Bosley, Hayes say they want to make sure process is effective
Following the controversial election of Bruce Benson as president of the CU system, members on the Board of Regents say they want to take a closer look at the candidate selection process.
Board members Steve Bosley and Patricia Hayes have suggested an examination of the process. The regents, both Republicans, said they want various aspects of the selection system to be analyzed to see if it is the best choice.
“While everything is fresh in our minds, let’s review the entire process,” Bosley said.
Some students have questioned the legitimacy of announcing a single candidate for CU president.
“It made me think that there wasn’t a candidacy process in the first place,” said Jonathan Delamarter, 21, an environmental studies and anthropology major.
Even though many are opposed to the declaration of only one finalist, Bosley said it was not the result of the process, but rather the candidates involved with it.
“If we insisted on multiple finalists, the best candidates would not step forward because it could jeopardize their reputations and jobs,” Bosley said.
Hayes said there were over 100 people considered as candidates, though Benson was the only candidate publicly announced.
Hayes said that once the field had been narrowed down to only a handful of finalists, the problems started to arise.
“The process has worked in the past, but there was a more controversial candidate this time around,” Hayes said, referring to the same candidate selection process that was used for Hank Brown’s election as CU president.
Hayes said the examination of the process would be to see if there are enough people on the search committee and if all groups involved are being fully represented.
“Whatever the structure is, we’re looking to see if we’re doing a good job,” Hayes said.
Both Bosley and Hayes said they were only looking to see if the system is as thorough as it should be rather than looking to revamp it.
Before the system can even be examined, however, the Board of Regents must first approve it.
“Steve and I clearly aren’t the majority here,” Hayes said.
Despite both the Boulder Faculty Assembly’s vote in opposition of Benson’s election and the student reaction against him, Benson was announced as the new CU president on Feb. 20.
Benson will take office as president March 10.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Stephen Oskay at Stephen.Oskay@colorado.edu.
