GUNNISON

Western Colorado University’s former board of trustees chair Chris Blees called it a “gaping hole,” and its new interim president referred to it as “troubling.” It’s a $3.4 million structural deficit that, if left unaddressed, would wipe out the university’s reserves in four years, according to Chief Financial Officer Julie Baca. Thanks to federal COVID-19 relief, Western’s balance sheet will not take the full hit of that shortfall this year. Rather, the deficit is expect...