All Posts Tagged With: "Rezko"
Response to “Clout goes to College”
Today the Trib printed a damaging expose titled “clout goes to college” on the practice of trading on clout to admit unqualified students to the University of Illinois. I encourage anyone who loves the University of Illinois to read the story and take a look at the exhibits.
A Tribune investigation which included FOIA requests uncovered hard, damning evidence that the U of I is admitting unqualified students, while turning away qualified students. The Trib cites a clout list of over 160 students, but even one student getting special treatment is too many.
Leading a state university is a position of public trust. Administrators have a duty to use basic fairness and equality when admitting students. Richard Herman and B. Joe White are accountable to all the people of Illinois–to all taxpayers–not just the ones with clout. Imagine if they were outright selling admission to our competitive law school or business school–trading a seat in the class for an envelope of cash. In truth, trading for political influence isn’t altogether different. Especially when those they are catering to are the same people who set their over-inflated salaries.
While it’s true this practice predates the current administration, it doesn’t excuse our leaders from compromising their principle and tarnishing the integrity of the institution. Whether or not we traded clout for admission in the past, the practice is wrong and must stop. Whether or not other schools do it to, the practice is wrong and must stop.
If Richard Herman and B. Joe White were men of character they would acknowledge that they owe an apology and an explanation to all of the rejected students with credentials superior to the “Category I” admittees.