The Board of Regents is looking to shake up the selection process for future CU presidents.
Associate Vice President for University Relations Ken McConnellogue said the process is key to finding an effective leader.
“Selecting a leader…it’s a crucial decision, it affects so much of what happens,” McConnellogue said. “Having the best possible process will yield the best results.”
Regent Tom Lucero and chair of the laws and policies committee said the board wanted to change the process since before electing former CU President Hank Brown, but it was continually put on the backburner as priorities changed because of the economy.
Lucero said he feels now is an opportune time to finally accomplish this task.
“What really drove the discussion was we haven’t been happy with the process before we end up going through another selection process, we thought now would be the right time to review the process and get everyone on the same page,” Lucero said.
Board of Regents Chair Steve Bosley said he also felt that reviewing the process in an unemotional setting would be beneficial. However, by reviewing the presidential process, Bosley said the board does not want to imply that the process is in any way broken.
“Let’s just see if there is a better way to do this,” Bosley said. “The best way may be what we are already doing.”
The current process involves the formation of a presidential search committee. The committee is comprised of one regent, one dean of a school, college, or library, four faculty, one student and one alumnus, according to the Board of Regents’ Web site. The Board of Regents then reviews all of the candidates and meets with the search committee before making their final decision, according to the site [https://www.cu.edu/regents/Policies/Policy3E.htm].
One of the possible changes to the system may be adding more regents to the search committee, McConnellogue said.
While the regents will be discussing the new selection format, it is not to imply that they are unhappy with Benson, McConnellogue said.
“Benson is doing a great job, but you never know what may happen and it’s better to create the plan sooner rather than later,” McConnellogue said.
The laws and policy committee began a formal discussion about changing the process in the late fall, Lucero said.
“It’s a topic that has dominated our last three meetings,” Lucero said.
In their meetings, the committee worked with students, faculty and staff to agree on a plan, which Lucero will present to the board in their upcoming meeting on Feb. 10. Lucero said he believes it is likely the presentation will lead to a two-part discussion that will continue in their March meeting.
“[In March] we will ideally come to a conclusion,” Lucero said.
Students, however, had an apathetic response to the news.
“I don’t know how much the president affects me,” said Sam Verplanck, an 18-year-old sophomore mechanical engineering major. “I don’t really care.”
Jake Glassman, an 18-year-old freshman open-option major, said he shares the same view.
“It doesn’t really matter to me,” Glassman said.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Rose Heaphy at Josephine.heaphy@colorado.edu.
