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Jim Carpenter at a President's Cabinet meeting
Leadership and Governance

CFO Jim Carpenter to lead Administration Branch 

Larry Sampler set to transition to special advisor role on Feb. 1.

Jim Carpenter at a President's Cabinet meeting

Metropolitan State University of Denver Chief Financial Officer Jim Carpenter will step into the role of vice president for Administration and Finance/CFO, part of a new administrative organizational structure meant to better align operations with the University’s strategic priorities, President Janine Davidson, Ph.D., announced this week.  

Carpenter will retain his title and responsibilities as CFO, while also leading the Administration Branch as vice president.  

Meanwhile, Larry Sampler, the University’s chief operating officer and current vice president for Administration and Finance, will move into a special-advisor role, reporting to the president. He’ll focus on guiding several key University initiatives, including the transition to a new student information system and various campus infrastructure projects.  

The changes will be effective Feb. 1.  

Jim Carpenter, vp for Administration and FinanceCarpenter has served as CFO since 2023, overseeing strategic and financial planning for the University, including Accounting Services, Business Services, Student Accounts and the Office of Budget. Prior to joining MSU Denver, Carpenter served in a similar role as the deputy superintendent for Finance and Operations at Denver Public Schools, overseeing facilities, finance, food services, information technology, planning, safety and transportation.  

“In a short time, Jim has modernized our budget by implementing a single-phase process that promotes transparency and stewardship,” Davidson said. “His promotion aligns with MSU Denver’s focus on financial strategy, risk management and resource allocation, which are essential to the University’s mission to serve our students, strategic vision and sustainability. With his leadership and continuity, we can scale this success across the entire University.”  

 As Sampler steps away from his full-time position, MSU Denver will build on his efforts to modernize operations and align the branch’s organizational structure with the University’s 2030 Strategic Plan.  

Under the updated organizational structure, Carpenter will report to Davidson, while a revamped chief operating officer role will report to Carpenter. This role will focus on facilities, construction and design, operational processes and relationships, as well as the implementation of enterprise risk management.  

To support this effort, MSU Denver is partnering with consulting firm Baker Tilly to develop a robust enterprise-risk-management framework—a key priority for the University. The new structure will better position the University to proactively identify and address financial, operational, compliance and reputational risks.  

“I’m excited to build on Larry’s leadership and increase our direct support and alignment with the University’s strategic vision,” Carpenter said. “With major projects like the Health Institute and student housing on the horizon, having a dedicated COO role will allow us to add a much-needed focus on operations, in a budget-neutral way.”   

Sampler to serve as special advisor   

Larry SamplerIn his new, part-time role, Sampler will focus on guiding the critical transition to a new student information system, Workday Student, and advancing key infrastructure projects.  

Sampler has served as MSU Denver’s chief operating officer and vice president for Finance and Administration since April 2019, leading some of the University’s largest and most complex operational functions, including budgeting and finance, Human Resources, Information Technology Services and Facilities.   

“Larry is the kind of strong and compassionate servant leader we should all strive to be,” Davidson said. She noted that Sampler has successfully guided the University through some of its most daunting challenges, including the Covid-19 pandemic, student protests and the transition to the new Workday finance-and- HR system, to name just a few.   

“During Larry’s tenure, the University has become a stronger, more vibrant institution thanks to his confident leadership and commitment to our mission and CADRE values,” Davidson said. “I’m thankful he’ll continue to lend his expertise and experience to the University in a part-time capacity. Larry’s institutional knowledge and strategic acumen will be of great value in this new advising role.”

Sampler is a long-time public servant and U.S. Army veteran, and his career spans decades and includes pivotal contributions to international development, national security, and conflict resolution, with leadership roles in the U.S. Agency for International Development. From his extensive work advancing governance and stabilization in conflict-affected regions to making higher education more accessible, his impact has spanned from local to global.