Walls For Governor

For Immediate Release
Monday, August 24, 2009
http://wallsforgov.com

Contact: Toure Muhammad
773.531.8798
toure@beansouptimes.com

Monday, August 24, 2009, 10:00 AM
State of Illinois Building, Plaza
100 W. Randolph Street, Chicago IL 60601

WILLIAM “DOCK” WALLS CALLS UPON GOVERNOR QUINN TO RESCIND HIS Demand FOR THE RESiGNATION OF HOLD-OUT U of I TRUSTEES

It was recently revealed that there was a shadow admissions policy at the University of Illinois. This nefarious institutionalized policy, entitled Category I, resulted in the admission of unqualified students with clout. Pat Quinn appointed a commission to review the situation and offer recommendations.

The Admissions Review Commission Report listed several individuals who were directly involved in the Category I scandal. That list includes certain Trustees, University President White, UIUC Chancellor Herman, College of Law Dean Hurd, Business Dean DeBrock, and University’s Office of Governmental Relations personnel, Terry McLennand and Richard Schoell. Consequently, Pat Quinn called for the resignation of the entire Board of Trustees. All but two have resigned.

Although the Board, in general, dropped the ball, the Commission report does not accuse either University of Illinois Trustee James D. Montgomery or Frances Carroll of any specific wrongdoing. Thus, Pat Quinn’s insistence on the resignation of these particular Trustees is hardly unwarranted.

According to IL gubernatorial candidate William Dock Walls, “It is inappropriate for Pat Quinn to publicly attempt to force U of I Trustees Montgomery and Carroll to resign amid a sweeping scandal that does not necessarily involve them. Absent evidence of wrongdoing, Pat Quinn’s insistence that these Trustees resign is reckless.”

Furthermore, Walls added, “There is no room in Illinois government for double standards. Governor Quinn did not demand the resignation of his aide Holly Copeland who admittedly solicited $15,000 campaign donations from special interest groups and trade associations in exchange for a meeting with him.”

Clearly U of I admissions reform is a priority. However, we must not rush to judgment and falsely implicate all U of I Trustees. We cannot, in good conscience, paint them all with a broad brush. Forcing these Trustees to resign would cast them under a cloud of suspicion and possibly cause immeasurable damage to their reputations.

The danger in Quinn’s course of action lies not only in the tarnishing of the reputations of these individual Trustees and discrediting of their service to this State and this fine institution of Higher Learning, but also in the mitigation of Due Process. If nothing else, government officials have a responsibility to implement policies that protect and strengthen the rights of citizens. Government officials must not engage in arbitrary actions that diminish citizen rights.

Walls said, “Certainly, there is a need for action. However, the citizens of Illinois deserve deliberate calculated action. Requiring Board Members to resign without a factual basis is symptomatic of an unhealthy shotgun approach to Illinois Government.”

Walls added, “Pat Quinn’ must abandon his irresponsible “Shoot first and ask questions later” approach. I urge Quinn to order an investigation, carefully gather all of the facts, establish whether these hold-out Trustees had any direct role in the Category I scandal, ascertain any mitigating circumstances and, thereafter, take only that action which is properly warranted.”