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University of Illinois Board of Trustees - Application Admissions Activity

In July 2009, the University of Illinois Board of Trustees were reported to have tampered with university admissions applications and admitted lower qualified (or maybe even un-qualified) applicants based on clout. Alleged charges also focused on a potential violation of the Illinois Ethics Act rules on nepotism. In August 2009, the University of Illinois Chairman of the Board of Trustees resigned. From a leadership perspective, the implications of this behavior by the members of the board of trustees goes much further than the perceived notion of admitting non-qualified students into the university. This week’s blog will address some of the ways the University Of Illinois Board Of Trustees’ activity may impact society in general.

Concerns of Using the Concepts of Clout in Academic Admissions

OK, there is the possibility that a “few students” did not meet the university’s admissions qualifications, but were admitted anyway. First, how long has this activity been going on? Once admitted, have these students demonstrated their ability to grasp the knowledge to pass the classes in their respective schools of study? Or do the concepts of clout extend to the classroom and the academic assessment process as well? Has anyone (inside or outside of the university) monitored the progress of students who did not meet admissions standards to see if they met the graduation requirements – yet were still allowed to graduate? Or, do the concepts of clout and privilege supersede the concepts of meritocracy and fairness?

In accordance with privacy and confidentiality regulations, no student names were given – and rightfully so. However, there are dire future circumstances if unqualified students were admitted to the university; graduated from the university; and placed in professional careers throughout our “fragile” business environment which is already challenged with immoral, unethical, illegal behavioral trends. Some potential pitfalls are discussed below.

Potentially Societal Impacts

There are no details of the academic progression of students allegedly admitted without meeting the university standards. Nonetheless, here are a few things to consider of how some of our society’s widely used industries can be affected. These considerations are highly theoretical, but not beyond the realm of possibility. What happens if a student is admitted to any university; does not meet academic standards but still graduates; and starts a career in the field of medicine or pharmacy? Is it possible that our healthcare industry, that we care so deeply about, has practitioners that received their degree based on something other than their competence?

What about the fields of law or political science? What about criminal justice? If unqualified or under-qualified graduates infiltrate this sector of society, will we appropriately sustain our means of governance? Can we maintain our way of life which has been in place for over 330 years? Will the practice of “who you know” be the acceptable norm of American society?

Finally, our existing business environment withstands reports of malfeasance and unethical behavior on a daily, weekly, monthly basis. Facilitating a process where those without adequate training and development are placed in executive/leadership roles is a recipe for continued disaster when public confidence in corporate behavior is already waning. Yes, the criteria for assessing leadership readiness are subjective, and will vary among companies. However, nurturing a process that allows college admission; college graduation; and executive placement based on clout and nepotism, rather than competence and qualifications should not be condoned.

Summary

Again, there is no evidence that the activity of the University Of Illinois Board Of Trustees has resulted in the aforementioned scenario. But there are no documented reports that show it has not. Given my 30+ years of experience and observation of leadership behavior, I am hopeful that these potential challenges are wrong. The consequences of selecting the wrong leaders within an organization can be expensive. The consequences of selecting an undeveloped or unqualified leader can be even greater.

More information on corporate leadership can be found in Corporate Leadership Selection: Impact on American Business, Employees, and Society (Authorhouse Publishing).

Feedback to the bi-monthly blog entry is always welcome.