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Faculty panel delays vote on Benson appointment at CU

By Berny Morson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published February 8, 2008 at 12:30 a.m.

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Benson to visit campus again Tuesday.

Benson to visit campus again Tuesday.

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The Boulder Faculty Assembly postponed a vote Thursday on whether to support the proposed appointment of oilman Bruce Benson as the next University of Colorado president until after he makes another campus visit Tuesday.

"We decided to wait until then to hear him out, so no decision was made," physicist Uriel Nauenberg, who chairs the assembly, said after a closed-door meeting.

Before the second round of forums, the Faculty Assembly had been set to consider a resolution condemning the search process, which named Benson as the sole finalist.

"A single finalist transforms the nature of the search committee into something close to an appointing authority," the resolution said. It asks the regents to revise the rules of search committees to require more than one finalist, and to give students and faculty members a greater say in the selection process.

Some faculty members raised pointed questions during a meeting with Benson on Monday. He assured them that he respects tenure and academic freedom.

Also stirring opposition among the faculty is Benson's lack of an advanced degree. He holds a bachelor's degree in geology from CU. Previous presidents have held at least a master's degree or law degree, and most had doctorates.

Also concerning some faculty members are Benson's links to the Republican party - he is a past party chairman - and to the oil industry.

Benson has promised to relinquish all partisan roles if he is appointed president. He said his oil company has a good record of cleaning up drill sites.

Forums with Benson

* Faculty Assembly 4 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Glenn Miller Ballroom at the University of Colorado's University Memorial Center

* CU Student Union and any interested CU students 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Glenn Miller Ballroom

* CU Staff Council 1 to 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Old Main Chapel

Comments

  • February 8, 2008

    8:24 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    TonyB writes:

    Why in the world any sane conservative blue collar businessman would want to associate with that group of nuts is beyond my understanding. It sure didn't do Hank Brown any good. Bruce, tell those edu-folks that you'll have your secretary check your appointment schedule and get back to them. If you want to raise some money for a good cause, help out the Air Force Academy.

  • February 8, 2008

    10:46 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    buffsblg writes:

    I am undecided about Benson, as I beleive he has a number of pluses and minuses. However, I do question a search process that can only come up with one guy. The committee is supposed to review candidates not appoint them. If they only submit one name they have, in essence, simply taken onto themselves the decision and told the Regents and the faculty and everyone else you get no say in this. There are people on the committee that I respect and trust, but I do not like the process. Surely the elected regents should be presented more than one choice. They were the ones picked by the people to make this decision.

  • February 8, 2008

    11:04 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Father writes:

    Wake up CU - if Benson is too devisive as he appears to be... he can NOT lead as they will NOT follow!

  • February 8, 2008

    2:19 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    truth_teller writes:

    The President of Colorado University has turned into a search for a bag man. The top Republican Bag man is Bruce Benson. That is his only qualification. HE is not a scholar or administrator. He bank rolls political campaigns for the likes of George Bush, George Bush, Wayne Allard, Bill Owens, Marilyn Musgrave and Tom Tancredo. A bag man (or bagman), also known as a delivery boy or running man, is a person designated to collect money in a protection racket. Originally the term applied only to Mafia members collecting for mob bosses, but the term later spread to use in corrupt police precincts where a foot patrolman was the designated "bagman" to pick up and deliver bribes from the local mob(s) to the precinct captain. In many cases, the bagman receives a fraction of the money collected and acts as "insulation" to protect higher-ups from exposure or direct prosecution. The term can also be used for a person who performs small tasks for the Mafia, such as chaffeuring, transportation of goods, or even shakedowns.

    The term is also used pejoratively to describe fundraisers for political parties and employees of the IRS.

    He has no real qualifications for the job except the ability to continue the legacy of twisting arms that is CU President. Everyone hopes this fall to twist the arms of the taxpayers to raise taxes on the taxpayers.

    Maybe we can pay another one of the Colorado Regents to sue the school. Maybe we can pay a faculty member to investigate the Jon Benet Ramsey murder. Why don't pay Gary Barnett some more money.