The University of Colorado regents named the provost of a private New York university as chancellor for the Boulder campus Friday.
George “Bud” Peterson, a former NASA research scientist and Texas A&M mechanical engineering professor, begins July 15. He is chief academic officer at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y.
Peterson said he hopes to collaborate with CU president Hank Brown to restore confidence in the school, increase financial support from the state and other sources, and hire more faculty members of color.
Brown, who selected Peterson as one of two finalists, called him “one of the most remarkable human beings I think I’ve ever come across.”
The other finalist dropped out of contention this week to take the provost position at Arizona State University. Elizabeth Capaldi was vice chancellor and chief of staff at the State University of New York system.
In his six years at Rensselaer, Peterson helped double the number of minority faculty members and increase the number of female faculty members by 40 percent.
Regents held a special meeting through conference call to hire Peterson.
Regent Cindy Carlisle voted against the hiring, calling the process “precipitous” and saying she wanted more time to interview Peterson.
Peterson will receive an annual salary of $330,000, plus $600 per month for car travel expenses. He will live in the chancellor’s house on campus.
Boulder interim chancellor Phil DiStefano, who replaced Richard Byyny, took himself out of the running, saying the campus needed outside leadership.
Staff writer Jennifer Brown can be reached at 303-820-1593 or jenbrown@denverpost.com.
