It is easy to criticize the members of the NIU administration who did not attend Wednesday’s open hearing on the effectiveness of Illinois’ higher education. But their absence might just “say” more than anything they could have expressed at the hearing.

“There is difficulty in getting true evidence when you can’t get administrators to talk before the panel,” said panel member James Stancil, a student representative from Chicago State University. This is a strong statement, and it is a true statement. It also makes one wonder why people so in touch with NIU and the Board of Regents would not want their opinions known, no matter what they might be.

Stancil also questioned the motives of the NIU administration by asking whether the administration feared their testimony might have some effect on their jobs.

Those who did testify criticized the structure of state governing boards and agreed that NIU should be represented by its own advocates. Could these ideas possibly be shared by other administrators who did not testify?

It is unfortunate that we are unable to hear prominent members of our administration speak about their feelings on the effectiveness of our Regency system. It does make one wonder why those involved in leading an entire university would not want to comment on such a serious issue in an open hearing, and why they wouldn’t even bother to show up.