Sue is a store manager. She runs the show. Bill is the assistant manager at the same store, and when Sue is away, Bill takes over her duties.

It is commonplace for a chain of command to exist in any operation where work is delegated according to the position a person holds. If an accident occurs, a person goes on vacation or the current person in charge leaves for another position elsewhere, the person who is second in command is called upon to fulfill the duties vacated by the absence. This person can be promoted or can hold the job until a replacement is found.

This all seems too logical.

Why then are we still waiting for the announcement of an interim vice president for student affairs when there already exists an assistant to the vice president?

What is more puzzling is why the assistant, Barbara Henley, hasn’t even been approached as to whether she would like the position.

Student Association President Huda Scheidelman said the reason Henley isn’t an “automatic” choice is because she and Jon Dalton have different duties. Well, of course they have different duties, but Henley’s exposure to the office and her connections throughout the university already should have acclimated her to the duties performed by Dalton. The temporary transition wouldn’t be too difficult.

When considering the fact that Dalton will be leaving NIU very soon, it is a bit unnerving that an interim has not been chosen. It is even more unnerving to imagine how long it will take to hire a permanent replacement.