White out
Wednesday, Sep 23, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Blagojevich era claims yet another “victim”…
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn says the president of the University of Illinois, who has been at the center of an admissions scandal, plans to resign.
Quinn said Wednesday that President B. Joseph White let him know his resignation is imminent.
White has been under fire since this summer over reports that the university admitted politically connected students over more qualified applicants.
I put quotes around “victim” because White was a willing victim, of course. But it’s hard for me to describe him as corrupt. Seems to me he did what he did to try and get what he needed for his university. Blagojevich still stiffed him, like he did with all the other universities in this state. That could’ve been a motivating factor for White, but whatever, he’s gone now.
* More…
Quinn told WGN-720 AM’s Greg Jarrett this morning that he’s ready to appoint an interim president while a nationwide search is launched. Listen to the interview here.
Last week, U. of I. faculty and student leaders urged that White and Chancellor Richard Herman be replaced in the wake of a far-reaching admissions scandal.
Sen. Michael Frerichs expects an interim appointment as early as next week.
* And Quinn says he didn’t privately urge the resignation…
Quinn told reporters in Chicago that the resignation was voluntary on White’s part, and said there was no pressure from the him, his office or staff for White to quit.
- Anita - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 10:09 am:
The Global Campus fiasco didn’t help White’s case.
- Sue - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 10:11 am:
White’s resignation(whether justified or not) fails to put an end to the larger issue of corrupt practices associated with the legislative “free tuition” program. The single most significant reform should be to end the perk afforded to legislators who themselves never came forward to testify before the inquiry panel. White did a lot of very positive things while he was President- he is nothing more then a convenient target and a scapegoat - the people truly responsible for the state of affairs are never held accountable
- siriusly - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 10:11 am:
No pressure from Quinn, only from mother Tribune who single-handedly tarnished the u’s reputation.
This is too bad, White is a brilliant guy. I commend him for being noble and resigning in an effort to help the U of I move forward without him. His actions here are brave and selfless, something very un-Blago like.
- Okay Then... - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 10:15 am:
Re: White Out
I was hoping that Jesse White had to decided to step down now rather than wait another four years. He is another good reason why this state needs term limits for constitutional officers. If you have no new “ideas” and nothing really left to “fix,” hanging on just to be hanging on or just because you can, is not in the best interest of the state.
Now that I know this is about Joseph B. White it is not surprising–the writing was on the wall when Quinn named Kennedy and that other fellow to the Board of Trustees, Quinn pretty much said that the first order of business would be deciding the fates of White and Hermann.
Too bad the legislators involved in the admissions scandal went unscathed, as they were at the root of the problem along with the first two trustees who resigned months ago.
- Hollis Elmore - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 10:22 am:
Has Blagojevich appologized!
- Fire Ron Guenther - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 10:22 am:
In the words of irascible Chicago Tribune sportsblogger Steve Rosenbloom: Chancellor Herman, your plane is boarding.
- Bill - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 10:27 am:
I hope imminent means real soon. If White makes it to the end of the year he gets a big fat bonus according to his contract.
- SangamoGOP - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 10:36 am:
Herman and Hurd (former law school dean) should be next.
- cassandra - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 10:38 am:
I think White is more than just a scapegoat. At the least, high level (and very highly paid-by us) government administrators are responsible for establishing and maintaining the correct institutional culture. He may not have directed that any particular applicant be admitted based on political clout, but he is responsible for a
culture which considered those admissions acceptable.
And if he follows through and resigns, that should set an example for state agency heads and their top staff appointed by our Blago who remain on the job taking advantage of Quinn’s extreme aversion to firing anyone. The cultures in their agency need re-tooling too. And as long as they remain, positive change is unlikely.
- Northside Bunker - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 10:41 am:
Hey Rich,
You should have Rod, Patti and the kids (Mell too) out on your boat and a picnic before the season ends.
You both use to be friend, right?
- Shore - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 10:50 am:
When you think of top tier public universities-berkley, michigan, uva, unc, ucla, Illinois isn’t in that class. Quinn should find some retired top university presidents, do a nationwide search and get someone in there with brains and principles.
- Golden Parachute - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 10:51 am:
Rumors circulating around the U of I are that he will be getting a sweetheart deal, including a tenured position in the college of business and over $350,000 annually. Sounds like they are paying him off to step down quietly. If they want to fire him, they should fire him. Not give him a golden parachute at taxpayer expense. He isn’t the kind of academic who can command that sort of salary. If he had a Nobel or was bringing in substantial research dollars, it may be defensible, but this is a payoff to go quietly.
- CircularFiringSquad - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 10:51 am:
Looks like Ikenberry got revenge..Will BlinkyJimEdgar be the interim Prexy? How ’bout bouncey Bob Kustra (Boise State flash) for the permanent job….that would give the Big U a boost (tee hee)
- EBCDIC - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 10:55 am:
I think White is collateral damage as a result of a corrupt system. Too bad Quinn doesn’t focus on the removal of over 3000 + double exempt positions that were created under “Rod”. I can only hope that the fall elections will oust many of the supposedly professional legislators so that we can perhaps get people in who have the the concern of the citizens and not themselves. If only term limits can be set for all elected officials.
- D.P. Gumby - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 10:59 am:
His Global Campus indicated his lack of leadership and business acumen. Now if Ringeisen at UIS would follow White’s lead.
- RJW - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 11:21 am:
Can someone explain to me how Quinn has the right to appoint an interim President. He does not have that singular right. Only the Board of Trustees can make that appointment. To me, Quinn is just as bad as Blago. The Board of Trustees is supposed to be independent once appointed. Maybe Quinn forgot to read the laws just like Blago?
- Pat collins - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 11:23 am:
Global Campus was a good idea that did not do well.
That surely reflects on the man at top.
When you think of top tier public universities-berkley, michigan, uva, unc, ucla, Illinois isn’t in that class.
Maybe when YOU think of top U’s, but not when these people do:
http://www.graduateshotline.com/ranks/
http://www.graduateshotline.com/study/acc.html
Even in China they know better:
http://www.arwu.org/rank/2007/ARWU2007_Top100.htm
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 11:30 am:
Kind of bad form for Quinn to “announce” his resignation, isn’t it?
And didn’t Quinn just recently have some problems with wished-for resignations in Champaign?
If nothing else, Quinn’s statement gives White additional leverage in negotiating his Golden Parachute. Every day he doesn’t resign, there will be a question for Quinn as to why not, since he announced it already.
- Wumpus - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 11:48 am:
Sad…why are he and the people at UofI the only ones being held accountable. The people who hold thier purse strings and initiated the abuse are going to be re-elected and get away scott-free.
- Okay Then... - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 12:33 pm:
RJW, actually Quinn is a member of the U of I Board of Trustees, through self-appointment, so he does have say in what it does and who it picks.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 12:40 pm:
Actually, the governor is an ex officio member of the board. Non-voting.
- downstate hick - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 1:16 pm:
Quinn making this announcement is another example of poor political and ethical decision making on his part. Let president White announce first.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 1:45 pm:
I L L …..bleech, what a mess.
- Whirlwind - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 3:53 pm:
How does the University budget allow for a $475,000 BONUS that former Pres. White will forgo while the faculty & staff got zip, nada, a big fat nothing in FY09?
- Okay Then... - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 4:02 pm:
I love reading the comments sections posted under news articles. I agree with those who are concerned that the legislators who pushed for clout admissions get off scott free, and I agree with many of the other comments as well. http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/09/sources-white-quitting-as-u-of-i-president.html
- RJW - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 4:52 pm:
Whirlwind:
All budgets are not equal. I know nobody likes to hear this but funding sources do matter. The U of I is funded by hundreds of sources, with the State being only one (small) source. You have tuition, fees, ticket sales for athletics, etc. That is why coaches can make a million dollars (their budget is separate) versus a $60,000 salary for some faculty. I know it doesn’t make sense and you would believe that all of the money should just be in one big pot, but that’s not the way it works. I’ve done this type of work for 12 years now and the inequities are glaring.
- here's a link - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 5:08 pm:
you can find all the official statements and press releases here: http://www.uillinois.edu/our/news/2009/Sept23.resignation.cfm
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 8:09 pm:
Oh, we try to do our best to please and entertain.
- HappyToaster - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 8:54 pm:
Good riddance.
The rumors were Sylvia Manning at UIC retired instead of continued dealings with him.
UIC has 30% of the the systems student population and one grad on the Board of Trustees. Go team Illini….
- Jay - Wednesday, Sep 23, 09 @ 9:54 pm:
Excuse me, but not one dollar of sports ticket sales goes to the University. It ALL goes to the athletic department. That is why coaches can get million dollar raises while academic programs get cut during the budget crunch