Asked Wednesday at a town hall meeting if he would support the CU Foundation divesting of fossil fuels -- a move recently approved by the student body -- University of Colorado President Bruce Benson wasn't convinced.
"I'm not going to do that," said Benson, who noted he got his start working in the oil business in 1957. "It's a great industry."
Simon Mostafa, a doctoral student in CU's environmental engineering program, asked Benson the question, saying removing endowment investments from the fossil fuel industry would support CU's reputation as a "green" university.
In the spring election, students voted in favor of divesting of fossil fuels by a 2-to-1 margin. According to the CU student government website, 6,386 students cast their votes on the ballot question.
But Benson said exciting things are happening in the natural gas industry, which has a relatively small carbon footprint.
The town hall meeting is designed as an annual update on the state of the university.
Benson also talked about the possibility of pursuing a statewide ballot initiative to raise money for higher education. But he said numerous other potential destinations for tax funding -- including K-12 education -- poll far better than higher education, making a new tax "a non-starter."
Still, he said CU officials will look at every avenue to increase funding. The CU system only receives 5.3 percent of its annual funding from the state, and alternate funding sources need to be explored, he said.
"We will be polling this summer to see what we might be able to do," he said. It will be "kind of a piecemeal strategy because I think that is what it has got to be, because there is not going to be a big fix so we're going to look at little things."
Benson lauded fundraising efforts at CU, with a record-setting $228.6 million collected during the last fiscal year, but said the school could do better, which is why it has commissioned a study to see how it might increase those totals.
"We need to look more like UCLA or (the University of California) Berkeley," he said. "Berkeley raised $405 million, and we're in the low 200s."
Contact Camera Staff Writer Joe Rubino at 303-473-1328 or rubinoj@dailycamera.com. ___
(c)2013 the Daily Camera (Boulder, Colo.)
Visit the Daily Camera (Boulder, Colo.) at www.dailycamera.com
Distributed by MCT Information Services
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.