Mr. White-

I write to you today urging you to call for the resignation of Chancellor Richard Herman.

I recently had the opportunity to review the report (“State of Illinois Admissions Review Commission Report and Recommendations, August 6, 2009”, http://admissionsreview.illinois.gov/documents/FinalReport.pdf) released surrounding the so-called Category I students and University Admissions scandal. As you well know, this was a shadows admissions process that separately tracked politically and/or financially well connected applicants. These sub-par applicants were often initially ranked as a “5” in the admissions process (typically an automatic denial), yet were frequently admitted as the result of improper actions of many high ranking University officials, chief among them, Chancellor Herman.

The report repeatedly cites frank exertion on the part of Mr. Herman in securing admission for students previously deemed unqualified in otherwise unbiased assessments. Mr. Herman exerted undue influence over lower ranking University officials, demonstrating a pattern of arrogance and subterfuge that has become all too common in Illinois’ various government institutions. Mr. Herman’s recent humility while testifying before the state commission demonstrated nothing other than a deftly honed survival instinct, not true contrition. He was fully aware of the unethical, if not illegal, nature of his actions, yet continued to secure positions for clearly unqualified applicants until the framework of the scandal was brought to light by the Chicago Tribune.

As a proud alumnus, it troubles me deeply to see blatant corruption flourish in the halls of such an esteemed institution, but it troubles me even more deeply to see Mr. Herman remain ensconced in his post after having been positively identified as such an integral and ongoing component of the admissions scandal. As the president of the flagship of the University of Illinois system, a world-class institution, it must be your overarching mandate to maintain or elevate the status of that institution. Not for the sake of status, but to continue to provide a top tier educational institution for the people of Illinois, and, indeed, of the world. Given the hypercompetitive nature of that rarefied air, even the appearance of impropriety could serve as an albatross for the University.

The people of the State of Illinois recognized that such arrogance and corruption cannot go unpunished, and have removed the Governor, and have replaced all but two board members. It is time to complete the catharsis, and begin anew with a pristine environment of zero-tolerance relative to corruption. I urge you to call for Mr. Herman’s immediate dismissal.

Sincerely,

Gregory J. Scheurich, PE, LEED-AP

College of Engineering, 1994