A real ruckus has been raised after former US Senator and University of Northern Colorado President Hank Brown withdrew his name from consideration for an interim term in the top post at CU, following critical remarks from a black Democrat state senator saying that Brown lacked a commitment to affirmative action and racial diversity.
Hank Brown, a conservative Republican of character, experience, and stature, commands tremendous respect in wide-ranging circles in Colorado. It’s a shame that he decided to withdraw his name from contention, since Senator Brown is a qualified man of class and dignity who could have done wonders for the campus at Boulder. Of course, the charge by Senator Peter Groff (President pro tem of the Senate) that Brown isn’t committed to diversity is a cheap canard, as evidenced in the Rocky Mountain News story.
Now that Hank Brown is out of the running, though, that improves the chances for other candidates seeking the endorsement of the Rocky Mountain Alliance. Following the debacle, the CU Regents may be looking more intently for a permanent replacement – someone outside the state to exert a sane and calming influence on the university: Hugh Hewitt and King Banaian both qualify. But there are also other candidates to consider, and the RMA’s announced endorsement is coming next week.
This latest but not last chapter in the CU saga speaks volume about a certain truth and fact: Higher education in Colorado is not about education. It is, bluntly, about partisan politics.