Elections for the University of Colorado Board of Regents are collecting buckets of money. These positions have mostly been low-funded affairs, but like so many others these days, they’re now attracting big-gun political attention.

Two CU Regent spots, CD2 and CD6, have expensive and competitive races. The most expensive is the Democratic primary in CD-2 in Boulder, the University’s home seat. Two CU faculty and one Denver PBS Channel 12 personality are running. So far the candidates have collected $185,000, including $63,400 in loans. This seat will be won in the primary.

The biggest dollar number comes from Dave Gross, Leeds School of Business faculty since 1996. He’s currently the Associate Chair of the Finance Division with $53,649 in contributions and a $55,000 loan. Second in money is Callie Rennison, a faculty member and administrator at CU-Denver with $38,773 in contributions and $4,000 in loans. Third place is Channel 12 opinion personality Aaron Harber at $30,680 in contributions and $2,821 in loans.

Republicans have a primary in CD6, Aurora, Centennial, and Highlands Ranch. Richard Murray, attorney and former student body president for the entire CU campus, has ginned up $23,549. His GOP opponent, Priscilla Rahn, master teacher and teacher educator, has collected $9,028. Whoever wins this battle takes on Ilana Spiegel, education consultant, who has $54,019 already in her pocket and won’t have to spend anything on a primary.

The CU regent role has taken on greater visibility with the controversial appointment of Mark Kennedy as president of the four-campus enterprise. The current Board of Regents, majority Republican, has been very close to the chest concerning its selection of Kennedy to replace Bruce Benson, who was in the role for more than 11 years.

The regents also face challenges with CU’s budget that will receive substantial cuts due to statewide COVID-19 tax revenue declines. U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has put forward revised sexual harassment policies creating more controversy in that arena. Another potential debate concerns the recent dismissal of Detlev Helmig, formerly a CU air quality and climate researcher whose work has formed the air quality basis for recent oil and gas legislation, including SB-181, vigorously protested by the energy industry.

The endorsement competition among the three candidates is startling. Harber boasts Gary Hart, Pat Schroeder, and House Majority Leader Alec Garnett. Gross has 63 faculty endorsements, including many from his home department at Leeds. He also lists numerous Boulder community leaders. Rennison has cornered the current CU regent Dem endorsements plus state Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg and numerous other state legislators.

Republican Murray got former CU President Bruce Benson’s endorsement. Current CU GOP regents are behind him, too. Rahn, whose mother is Korean, has many supporters in the Colorado Asian community and among Aurora local political leaders.

The candidates see accessibility, affordability, and diversity as important CU challenges. They acknowledge the challenge of tuition and student loans, sexual harassment policies from the U.S. Department of Education, and excessive administrative overhead.

The Gross and Rennison candidacies can be seen from two perspectives: a conflict of interest as they become the overseer of their employer or insiders who offer unique insight on administrative waste and hassle. Harber argues that his work gives him independence.

Rahn asserts that her experience as a career public school educator and business woman brings her important understanding of education from the public and private sector point of view. Murray has an alumnus’ commitment to his university. One of his main points is to promote CU-Boulder’s athletic success and its value to student-athletes. Spiegel points out her defense of academic freedom and opportunity for all students.

How these issue statements relate to political contribution money is up in the air. Ten years of brutal higher education battles places money as the basis of most higher ed issues. Other states have tackled in-state tuition by making it free, as with New York state, or reducing community college expense and smoothing transition from two-year to four-year institutions, as with California. That’s not going to happen here without everyone running for regent and the state legislature and governor taking on Colorado’s taxing apparatus.

Meantime, Colorado’s peaks shine as the Front Range remains under COVID-19 pollution protection.

Paula Noonan owns Colorado Capitol Watch, the state’s premier legislature tracking platform.