Higher Ed Utah

February 28, 2013

Greg Benson has been appointed Assistant Commissioner for Academic and Student Affairs and is responsible for providing academic support to the Board of Regents and the System’s member institutions. Greg will work with Chief Academic and Chief Student Services Officers at the institutions on the program development and approval process and other academic and student affairs issues. “I am pleased to welcome Greg to our staff.  He brings many talents and wonderful experience in higher education, which will benefit our entire system,” commented Dave Buhler, Commissioner of Higher Education.

Greg holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music from Central Michigan University and Bowling Green State University, and a PhD in education from Michigan State University. He has worked in higher education for over 20 years, most recently at Utah State University Eastern, where he has served as Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Student Services since 2010. Dr. Benson has also served as Dean of Arts and Sciences, Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs and Associate Professor of Music at USU Eastern.

Organizationally, Greg will report through Dr. Liz Hitch, Associate Commissioner for Academic Affairs. He assumes the post previously held by Teddi Safman, who transitioned to partial retirement as of January 1, 2013 and will continue to oversee federal grants in academic affairs administered by the Commissioner’s Office. Greg will join the staff at the Utah System of Higher Education effective March 1, 2013.