Job Summary

Attention: This is a listing for visibility, PLEASE DO NOT APPLY TO THIS POSITION ON THIS SITE.

The University of Colorado has engaged WittKieffer to support the recruitment of the Director of the Bruce D. Benson Center. Applications must be submitted through the WittKieffer Candidate Portal. Applications submitted here on the CU Boulder Job Site WILL NOT BE REVIEWED.

This search is being led by Maya Holt-Brockenbrough, Ph.D., Suzanne Teer, and Bronwen Bares Pelaez, Ph.D., of WittKieffer. Nominations and inquiries may be directed to Maya Holt-Brockenbrough, Ph.D. (mayahb@wittkieffer.com) and Bronwen Bares Peleaz, Ph.D. (bbarespelaez@wittkieffer.com).

Announcement: The University of Colorado Boulder is seeking a Director of the Bruce D. Benson Center for the Study of Western Civilization, which is a senior endowed chair, rostered within any department in the College of Arts and Sciences. The Director will be a distinguished scholar and dynamic academic leader who brings intellectual vision, collaborative instinct, and entrepreneurial energy to one of the nation’s most highly endowed university-based centers dedicated to the study of Western civilization, civic culture, and free inquiry. The successful candidate will be an accomplished, tenured faculty member with a record of scholarly distinction and teaching excellence, as well as experience in administrative leadership. CU Boulder seeks a director who can lead with credibility and care, engage productively across differences, raise and steward significant philanthropic resources, and position the Benson Center as an indispensable contributor to campus life, student success, and public discourse.

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

The University of Colorado Boulder is Colorado’s leading public research university, transforming lives since 1876. As the state’s flagship university and one of only 38 U.S. public research institutions in the Association of American Universities (AAU), CU Boulder has proudly served Coloradans since the state’s founding. Home to five Nobel Laureates since 1989, CU Boulder provides a strong return on investment by aligning efforts to achieve research and creative excellence, global sustainability impact, and the success of all students, faculty, and staff.

The Benson Center promotes the study of the intellectual, artistic, and political traditions that characterize Western civilization. Central to this mission is our commitment to fostering dialogue about fundamental values and controversial questions. The Center provides a forum for free inquiry and respectful open debate and promotes academic freedom and intellectual diversity.

What You Should Know

DO NOT APPLY ON THIS SITE

The University of Colorado has engaged WittKieffer to support the recruitment of the Director of the Bruce D. Benson Center. Applications submitted here on the CU Boulder Job Site WILL NOT BE REVIEWED.

Applications must be submitted through the WittKieffer Candidate Portal.

This search is being led by Maya Holt-Brockenbrough, Ph.D., Suzanne Teer, and Bronwen Bares Pelaez, Ph.D., of WittKieffer. Nominations and inquiries may be directed to Maya Holt-Brockenbrough, Ph.D. (mayahb@wittkieffer.com) and Bronwen Bares Peleaz, Ph.D. (bbarespelaez@wittkieffer.com).

For full consideration, candidate materials should be submitted directly to WittKieffer by Friday, August 14, 2026.

What We Can Offer

The Benson Center Director includes $90,000 in annual compensation for the Director role, in addition to the base academic-year faculty salary of $175,000-$220,000, depending on the discipline of the joint appointment. Potential research support, course releases, and relocation assistance available, subject to University policy.

What We Require

Academic and Professional Credentials

• Advanced academic credentials with an earned doctorate or terminal degree.
• A distinguished record of scholarship and teaching in a relevant field such as history, classics, political science, philosophy, or economics that would warrant a tenured faculty appointment (associate or full professor) within the College of Arts and Sciences.
• Demonstrated interdisciplinary engagement and public-facing scholarship.

Leadership and Strategic Capacity

• Demons