Ricks College Pres. Steven D. Bennion was appointed president of Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah, March 21.
The announcement was made at the Cedar City campus by the Utah State Board of Regents. He will replace Pres. Gerald R. Sherratt, who is retiring July 1 after 15 years. The new university president begins his tenure 100 years after his grandfather, Milton Bennion, was named the first president of the institution upon its founding.Pres. Bennion, who has served as president of Ricks College since July 1, 1989, will continue to serve in his current position for about three months. No plans have been announced regarding the search for a new president. The Ricks College Board of Trustees will be responsible for naming a new president.
Pres. Bennion, who is married to the former Marjorie Hopkins, said the decision to take the position in Cedar City was difficult. He was contacted in December but initially declined the invitation to be a candidate for SUU president. Following later invitations and counseling with Church education leaders, he was reminded the tenure for presidents of Church institutions generally runs seven to nine years. He received their blessing to be considered as a candidate.
"I can assure you we love our work at Ricks College and serving with you," he wrote in a letter to Ricks employees Friday afternoon. "We were not looking for or even hoping for other opportunities."
He continued, "It was a case of pushing forward with both faith and trepidation, wanting to do the Lord's will and realizing we do not see the beginning from the end."
