University officials optimistic about new president
Bruce Benson had a “busy day from start to finish” when he took office on Monday as the CU system’s 22nd President said Ken McConnellogue, associate vice president for university relations.
Benson began his first day as President at 7:30 a.m. with a weekly conference call with a legislative team of lobbyists that work at the capital, and moved from there to a small welcome reception at CU’s Denver offices.
Benson received a couple of briefings at the Anschutz Medical Campus; at the School of Medicine Benson was shown an interdisciplinary program where medical students and nursing students work in an emergency room simulation.
McConnellogue said that Benson is adapting well to his new role as university president.
“He is starting to familiarize himself with some of the research that we’ve got going on because he believes that he’s going to be out talking about it as he’s trying to raise money and convince the legislature to fund us,” McConnellogue said.
Benson spent part of the day viewing a piece of MRI equipment at the Anschutz Medical Campus that McConnellogue said is supposed to be one of the most advanced in the world.
“He did a lot of work leading up to his first day today, so it’s not like he’s just stepping in brand new today,” McConnellogue said. “He’s been working basically since the regents named him. He’s been doing a lot of work to make himself familiar with the University and the issues that face it.”
University spokesman Bronson Hilliard said he has not worked with Benson yet.
“I think every body will tell you the same thing,” he said. “They’re eager to see what Mr. Benson is like, what he’s like to work with, what his agenda is, what his priorities are. Nobody really knows that yet. They haven’t had a chance to work with him directly.”
A lot of controversy still surrounds Benson’s appointment as CU president. Students on campus have varying opinions on what Benson will do for the university.
Ian Todaro, a freshman psychology major, said Benson’s previous position in the oil business seems “contradictory to what Boulder is trying to say about the environment.”
“The only thing that really unsettles me about him is his views and who he’s worked for in the past,” Todaro said. “But what (Benson) is doing here trumps what he’s done in the past. Bringing in money for the university is always a good thing and is needed.”
Regardless of the controversy, McConnellogue said that, from what he saw, “(Benson) got a very warm welcome out at the Anshuntz Medical Campus.”
Benson sent out an e-mail to the faculty, staff and students of the CU campuses Monday. He wrote that he intends to visit each campus regularly.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Kaely Moore at kaely.moore@colorado.edu.
