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Poor representatives for KU
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By Mike Cuenca | May 24, 2003
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Revelations of influential University of Kansas leaders among the
corrupt and greedy executives and board members at Westar Energy, on
top of the revelations of others with strong KU connections in the
Enron mess, should not lead anyone to conclude that KU as an
institution generally produces graduates who have questionable ethics
and integrity. KU isn't responsible for these people, but the scary
part is that they are responsible for KU. And they are responsible to
KU.
They are responsible for KU in that they are among the core group of
KU's most politically and economically powerful and influential alumni.
They are among those who have shaped policy and practice at KU for many
years. They represent, generally, the right-wing political faction in
KU's governing boards and administrative offices, leading the
university most obviously toward privatization and a concentration on
revenue-generating academic programs. Of course, along with a
right-wing agenda comes greed, secrecy and a lust for power. Greed,
secrecy and power, in combination, produce graft.
As current and former administrators and officers of KU, they are also
responsible to KU. These people must be held to a higher standard of
ethics and integrity because of their high visibility, where they can
harm KU's reputation, as they indeed have by causing KU to be
associated with these scandals.
KU should not be a haven for those who abuse power for personal gain.
None of these people should be allowed to represent the university
through membership or leadership on any of KU's governing bodies.
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Originally published by Topeka Capital-Journal.
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