Bruce Benson had been on the job as president of the University of Colorado for 10 days last year when he got a phone call from Stephen Jordan, president of Metropolitan State College of Denver. He needed Benson's help right away.

State lawmakers had yanked funding for the new science building on the Auraria campus, citing revenue shortfalls. Workers had already dug the foundation. If money wasn't found, the campus could be left with a huge hole in the ground, possibly for years to come.

Hours after the call, Benson huddled with Jordan and the school trustees - all familiar faces from Benson's five years as board chairman at Metro - to come up with a plan to save the building. They launched a public relations blitz, including a news conference at the construction site. Benson pressed his case at a lunch with Gov. Bill Ritter, and the two presidents called key lawmakers. A week later, the building was back on track, in line for state money collected on oil and gas leases.

"I think all of us that are university presidents think we're pretty good at working with legislators," Jordan said. "But Bruce has a long, long history of working with political leaders and has access to people better than most of us do."

That skill and others have earned Benson high marks as the first anniversary of his tenure approaches. He's demonstrated that dedication and political savvy can be more valuable than an advanced degree, particularly when education funding is in jeopardy.

Even critics who publicly opposed the appointment of a millionaire oil man and big-time Republican to head the CU system are impressed.

"He proved me wrong," said Stephen Ludwig, a Democrat and CU regent who voted against Benson last year.

Still, Benson faces his biggest challenges in coming months as the worsening recession requires deep cuts across state government, including higher education.

Michael Carrigan, a Denver Democrat and another regent who voted against Benson last year, said Benson's "toughest road is still ahead."

"There are storm clouds gathering on the horizon of higher education," he said. "I would certainly say he's passed his midterms but he's got tough finals ahead."

Benson, 70, said he is ready for the test.

"We have to keep driving this bus as hard as we can."

'So much work to do'

Benson typically starts his day at 5:30 a.m., sipping black coffee at the dining room table of his Cheesman Park apartment and reading the Rocky, the Post and the Wall Street Journal.

His office at East 18th Avenue and Grant Street is tidy. Framed photos of Benson with his wife, Marcy, Presidents George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan, and even a few Democrats line the shelves. There's no computer on the desk, just neat piles of papers brought in by his assistant, who screens all his calls and e-mails.

A small red placard reads, "It can be done."

Benson's drive for success began in his youth while working for his father's water business in Illinois.

He moved west and earned a bachelor's degree in geology at CU Boulder in 1964. While in graduate school - Benson didn't finish - he started the Benson Mineral Group, going to class in the day and working on oil rigs at night. His company expanded into other industries, including cable television, restaurants and real estate.

Benson's resume includes two stints as chairman of the state Republican Party. His role in funding a conservative issues group that attacked Democrats became a target for critics, who questioned whether Benson could put aside politics if appointed to lead CU.

But that concern has been replaced by admiration for Benson's dedication to the system. He works long days, talking to administrators, reading reports, keeping up with donors and courting new ones. When he's not at a power lunch, he eats a sandwich, packed by his wife, at his desk. "I get more work done that way," he said.

During meetings, including those with his "bosses" - the regents - Benson is blunt. Regent Kyle Hybl said that's one of the main differences between Benson and his predecessor, Hank Brown.

"If Bruce sees something and disagrees with it, President Brown may not tell you directly, but you understand where Bruce Benson is. He'll let you know."

Benson said an enormous amount of paperwork crosses his desk, and he never catches up on all the reports. But those around him say Benson is a quick study on complex administrative, academic and funding issues.

"Reading higher education's financial statements are a challenge . . . and he got his arms around it very quickly," said Steve Bosley, chairman of the board of regents.

By the end of the evening, Benson's desk is clean. Before he goes home, he puts the paperwork in one of three places under his desk - a cardboard recycling box, a tan canvas bag or a trash can. He calls the canvas bag "my sack," and he often takes it home.

"Whenever I'm awake I'm working," he said. "You can never get caught up. There's just so much work to do."

Budget challenge looms

State funding of Colorado's public colleges and universities is among the lowest in the country. With the recession, higher education money is again on the chopping block.

Based on estimates from the governor's office, CU must slash $8 million from the $210 million it receives from the state and another $6 million from next year's spending plan. The entire university budget is $2.4 billion, which includes state funds, tuition, research grants and private donations.

Benson's reaction to the problem: Bring it on.

"If everything was easy, it wouldn't be any fun to do," he said. "I like hard work. I like challenges."

He has faced his own financial challenges. In the early 1980s, for example, his company's debt totalled $30 million, which he erased by selling off a branch of the business.

"This is not the toughest time I've ever seen in my life," he said. "I used to have to go down to the bank and mortgage the family car so I could make payroll."

Benson's plan of attack for CU is this: Improve public understanding and appreciation for higher education and find ways to bring in more money.

"Right now we're trying to take a strong role on how we are going to fund higher education. We're going to get out in front of this thing. Somebody's got to stand up and say, 'OK, we're charging the hill, and it's in that direction, so let's go.' "

Benson wants the legislature to loosen its regulation over public universities and give schools more flexibility to set tuition rates.

He's also working to create a coordinated image for CU's campuses and keep enrollment growing. He went on a 25-stop tour of the state last year to tout the value of higher education and the schools' economic impact.

Seeing potential for more federal dollars, Benson put more focus on lobbying the government. Research grants, most of them from the feds, hit a record $661 million last year. He also helped bring the school record levels of private donations: $162.5 million.

"This is exactly the right man at the right time," said Bosley, the regent chairman.

Others agree.

Rod Muth, an education professor and longtime faculty leader on the CU Denver campus, initially opposed Benson's appointment because of his thin academic credentials, but Muth has been impressed with Benson's performance.

"He really values the institution of the University of Colorado. He believes it and he acts on it," Muth said. "His politics may not be my preference, but he's still a good problem solver."

The Boulder Faculty Assembly voted 40-4 against Benson's appointment last year. Still, physics professor Uriel Nauenberg, who leads that group, said Benson has gained the approval of many, including him.

Nauenberg credits Benson for listening to the concerns of the faculty and taking action. Among other things, Benson created a committee last year to cut red tape that teachers say competes with their classroom duties.

"He's doing what he said he would do," said Nauenberg, who has taught at Boulder for 40 years. "He has an umbilical cord tied to the university. It's his passion."

Many await science center

Mark Anderson, head of the chemistry department at CU Denver, spends most days in his third floor corner office of the north classroom building on the Auraria campus. It faces the new science building going up next door. He and his staff are scheduled to move in next January.

The $121 million complex, which will serve CU Denver, Metro and Community College of Denver, will give students three times more laboratory space and much better designed classrooms. The current science building, which will be renovated after the new building opens, has had ventilation problems for years because of crowding and dated equipment.

Anderson said his department has been trying to accommodate more students, but turns away 30 each semester because of lack of space. Some classes are held in trailers.

He and other teachers felt "deflated" when the funding was pulled last spring. He hasn't met Benson, but credits the president for "playing the right cards" to keep the project on track.

CU Denver student Heidi Moore, a biology major, said she and other CU students haven't heard any negative feedback about Benson, and she appreciates his work to save the science building.

They said time will tell whether Benson will be a good president.

As Moore put it, "We're just waiting to see what happens."

University of Colorado

* Campuses: Boulder, Denver, Colorado Springs and Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora.

* Students: 54,000

* Faculty: 4,200

* Annual budget: $2.4 billion

* Notable: Receives more NASA funding than any other public university in U.S.; among the top 10 public universities in U.S. for federally sponsored research; largest university in Colorado.

What they say

Bruce Benson was named the 22nd president of the University of Colorado last Feb. 20 on a 6-3, party-line vote of the CU regents, with Democrats opposed. Here's what people say about him now:

"He's been very bipartisan in his communication and his approach. . . . I think he's putting his heart into it and he's doing a fine job."

State Sen. Gail Schwartz, D-Snowmass, former CU regent who opposed Benson's appointment

"He is very driven, and he could easily work himself to death. Because he's not an academic, that style is a little different than what people are used to, but I think that's what the university needs right now."

Stephen Ludwig, regent, D-Aurora, who opposed Benson when he was appointed

"In this economic downturn, I can't imagine a person who would be better suited for that position than Bruce Benson is right now."

Kyle Hybl, regent, R-Colorado Springs

"I think he's done a great job with bringing people together and really trying to rebrand the university. We'll see how some of these budget cuts play out, but he's working on behalf of the university and he's working on behalf of our community."

Dustin Farivar, senior at CU Boulder, student government leader

"He's very direct. He's enormously hard-working. He empowers people that work for him, and he's very, very smart. Those are all the things I would expect of a very good leader."

Steve Bosley, R-Longmont, chairman of the CU Board of Regents

"He has been very accessible, very easy to get along with, and has acquired a very good grasp of the financial issues that are facing the CU system. We enjoy working with him on potential solutions or options to the fiscal shortfalls we have for higher education."

State Sen. Moe Keller, D-Wheat Ridge, chairwoman of the Joint Budget Committee

"I very much appreciate his approach, which is to identify problems and work on solutions. We'll need just that kind of approach to successfully navigate our way through this economy and these budget challenges."

Gov. Bill Ritter

Bruce Benson

* Born: July 4, 1938, in Chicago

* Education: Bachelor's degree in geology at CU, 1964; attended CU graduate school but did not finish.

* Employment: Started Benson Mineral Group, an oil and gas firm, in 1965. The company expanded into other industries.

* Education work: Chairman of Colorado Commission on Higher Education, 1986-1989; chairman of Gov. Bill Owens' Blue Ribbon Panel for Higher Education for the 21st Century, 2001-03; chairman of the Metropolitan State College Board of Trustees, 2002-07; co-chairman of Gov. Bill Ritter's P-20 Education Coordinating Council, 2007-08; CU president since March 2008.

* Political work: Candidate for governor in 1994; chairman of the Colorado Republican Party, 1987-93 and 2002-03; active in many Republican campaigns. Home: Cheesman Park and ranch in Summit County

* Family: wife Marcy, three children and eight grandchildren

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