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January 31, 2008 07:55 PM UTC

Bruce Benson to Lead CU, Back Away from GOP Fundraising?

  • 33 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

UPDATE: Credible rumors are circulating about a testy exchange (some are adding the words “of threats”) between Benson and Republican CU Regent Paul Schauer leading up to the vote. Details may follow shortly.

UPDATE #2: The Rocky reports on Schauer/Benson fireworks after the jump, after reading you’ll find the situation even more ethically murky.

UPDATE #3: Benson claims he’s “backing down from all the partisan stuff.”

Bet you didn’t see this one coming. From The Denver Post:

A prominent Republican businessman and education activist who has made millions on oil has been recommended as the sole finalist for the top job at the University of Colorado.

Bruce Benson was the top pick after almost four months of vetting more than 100 names through a 17-member search committee.

And close to midnight Wednesday, the CU Board of Regents accepted that nomination in a 7-2 vote.

Regents Michael Carrigan and Stephen Ludwig voted against the nomination, saying they were worried about Benson’s political activism.

“I’m concerned with Mr. Benson’s party politics,” Carrigan told the search committee and his fellow regents. “I would like to have more than one finalist.”

Benson will now face perhaps the toughest part of his interview – days of Q&As, tours around CU’s four campuses, faculty meet-and-greets and town-hall meetings in Denver, Boulder and Colorado Springs. He would be in charge of a combined $1 billion budget.

Benson, 69, graduated from CU in 1964. After serving as chairman of the state Republican Party from 1987 to 1991, Benson ran for governor in 1994. He lost to Roy Romer after tapping at least $3.4 million of his own money.

Benson is also one of the major fundraisers in Colorado Republican politics, notably a principal backer of 2006’s notorious Trailhead Group, and while Carrigan and Ludwig are right to worry about this, the damage may be bigger for Republicans. Might Benson have to curtail his financial involvement with Republicans if he ends up as CU’s President?

CU Regent Paul Schauer said he voted for Bruce Benson as the university president finalist even though Benson earlier warned he would finance attack ads against him if Schauer ran for re-election.

Schauer, a Centennial Republican, said he received the call from Benson, the former GOP state party chairman, in late December or early January.

“He said he would form a 527 if I ran,” Schauer said, referring to attack political groups named for the section of the federal tax code that regulates them…

House Majority Leader Alice Madden, whose district includes CU, said she was appalled at Benson’s selection to begin with, but the threat to Schauer concerns her.

“It’s clearly unethical and perhaps illegal,” Madden said. “He’s threatening a public official who’s about to take a vote on him.”

Schauer was asked why he voted for Benson, if Benson is opposing his re-election.

“This is not the absolute final vote. This is just a vote to accept the recommendation of the search committee and in essence give Benson full exposure. I want to hear what the reaction is and how he responds,” Schauer said. [Pols emphasis]

What the hell…? It’s not often that we get such a blatant example of it, but what we basically have here is a mating ritual. Each side sending out tentative overtures to see if they’re rewarded. You’ve all had a fight with your significant other, and sometimes it’s a little messy making up. You have to, you know, go the extra mile to prove your love.

Problem is that if it’s conducted out in the open like this, with public officials and votes and such, people start using unfortunate terms like “influence peddling” and “extortion” and “criminal conduct,” and off we go…

The other (obvious) point here is how problematic putting a political operator like Benson into this position is–will he bully all the Regents into submission the same way?

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33 thoughts on “Bruce Benson to Lead CU, Back Away from GOP Fundraising?”

  1. I hear that he doesn’t even have a secondary degree, if it only takes a BA from CU to be the president of the state’ s flagship university then hell I am qualified.

    Good for Carrigan and Ludwig! where were the other dems on this?

        1.    There was a “testy exchange” between the Oil/Gas Man and Paul Schauer?  Schauer was Mr. Republican in Arapahoe County some years back.  

            I wonder if either guy nudged the other…

    2. This is a very bad choice.  He’s too polarizing and too embedded with the state republican apparatus to do a good job with a democratic legislature and governor.  Not to mention he got totally trounced by Romer.

      Wait a second, how about Roy Romer ?  That would be a great choice.  Elder statesman like Hank Brown, tons of experience in education, former governor, businessman.

  2. We too graduated from CU so why not us as CU President???  

    Come on CU after Hank Brown; how come you didnt choose Roy Romer?  He did a good job in the LA schools and he is our former Governor too.  He would be a far better choice after the nonsense with the football team than Benson.  Not as polarizing; has an excellent head on his shoulders and he has no problem speaking the truth and dealing with any problems again like Hank Brown.

    The only thing Benson has besides he graduated from CU; is he might bring alot of money to you from the GOP in this state but do you really think the majority of alumni will like having him for President?  not in this lifetime.  

  4. How much of our money went into the utterly disingenuous and fraudulent “search” process?

    There are hundreds of people from both sides of the political aisle that are better qualified, and more suited, for this job.  ONE finalist?  What a bunch of bullshit!  I could imagine a more polarizing candidate, but it would have to be John Andrews or Doug Bruce.

    I went there for both undergrad and grad school, but there isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell I’d send my kids there.  CU is turning into the laughing stock of public academia.  Look for a substantial drop in donations, and a rapid increase in the “brain drain” from CU.

    What a terrible joke.

  5. He isn’t qualified to be the president of CU.

    This is mad, how is a political operative with a lot of money uniquely qualified for this position? They didn’t have anybody else as a finalist?

    I would of thought to be the president of a major university you would need to have more than a BA.

    This is an outrageous. And how to do think Oilman Benson is going to get along with one of the best environmental schools in the county?

    There is a building on campus named Benson, so I am guessing this has all to do with money.  

    1. Getting donations. But he sucks at the other – getting money from the state. As to a degree, all univ presidents really do nowadays is raise money so the degree is not important.

      (I’m not saying that is the only thing they should do – just that it is what they do.)

  6. If my memory serves correctly, the reason there is only one finalist is this:

    When doing these sorts of searches, it’s often the case that people interested in the job are talking to more than one institution, and they often have an existing position.  State law requires that the names of all finalists be revealed.  

    If the committee were to name 3 finalists, including Mary Jones of East Dakota U., Tom Smith of South Kansas State U., and Pat Pickle of the University of Lone Tree, it could cause problems for the two candidates who didn’t get the position.  They might be dropped from consideration in other searches, or their current employer might consider them a liability.  I think it’s common for people up for these sorts of positions to refuse to proceed with the process if their name is going to be revealed before they know if they have the job.

    1.   but it begs the question of how the hell was this guy on any short list to be Pres of an institution of this calibre?

      I trust our enterprising news media will provide information like who was on the search committee and who chaired it, what was the search process, what were the criteria by which this guy was selected?

      BTW I hear Sonny Lubick may be available–he has a proven record as a teacher, highly respected for his integrity, and great fundraising ability :>))  

  7. I would feel the same way if he was a Democrat.  He is just not qualified.

    Hank Brown was a good choice and moved the University through some very difficult times.  This kind of choice moves CU backwards.

  8. Now Benson can raise money for a worthy cause as opposed to funding junk/attack ads.  This will enhance CU in the long run much like Richey did for DU.  This is a good match.

  9. From one Bruce to the next, we left shaking our heads. Has anyone figured out why Bruce Benson is the only candidate, especially when his resume includes only one diploma? I’m sorry, but to be President of the flag-ship University in Colorado, I expect a little more.  

  10. I’m sure most libs hate it…that’s fine.

    I for one don’t think we need another academic as the head of the university.  The state is forcing CU to operate more and more like a business every year…why not choose a businessman to run it?  Hank Brown has done a fine job as prez IMO, Benson will follow the same path.  He’ll allow the campus chancellors to do their jobs while overseeing the operation.  That’s good for CU…especially Boulder where Bud Peterson has done a fantastic job since taking over for Phil DiStefano.

    1. This “run like a business” analogy is what gave our country Bush and his $9 Trillion Debt. I don’t think running the University into the ground is the best choice for CU.

      I agree we need someone who knows how to run a University, but that shouldn’t limit our choices to one man who ran an Oil Company. Think about it, it makes little to no sense.  

      1. Of course running the country vs. running a university aren’t quite the same thing…

        I hate the reality that the CU system has been forced into being run like a business…but that’s the reality and the Regents get it.  Benson has connections w/ the business community and donors w/ deep pockets.  Fundraising has been HUGE since Hank Brown took over and will need to be equally huge in coming years.  Benson can do it.  I agree that the choice shouldn’t be limited to one guy…but anyone that’s had a conversation w/ Steve Bosley in the last 6 months soon knew what they were looking for in a new prez; a republican, a businessman, and someone Hank Brown liked.  Benson fit the mold.

        Take a look at the “presidential job description” and you’ll quickly see most academics need not apply…

        https://www.cu.edu/regents/Pre…

        1. Looks like fundraising and operational skills are more important to the regents than being an academic who has perhaps a more intimate understanding of the collegiate community; something I would have at least included and considered.

          I’m curious how “sensitive and responsive to student issues and concerns” Bruce Benson would be!  

          1. Think about it – a business operates to maximize it’s results. That’s what we need at C.U. We want it run like a business.

            What’s key then is to clearly state what the desired results are – and then measure how well they improve on it. Like maybe maximize (Q * N) / $. Q is quality of education, N is number of graduates, and $ is cost of running the place.

            2. The objectives of business too often end up being attempting to turn out an adequate product (one that enough people are willing to buy) for the lowest cost.

              In great contrast, the objectives of higher education should be to determine what is the best product you can produce, then figure out how much this will cost, then raise money to get as close as you can to turning out a high quality product.

              Universities need administrators with this sort of mindset AND need someone near or at the top of the administration who can bring in the money AND who understands the importance of attracting top faculty and students AND then gets out of the way so everyone can produce to their potential.

              (For a study in what not to do, observe Mesa State College in Grand Junction. It has been saddled with a “President” who has the wrong mindset, is mediocre at fundraising, and is a micro-manager. Can you say “patronage appointment trifecta?”)

              1. Benson is being brought in as a fundraiser primarily.  Sure, he’ll play a role in the university’s vision for the future; but the campus chancellors are the ones who will set the path for the university.  Benson is there to get them what they need to make it happen.

                Will it work?  Who knows…  

                Take the “Flagship 2030” initiative for instance.  This incredibly ambitious plan isn’t the work of the regents or prez Brown…it’s Bud Peterson’s vision for the future of CU.  He and the campus administration set the “mindset,” as you call it, and the university admin are the ones who raise the cash to make it happen…

              2. When you say pay what it costs to produce the “best” product, you costs shoot up exponentionally and you still don’t hit best.

                As to businesses, we shoot to create what people wish to buy. Yes sometimes that’s the bare minimum. But if that was always the case the Yugo would be the best selling car in Amercia and BMW would have gone out of business.

                “Getting out of the way” does not insure that people do the best job – it insures that people plod along on automatic pilot.

                1. … then you will be a mediocre manager of mediocre people who “plod along on automatic pilot.”

                  On the other hand, if you hire intelligent, highly qualified and motivated people, then your job as a manager is to facilitate their ability to excel.

                  There is no way to ensure that “people do the best job.” The only way people do their best job is if they want to.

  11. Boycott BensonGlobal

    Information

    Group Info Name: Boycott Benson

    Type: Common Interest – Beliefs & Causes

    Description: Bruce Benson, a right-wing activist and millionaire oil tycoon, has been named by the CU Regents as the sole finalist for CU’s new President.

    I just join, i urge you to join too.

    there a small window of opportunity to stop this disastrous choice. don’t just join the group, but write letters to your regent and new papers.

    1. but don’t kid yourself.  Benson will be the next prez regardless of the dozens of you who finally woke up and realized what the regents were looking for in a president.

      Ya’ll have had months to look at the “presidential job description” and other material on the search to replace Hank Brown…and just about no one gave a damn.

      People like Steve Fenberg (the group creator) and myself were concerned months ago about the path the regents were taking in finding a successor to Brown.  Perhaps you were one of them (if you are who I think you are, I assume you were.  the stalking powers of facebook still astound me…).

      Some of us accepted the reality of what Steve Bosley’s mission was as chair of the search committee.  Benson fits Bosley’s ideal pretty well.  Time to live with it.

      There was a time when fighting this may have made a difference…that time was loooong ago.  The bandwagon against Benson is nice to see…I’d prefer to see someone else as the next president too.  But that bandwagon is no match for the 18-wheeler rolling its way into the president’s office…

  12.    Any truth to the rumors that Mark Holtzman is going to announce his candidacy for C.U. president?

      He actually has some experience in the field of higher ed administration from his days working for Dan Ritchie.

      And Seymour could fund an independent expenditure committee to run attack ads against Brucey!

      Let the games begin…..

  13. ProgressNow launched a new website today to Boycott Bruce Benson

    “We are calling on the public to visit http://www.boycottbenson.com to oppose Benson’s nomination to be CU’s next President,” stated ProgressNow’s Executive Director Michael Huttner.  “The regents must halt the selection process until an investigation can be completed.”

    The public has the right to know:

    –The facts around statements made by Regent Shauer (R – 6th CD), who has to vote on Benson, that Benson threatened to orchestrate and pay for a primary against Shauer if he ran for Regent in 2008 (Rocky Mountain News, 1/31/2008).

    –How the secretive process led to the sole nomination of a man who does not even hold the basic requirements of the position, such as any post graduate degree, academic research, or any experience in higher education administration.

    –If the chair of the search committee, Steve Bosley, hand picked Benson and rigged the process to result in his sole nomination in direct contrast with the charge of the search committee to select three finalists.

    “The selection process was questionable at best.  No one should be the sole finalist for the presidency,” stated Huttner.  “This is not a coronation, the public has the right to know about Bruce Benson.”

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