[dehai-news] (DailyCamera) CU regent race pits Eritrean-American law student against retired teacher


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From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Tue Sep 30 2008 - 09:41:49 EDT


CU regent race pits Eritrean-American law student against retired
teacher Democrat
has raised $28,000 for race; his opponent is not raising money

By Brittany Anas (Contact)
Monday, September 29, 2008

A race for a seat on the University of Colorado Board of Regents is pitting
Democratic CU law student Joe Neguse against Republican Jerry Reed, a
retired math and science teacher from Granby.

Neguse, a former student body president, announced his candidacy for regent
a year ago. He has raised about $28,000 so far, according to reports filed
with the Colorado Secretary of State. The filings show contributions coming
from top-level administrators on the Boulder campus, professors, students
and Democratic Regent Michael Carrigan.

Reed joined the race in June and has not raised money for his campaign,
explaining: "I can't understand people spending a lot of money on a
non-paying position."

The candidates are competing to replace Regent Cindy Carlisle, D-Boulder,
who made an unsuccessful bid for the state Senate, losing in the Democratic
primary.

Regents on the nine-member board serve staggered six-year terms — one
elected from each of Colorado's seven congressional districts and two from
the state at-large. The regents set policies and tuition for CU.

Neguse, the 24-year-old son of African refugees, said his election bid is
partly inspired by his parents' pursuit of the American dream. His parents
put themselves through college, his father sometimes working three jobs,
after fleeing Eritrea during a war with Ethiopia.

"They lost a lot of family and friends on their way here, and I recognized
at an early age how important education is, and how important it is to give
back to your community," he said.

Neguse said he has a track record of pushing for higher-education
affordability, and that would continue to be a top priority if he is
elected. Being a student would also bring context to the board when regents
are taking up tuition decisions, he said.

If elected, Neguse would become the second student to serve on the board.

Maureen Johnson Ediger, a Republican political science major from the
Boulder campus, served from 1996 to 2002, according to CU system spokesman
Ken McConnellogue.

Reed said his teaching background in high school classrooms could translate
well to the board. He taught for 32 years in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas and
Colorado. Reed also coached football, basketball, track and field, baseball,
golf and tennis. He was a municipal judge for eight years in Tyrone, Okla.,
and was a city councilman there for eight years.

He said among his top priorities would be keeping gun-free zones amid a
student group's push to allow permit holders to pack heat on campus, as well
as battling high-interest loans.

"I'm retired, but I'm still interested in education," Reed said.

Both candidates agree it's important to convince voters who aren't students
at CU or employed by the university to care about the outcome of the
election — pointing to CU as an economic engine and the value of higher
education.

Political analyst Katy Atkinson said generating interest in regent races can
be tough for candidates.

"Voters often don't know anything about either candidate, and they vote
based on the party," she said.

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