In response to, and in support of the Guest Policy revolt that seems eminant if students band together, Protest Is Necessary By Cheryl Johnson – UNI ’03, students need to wake up to the challenges that Silber and indeed the entire Administration poses.

At BU, a student can receive a wonderful academic education from an institution dedicated to the enrichment of those who run it. Need proof, check into what President Westling is paid annually compared to other College Presidents, then check into the lack of academic qualification he brings to the table compared to others.

Need more proof, how on earth is it possible for an academic in a non-profit university able to earn $1 million a year the way the Chancellor does?

Ms. Johnson is right to acknowledge the long held policy that the Administration will string the students along, as it does the alumni, until it simply fades away. The are many instances where the Administration has misinformed, misguided, or simply ignored the student body and its alumni for decades.

Football is the best example of the Administration doing what the will of one person wants; Seragen is the best example of several members of the Board of Trustees enriching themselves at the behest of the school; Adelphi is the best example of the Chancellor being fired ( he’ll probably state he resigned, but everyone knows that they were fired) because of breach of fiduciary responsibilities at that school along with 18 other Board members;and the current depletion of the general endowment by nearly $250 million ( or whatever the real number is)is the best example of poor financial judgement of those in charge of the school.

So two questions remain: 1) Should various members of the current Administration be held accountable the way other for profit enterprises? 2) When will the University start offering similar or competitive academic-athletic opportunities the way other $36,000 per year schools like BC, Duke, Stanford and Harvard?

The answer really depends on two things: The students revolting and the alumni to demand changes across the board.