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Regents vote: It's Benson, 6-3

By Sara Burnett, Rocky Mountain News (Contact), Ann Imse, Rocky Mountain News (Contact), Kevin Vaughan, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published February 20, 2008 at 4:25 p.m.
Updated February 20, 2008 at 8:37 p.m.

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The University of Colorado Board of Regents will decide tonight whether to name Bruce Benson, a millionaire oilman and former head of the Colorado Republican Party, as CU's 22nd president.

Photo by Bill Ross, AP

The University of Colorado Board of Regents will decide tonight whether to name Bruce Benson, a millionaire oilman and former head of the Colorado Republican Party, as CU's 22nd president.

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Bruce Benson was named the 22nd president of the University of Colorado tonight, despite criticism from some faculty, students and staff that the millionaire oilman doesn't have the academic credentials and is too tied to Republican politics.

The CU Board of Regents voted 6 to 3, on a party-line vote, to hire Benson to replace Hank Brown.

It marks the first time since 1974 that a CU president has been hired without a unanimous vote.

Regents Tillie Bishop, Steve Bosley, Pat Hayes, Kyle Hybl, Tom Lucero and Paul Schauer — all Republicans — voted yes, saying Benson's qualifications are unmatched.

"No one in Colorado today has a higher understanding of higher education in Colorado as Mr. Benson," Bosley said.

The three no votes came from the board's three Democrats — Cindy Carlisle, Michael Carrigan and Steve Ludwig.

Ludwig insisted the vote was not a true party-line vote, saying politics had nothing to do with his decision.

"We need great relations with Colorado state lawmakers," he said. "Another controversy or controversial figure sucks all the oxygen out of the room."

Carrigan said Benson had been too polarizing a choice, while Carlisle took exception with the board bringing forward only one finalist.

Benson, the former head of the Colorado Republican Party, was named sole finalist for president last month.

His supporters point to his history of raising money for education, and believe he is just the man to change the way Colorado funds higher education. Among the ideas for increasing funding is raising the severance tax that oil and gas companies — Benson's one-time colleagues — pay the state.

Earlier tonight a string of heavy hitters, from the head of Denver Public Schools to a college president and a former Colorado Supreme Court justice, turned out tonight to support him.

Stephen Jordan, president of Metropolitan State College of Denver, said that as chairman of Metro's board of trustees, Benson helped approve an initiative to hire 110 tenure-track faculty.

"I truly believe he can help bring together all of higher ed, all of our institutions," Jordan said.

DPS Superintendent Michael Bennet said that while Benson didn't support him for superintendent, he was the first person to call Bennet after Bennet got the job.

"Bruce Benson has been somebody who time and time again in my experiences with him was able to reach across all kinds of divides," he said.

A CU graduate with a bachelor's degree in geology, Benson has served on the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, as chairman of the Denver Public Schools Foundation and as chairman of the board of trustees at Metropolitan State College of Denver.

In 2005, he helped pass Referendum C, which sent more tax money to schools and health care.

Not all of tonight's comments were positive. Not a single member of the CU faculty, staff or student body who spoke said Benson should be hired. Many spoke against, and others reported their constituents were divided over the nomination.

Uriel Nauenberg, head of the faculty senate at CU-Boulder, said the group voted 40-4 against a resolution supporting Benson.

A student representative said Benson doesn't meet the qualifications for the job.

"Mr. Benson is no doubt an accomplished man and an exceptional fundraiser," said Ryan Biehle, chair of the Intercampus Student Forum. "But that is not all that our university needs at this time."

Critics also said Benson is too political, and that the president of a major university such as CU should have an advanced degree.

"The job description states the president should be the chief academic advisor," said graduate student Jennifer Johnson. "I have as many qualifications to run our university as Mr. Benson, and shortly will have more…and I am not qualified to run this university."

But Lucero, who voted for Benson, said Benson wasn't being hired to go into a classroom and teach.

"We're looking at somebody with demonstrated ability and leadership, who's proven himself, not only in the oil and gas business, but in the real estate business, in the restaurant business," Lucero said. "It takes a unique individual to be successful not only in one industry but in multiple industries."

Benson was one of the founders of the Trailhead Group, a Republican group that funded attack ads against Democratic candidates in 2006. His hardball tactics — along with a close affiliation with the Bush administration — have some wondering how Benson will work with Democratic lawmakers.

At tonight's meeting, some students also questioned Benson's commitment to the environment. They showed up with a 55-gallon oil drum, which they placed at the back of the room, and several signs opposing Benson.

Before the regents voted to hire Benson, Carlisle moved to reopen the search and select three to five new finalists.

Her motion failed 7-2, with she and Carrigan casting the only yes votes.

Comments

  • February 20, 2008

    8:44 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    RockySux writes:

    It says a lot about the crappy nature of your candidate and your decision when at the end of the vote, Pat Hayes says, "Should we run for the door?" Heh, can't hold your head, up, huh?

    Sorry you voted for Benson because you were "sick of thinking about it", Pattie.

    Benson - who is like mad-cow disease in the political arena - will have fun screwing up CU by continuing to secretly fund his Trailhead group.

  • February 20, 2008

    9:06 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    flash1 writes:

    You need to put politics aside and give the man a chance, and quit your whining.

  • February 20, 2008

    9:10 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    proxmirebill writes:

    Can't do worse than the past 20+ years of "academically experienced" presidents who brought this fine place to its knees. Worth a shot. Comments by faculty in press were inane. Does the Faculty Council want responsibility for the extraordinary gross undersight of sports at CU, Churchill, and blunder after blunder budgetwise? OK -- go for it. With endearment. Quigg Newton redux.Optimistic alum. He's got ONE chance, tho.

  • February 20, 2008

    9:17 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    RockySux writes:

    Whining? Hardly. Whining is for children. If you can't disagree with someone without saying they are whining, then perhaps the playground for you is more fitting a place.

    Pay Benson $1.00 for his work. The rest can go into the funding he's going to have a hell of a time getting for CU...

  • February 20, 2008

    9:25 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    proxmirebill writes:

    OK--I'll add that thanks to previous gross mismanagement, I'll take a chance on anyone reeking of integrity, right or left, whatever. Go re-read accounts of the athletic dept. management crises that faltered under academically experienced admin, the mysterious Churchill "appointment" and "tenure" and "promotions" under same folks, budget blunders, etc., etc. You want THESE kind of guys to keep dragging CU, my alma mater, into the ground? C'mon.

  • February 20, 2008

    10:40 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    kathyM writes:

    This could be a great opportunity for CU. Benson can keep the faculty and staff from running CU into the ground; and the faculty and staff can keep Benson from turning the college into a corporation. Somewhere in that tug-of-war, CU could benefit.

  • February 20, 2008

    10:42 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    kathyM writes:

    Politics had nothing to do with the decision (6 Repubs for, 3 Dems against).

    Riiiiiiiggggghhhhhht.

  • February 20, 2008

    10:42 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    kathyM writes:

    Politics had nothing to do with the decision (6 Repubs for, 3 Dems against).

    Riiiiiiiggggghhhhhht.

  • February 20, 2008

    11:11 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    farsidefan writes:

    I think his attitudes and those of the faculty and staff will balance out nicely. It is great how some of you always throw out the name of Churchill when bashing CU.
    I guess you like to focus on the negatives huh? What about the great things that happen at CU ? How about Hall ? How about Weiman ?

  • February 20, 2008

    11:43 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    farsidefan writes:

    I don't want to hear any pissing and moaning when he hits the legislature and us taxpayers for money for CU and higher ed. You think he is great, then support his efforts to increase taxes to fund higher ed at the level he thinks it should receive. Don't give us any of your "those damn librals don't deserve another dime for churchill" responses.
    That is his mandate: secure more money for CU.
    off my soapbox