Former NIU President Clyde Wingfield gets rave reviews or no comments from NIU references listed on his resume.

Wingfield, who stepped down from the presidency in 1986 amidst an investigation into money spent on his rent-free campus home, is being considered for the presidency at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.

Wingfield said he resigned his presidency because he lacked the support of the Board of Regents, NIU’s governing body.

“Dr. Wingfield had a fresh way of approaching” searches and other tasks, said Peggy Sullivan, College of Professional Studies dean. Wingfield was very interested in understanding NIU’s problems and listened well to others, Sullivan said.

Although none of the references were contacted from UA, Sullivan said some of Wingfield’s prospective employers have called her about Wingfield’s performance at NIU.

“With almost an overwhelmingly positive” comment is how English Professor James Giles described his would-be recommendation. Giles was Faculty Assembly chairman when Wingfield resigned from his presidency. “I just thought, in terms of his responsiveness to the faculty, he was an outstanding administrator,” he said. Giles also was called by Wingfield’s prospective employers.

However, Mathematics Professor Linda Sons said her recommendation of Wingfield will be told to the prospective employer only. “I don’t simply think that is a public information matter,” she said.

NIU Public Administrator William Monat said although he has served as a reference for Wingfield, he has never been contacted.

“It would be inappropriate for me to say” what he would tell a prospective employeer about Wingfield, Monat said.

Chemistry Professor Marion Miller and Public Administration Director James Banovetz are listed as references but could not be reached for comment.

Wingfield, now a tenured professer in NIU’s political science department, was investigated by the Illinois legislature about money used to furnish his home. Illinois law states that bids must be taken on anything costing more than $2,500.

Furniture was purchased separately, with no piece costing more than $2,500. Although criminal charges were never filed, some legislature members felt the spirit of the law was violated.

The investigation began after a series of articles in The Northern Star stated more than $100,000 in NIU funds was used to renovate Wingfield’s home.