff.
Crow Canyon’s 2015 budget is slightly more than $5 million. The nonprofit generates one-third of its revenues from program fees, one-third from gifts, and one-third from private foundations and grants, including from the Gates Foundation, History Colorado and the National Endowment for Humanities.
