University Relations

CU Board of Regents Statement

The University of Colorado Board of Regents on Wednesday voted to name Bruce Benson as the institution’s 22nd president. Although the board’s vote was not unanimous, we do agree that it is important for us to work together to make the president successful. We ask that CU’s internal and external constituents do the same.

As Regents, our obligation to the public and to the university is to act in the best interests of CU. While individual regents reach their own conclusions about how that is defined and vote accordingly, in the end, our collective goal is to foster an environment that allows our university to thrive.

CU and all of Colorado higher education face a funding crisis, and we believe that Bruce Benson will provide the leadership and coalition-building skills to address that crisis. He has demonstrated abilities in that arena.

When the board wrote and approved the job description, it did so mindful that the individual who met the qualifications may not have a traditional academic background. Constitutionally, the president is the principal executive officer of the university and the laws of the regents require the president to be the chief academic officer of the university. We believe Mr. Benson can fulfill those duties.

The majority on the board believe Bruce Benson fits the job description and that he can move the University of Colorado forward. Our challenges are significant and our time is short. We must apply our collective energies to addressing the funding dilemma that threatens our ability fulfill our basic mission.

The Board of Regents recognizes that this decision is unpopular among some important groups. We believe Mr. Benson will reach out to constituents in the first months of his presidency to build bridges and create partnerships, both inside and outside the university. But we all have a role to play in those partnerships, and we trust the university community will pull together to support our new president.