Benson Becomes New CU President

Bruce Benson, a millionaire Republican activist with a huge Rolodex for fundraising but a controversial political past, was named the twenty-second president of the University of Colorado on Wednesday night.

The University of Colorado Board of Regents approved Benson, the only finalist for the presidency, by a 6-3 party-line vote, the Rocky Mountain News is reporting.

It was the first split vote for a CU president since 1974, according to the Rocky.

Benson, a CU alumnus, is owner of the Benson Mineral Group. He's been an active participant in state educational efforts, having previously served on the Metro State College Board of Trustees, co-chaired Gov. Bill Ritter’s P-20 Education Coordinating Council, and chaired the Colorado Commission on Higher Education.

He's also the former chair of the Colorado Republican Party and the co-founder of the Trailhead Group, a Republican 527 group that spent millions on attack ads targeting Democratic candidates in 2006.

Critics claimed Benson was too polarizing and didn't have a strong enough academic resume for the job. Benson only has a bachelor's degree.

But a line of prominent Coloradans, including Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, Metro State President Stephen Jordan, former Colorado Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Love Kourlis, and Denver Public Schools Chief Michael Bennet, testified in support of Benson at the Regents' meeting Thursday.

Even past critics and targets of Benson told the Regents that Benson has the ability to bring in sorely needed funding to the university.

Regents Tilman "Tillie" Bishop, Steve Bosley, Pat Hayes, Kyle Hybl, Tom Lucero, and Paul Schauer -- all Republicans -- voted to approve Benson.

Democratic Regents Michael Carrigan, Cindy Carlisle and Steve Ludwig voted against him.

Schauer earlier accused Benson of threatening to pay for attack ads against him if he ran for re-election. Benson told the Rocky that Schauer's story "wasn't quite true," though he didn't elaborate.