Students split on effects

In the wake of Boston University Board of Trustees Chairman Richard DeWolfe’s decision to resign in January 2003, many students said they thought his departure would bruise the university’s reputation.

‘I think it’s another black eye on the university,’ said College of Arts and Sciences sophomore Michael Walsh. ‘It doesn’t help when articles run in [The Boston Globe] every couple of weeks talking about problems at BU, with students not wanting to give money to the school.

‘If we were a company with stocks, they’d all be falling rapidly right now,’ he said.

Many students shared Walsh’s sentiments yesterday, saying DeWolfe’s resignation, which comes only four months after former BU president Jon Westling stepped down, reflects negatively on BU’s administrative stability.

‘It doesn’t make the board look good it’s kind of chaotic,’ CAS senior Tim Hartnett said. ‘There’s no stability everyone’s quitting.’

CAS senior Jim Nash also expressed surprise at DeWolfe’s resignation.

‘It just seems like he gives a lot of money,’ he said. ‘It seems like with all the development going on, someone like that would want to stick around.’

Other students, however, said DeWolfe’s departure would not have a significant effect on BU’s image.

‘When I think about BU, I don’t really think of who’s in charge,’ CAS freshman Becky Hardman said. ‘There’s so many other factors other than whose name is there.’

Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Services graduate student Brendan Malay said he did not think DeWolfe’s resignation would negatively affect BU.

‘They’ll find someone just as capable just as fast,’ Malay said.

He added, however, that he hoped DeWolfe’s resignation would expedite BU’s search for a president. ‘I think a president is more important than a trustee right now,’ he said.

Students had mixed opinions on whether DeWolfe’s departure would affect BU’s presidential search.

‘I don’t see how it would have any real bearing on finding a president,’ Nash said.

‘It doesn’t look too good if we have the image of forcing people to resign,’ she said.

Hartnett also said he thought the shakeups in BU’s administration might turn off potential presidential candidates.

‘I could see the image of it being chaotic makes the job harder,’ Hartnett said. ‘Unless they find someone ambitious who sees chaos as a challenge.’

CAS sophomore Sarai Burnett said she thought DeWolfe’s resignation, paired with Westling’s, was a sign that BU officials were attempting to bring in more conservative administrators.

‘It will give a new stereotype to who should run the school,’ she said. ‘They’re going to start recruiting people. It gives a new standard they’ll be bringing in more conservative guys.’