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I suppose it is possible I missed the invitation from the UI President's Office to honor Minnette Doderer's service or Dick Myers' service. Maybe the invitation to honor Gov. Tom Vilsack is on the way.

Last week, I read that after a nationwide search, no acceptable candidate for UI president was found.

Two questions come to mind. No. 1, why Leach? And No. 2, is it just co-incidence that only after the election that ousts Leach from office and therefore makes him unemployed that the UI presidential search crashes?

I have to ask is it possible that the so-called reason (none of the four candidates had experience in managing a medical center and large academic institution) is our very own version of weapons of mass destruction?

Considering the fact that the details of both the UI presidential search and the weapons of mass destruction in Iraq are shrouded in secrecy, it does not seem an irrational conclusion.

I suggest that we and our elected officials demand release of all records pertinent to the UI presidential search be released to the public - or to protect the innocent, to a committee selected by the Faculty Senate, Staff Council, Student Government, Campaign to Organize Graduate Students, AFSCME, and Service Employees International Union. Then, at that point, we may be able to find out if there is a smoking gun or not.

Richard Shannon
UI staff member