Friend of Poshard says he drummed up supporters for online poll

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- An online newspaper poll found resounding support for Southern Illinois University president Glenn Poshard, but a Poshard friend's admission that he rallied colleagues to vote is casting suspicion on the results.

The Springfield State Journal-Register's poll asked whether Poshard should resign over plagiarism allegations. Respondents voted 3 to 1 in Poshard's favor.

That was after a longtime friend of Poshard's, Hugh Muldoon, e-mailed friends and colleagues urging them to vote "no" to Poshard's resignation. Muldoon, director of the University Christian Ministries in Carbondale, said he has a "couple hundred friends" who agree that Poshard has been good for SIU.

The e-mail read, in part, "Public opinion has a significant influence with the Board of Trustees and other political figures. Poshard thinks it is important to have a substantial majority in favor of his staying."

Poshard spokesman Dave Gross acknowledged that Poshard called Muldoon, but he said Poshard was joking about getting help with the poll.

"Poshard lightheartedly suggested to [Muldoon] words to the effect that he might have to unplug the board's computers if the polls were bad," Gross said.

Poshard is accused of plagiarizing parts of his master's thesis and doctoral dissertation. Seven senior SIU faculty members will investigate the allegations and forward their recommendations to the university's board of trustees -- Poshard's boss.