More Details on Gov. Quinn’s Selections for UI Trustees

Governor Pat Quinn says the five new trustees he appointed to the University of Illinois board are committed to making sure the school's reputation is "second to none.'' Quinn named the five Friday to fill spots that were vacated when other trustees resigned amid an admissions scandal at the school.

One group that's happy with Governor Quinn's trustee selections is the leadership of the U of I Alumni Association. President and CEO Loren Taylor says four of the five appointees came from a list of candidates the association had provided the governor. The fifth had also been endorsed by some alumni, and Taylor says that candidate is a fine choice too. Quinn didn't pick U of I alumni for his first two appointments, Chris Kennedy and Lawrence Oliver. But Taylor says that didn't faze him. "Our experience in working with the governor was that he would want to consider strongly the recommendations that we had made, so we just felt we needed to be patient," says Taylor. "I think that's paid off." He says the alumni group received interest from about 400 people when the call went out for trustee candidates.

One new trustee hopes the newly-reconstituted board can get the admissions scandal behind it as soon as possible. But former Springfield mayor Karen Hasara says she needs more background into the controversy before she makes any decisions on the fate of President Joseph White and Urbana Chancellor Richard Herman. She enters the trustee's job with 17 years of political office behind her, as a state legislator and as Springfield's former mayor. She says that's prepared her for the scrutiny she'll face in the coming weeks. "I don't particularly like negative things being said but I have gotten to be pretty thick skinned," says Hasara. "So I think I'll be able to get through it okay."

One trustee who voluntarily resigned and was passed over for re-appointment by the governor says Quinn misled him and other now-former trustees. David Dorris turned in his resignation last month along with three other members. Only one, Quinn appointee Ed McMillan, was re-appointed. Two trustees who refused to step down are still on the board. Dorris says he doesn't regret his decision to quit because staying in place would have heaped even more public scorn on him and the University. But he accuses Quinn of making a purely political decision not to fire James Montgomery and Frances Carroll.

"What is very disgusting is the fact that he had made such strong statements and we were all told, in no uncertain terms, that if we did not resign he would forcibly remove us," says Dorris. "I don't know how that man can ever explain away his decision to back down against the two." Dorris worries that a board of trustees with six new members won't have the institutional knowledge to run effectively, and they'll vote for a new chairman without knowing each other. Neither Quinn nor his office has returned many calls from WILL seeking comment.