The president of a major university is refusing to step down amid corruption scandal. University of Illinois President B. Joseph White announced today that he had no plans yet to resign amid the admissions scandal. Call me perplexed but I’m fairly certain if he doesn’t step down by his own accord then the University should dismiss him.
Thursday concluded a months-long investigation which found that President White and Chancellor Richard Herman had enabled an admissions process that allowed substandard students who were connected to politically and financially powerful individuals, to get into the state’s most prestigious public campus.
Both White and Chancellor Richard Herman are considered revered and renowned in their respective positions but there is no place for them at the University. Denying admission to deserving applicants for their own personal gain cannot be undone. Nor can their total abuse of power be looked upon with impunity.
The investigation uncovered complaints of White, Herman and other top brass at the University leaning on their subordinates and undermining admissions decisions to allow in “VIP applicants”. This was no small operation either or an isolated case. In the words of the former law school Dean Heidi Hurd this was “a well-greased, well-oiled machine” complete with color coded files, special counsels to appeal rejections and over $300,000 spent to offset the imbalance of the under qualified students.
Herman headed the center of this corrupt beehive. First provost, he then positioned himself as the point man for trustees and the conduit for legislative request. He also had the final word in Category I admissions decisions. Named chancellor in 2005, he was allowed to take that prerogative with him. Checks and balances anyone?
He was also the one who optioned the $300,000 in discretionary funds for scholarships to attract qualified candidates while trying to broker a deal in which unqualified students would be admitted if their benefactors agreed to provide jobs for law school grads. It’s mind boggling.
And I’m sure to no one’s surprise former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s name is attached to this scandal as well. He leaned on University officials for more than one unqualified applicant including a relative of Tony Rezko (a former fundraiser for Blagojevich) who is now serving a prison term for taking kickbacks for state contracts. Quite the group of clowns – yet clowns with clout and power.
To defend his decision not to step down, White has said he didn’t know the scope of the abuse. White might want to rethink that position as it’s simply inexcusable either way. You’re either a leader that exercises and promotes integrity, or you’re a part of the problem.
As the U. of I.’s top two administrators, White and Herman presided over a disgraceful admissions system. The University needs to turn the page on both of them; if they won’t step down then they need to be removed. Sadly this will do nothing to help those who were wrongly denied admission.