SUU begins presidential search with public input

CEDAR CITY — Southern Utah University President Steve Bennion spent his last day at work on Friday in meetings, tying up loose ends and visiting with students.

"It's going to seem a little strange to move on," said Bennion, half way through his packed itinerary that was already behind schedule because of calls and visits from well-wishers. "We've had to leave places we've loved before, but it's a little emotional today."

Bennion, 64, announced his retirement on March 6 during a special meeting held on the Cedar City campus with 500 SUU employees. Bennion and his wife, Marjene, will leave in June for New York where they will serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"Marjene used to say that she looked forward to the day when I retired, because then people would stop calling me president," said Bennion. "It looks like that's going to take at least three more years."

Leaving SUU, where Bennion has served as president for nearly 10 years, will be difficult, he said.

"We're excited for this new adventure. I never dreamed it would happen," he said. "I love the saying, 'You never really leave a place you love; you leave a part of yourself behind.' I look forward to coming back here and teaching."

The Utah Board of Regents named Gregory L. Stauffer as the interim president of SUU in April and a full search is under way to name a permanent replacement. A 20-member presidential search committee held several public meetings last week in Cedar City with students, faculty, staff and the community to solicit input on what kind of person should be considered for the position.

"The regents consider their duty of presidential selections of utmost importance because the institutional president is a cornerstone to the community he or she serves," Nolan Karras, regents chairman, said in a news release.

Results of the public sessions will be used to help define the selection criteria of a new president, according to the release. The search committee will develop a candidate pool and recommend finalists to the Board of Regents, which ultimately will select SUU's new president. Regents hope to have a new president named by the end of the year.

"The new president will have some time without us around, and that's a good thing," said Bennion. "My best wish for the next president is this: I'll be cheering for him or her and for the great people that work at SUU," he added.

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