Wellington Webb Calls on CU Regents to Investigate Racism

The Board of Regents has been asked to investigate University of Colorado President Todd Saliman's hiring practices and the practices of the entire system by Wellington E Webb. This is the email that was sent to the Regents and sent to the press.

Date: Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 10:20 AM
To: CU Board Of Regents <CUBoardofRegents@cu.edu>
Subject: From Wellington Webb

March 20, 2025

Cc: University Board of Regents: Kent Montera, Nolbert Chavez, Elliott Hood, Wanda James, Frank McNulty, Ray Scott, Ilana Dubin Spiegel, Mark VanDriel
University of Colorado President Todd Saliman
Dear Callie Rennison, Chair University of Colorado Board of Regents,

Today, I, Wellington Webb - a former mayor of Denver and a former faculty member at CU - request that the Regents undergo an investigation of the university’s hiring practices as well of the hiring practices of the president of the university.

What leads to this is the fact that since 1876 only two Black chancellors have been appointed at CU, which is a disgrace of 149 years. Former CU President Bruce Benson, a Republican, appointed Roy Wilson chancellor of CU-Denver and the Health Sciences Center in 2006. Mary Frances Berry was the first Black and first woman chancellor at CU in 1976.

This is not a partisan issue. This is a fairness issue that must be addressed for the future success and credibility of the university.

At a recent meeting with President Saliman, I was joined by several leaders in the Black community, including Dr. Odie Kennedy, president of the Greater Metro Ministerial Alliance; Pastor Reginald Holmes; Pastor Patrick Demmer; and Deborah Richardson, executive director of the ACLU Colorado.

It came to our attention that out of the president’s staff of about 800 people who report to him, less than five are Black. Based on the president’s own words, it seems to us that CU is defacto a segregated university. The university is “PWI” - primarily white institution - compared to the CU athletic department, namely the football staff, which is primarily Black. That staff of carefully hired coaches and support people took a football team on life support with a 1-11 record, to 4-8 and 9-4.

That primarily Black football staff has brought CU positive and financially beneficial attention.

If the football program can be successful with a primarily Black staff, why can’t the rest of the CU leadership better reflect its student population?

Other higher education institutions have recognized the disparity. Colorado State University hired Dr. Al Yates from 1990-2003. CSU President Amy Parsons continues to value the need for a diverse staff with Dr. Rico Munn previously serving as her chief of staff and now as CSU’s Vice President for Metro Denver Engagement and Strategy.

If CSU can do it, why can’t CU?

The university is proud of Travis Hunter winning the Heisman, which again came about because the athletic department recognized the valuable addition of Coach Deion Sanders, who encouraged Hunter’s unique talents. We can’t allow CU to be content with that trophy. The Regents made changes to make sure Coach Prime can succeed. That level of commitment must be made system-wide in the hiring practices.

If the Regents feel they cannot do an investigation of the hiring practices in a professional and ethical way, then I recommend this letter also be sent the Colorado State Senate President James Coleman and House Speaker Julie McCluskie. They can call a special interim study by the Legislature into CU’s hiring practices and release the results to the public.

Some of you may say, what about DEI? Well, the 1964 Civil Rights Act benefited many, among them white women. My wife, former state Rep. Wilma J. Webb, and I have fought for equal rights for all Coloradans, including the LGBTQ community, for more than five decades. We can’t remain silent when this glaring issue continues at one of the state’s top universities. Together, we can finally seriously address and correct these hiring practices.

Lastly, the recent issue of offensive racist “Amos and Andy” character images and tropes about the Black community published by CU. Why is it that only CU Regent James, who happens to be Black, was the only one who identified the offensive images? Where was the leadership at the CU Anschutz School of Public Health and even more importantly the other Regents? Why is Regent James the only elected Regent outraged while her Regent colleagues remain silent?

In this difficult national climate of discord, we come today to address an important issue with the sincere hope our voices will be heard. We will not be silent.

We will not be silent either. We applaud Mr. Webb's call for equity at CU, but remain skeptical that the Regents will take meaningful action. Asking the Regents to investigate racism is like asking a fox to guard the henhouse. The Regents of Colorado have a history of supporting racism, as we documented here.