University officials going elsewhere

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- As the search for a new University of Missouri president forges ahead, some high-ranking academic leaders aren't waiting around to meet the new boss.

Since mid-June, three top university officials have decided to take jobs elsewhere. The first to leave was economic development guru John Gardner, who quickly followed former Missouri system president Elson Floyd to Washington State University. Next came Jim Coleman, a vice chancellor for research at the Columbia campus. Coleman departs in September for a job as vice provost of research at Rice University. And just last week, Steve Lehmkuhle -- another former Floyd lieutenant -- was named as the first chancellor at the University of Minnesota-Rochester.

The succession of departures is largely coincidental. But some observers of higher education in the state are also wondering if the brain drain, coupled with the prolonged presidential search, could create a leadership vacuum.

"These are people who are really synonymous with MU's success in the past decade," said Kelly Gillespie, executive director of the Missouri Biotechnology Association. "It is an opportunity -- but how long do you want that window open?"

Interim president Gordon Lamb scoffed at any suggestion that the collective loss of leadership was anything more than bad timing.

"This is not a mass exodus," Lamb said. "That is a complete overstatement. We ought to get back to reality."