I am really surprised at the campus reaction to the actions of Chancellor Ritchie regarding the appointment of Marc Holtzman as university President. I suppose i is both the blessing and bane of growin older that one is allowed to step back and look at a larger picture.

I wonder how many students are aware of what the Chancellor has brought to the Univesity over the years. I read somewhere that” information was the reduction of possibity”, I suggest that the students make a effort to do some research and find out why the move is being made.

It is easy to cite the unwise political contributions of an individual without equating it to a large adience. It was easy to trumpet an equation to Enron without mentioning the many members of congress that received donations from Enron (both parties).

There is always more to be seen if you are willing to look for it. Most students are satisfied with a veneer approach to politics, anything deeper requires an open mind and a great deal of research.

As a student, I remember thiking that research was such a waste of time. Once I found support for “my” viewpoint, the research ended. In the “real world” (yes, my children, someday you are going to have to make it in the real world) problems and issues aren’t so easily solved.

Before you start burning the Chancellor in effigy, take a good look (yes, this might require some research)at his trak record. Take a look at how much money he has raised for the school, or how much money he hs personally givn to the school! Take a look at his track record in the public sector (yes, children, that means the real world). He didn’t becom successful making foolsh decisions,and he didn’t save the University from financial ruin by mkin fiscally unwise choices.

As popular an issue as it may be in academia, the issue of diversity is not as impotant, in many cases, as the ability to be able to work effectively within a structured environment. The Chacellor has made great strides in the area of student diversity over the years in an effort to universalize the campus. What some of you must accept is that successful business decisions aren’t always th most politically correct, and donations to political leaders don’t always signal a blanket endorsement of their policies.

Alex Webbe ’68(and, no, I hve never met or communicated with either th Chancellor or the President of the Univesity)