Keep politicians out of MU

By Fred Parry

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The Board of Curators for the University of Missouri is in hot pursuit of a new president to replace Manuel Pacheco, who will vacate his post at the end of this academic year.

While this esteemed position has always been reserved for those with lofty academic accomplishments, the university's financial woes in recent years have left many calling for the hiring of a president with highly regarded political or business credentials.

In the last couple of weeks, former Missouri Gov. Roger Wilson and Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon have found themselves in serious contention for the post. Many forward-thinking observers think such a move would have a number of negative consequences for the university. I agree.

Few could dispute that the University of Missouri has had its fair share of difficulties playing to the political powers in Jefferson City. During the last two years, the university system has lost nearly $100 million in state funding. These cuts have most severely affected the Columbia campus which, fortunately, tends to get more than its fair share of the funding pie.

While the university's economic and political woes are authentic, the focus of the curators should be on reducing its dependency on state funding and, in turn, finding leadership adept at securing financial support from other non-traditional sources.

By my way of thinking, the ideal candidate for the president of the University of Missouri should have respected academic credentials, significant Fortune 500 business experience and large amounts of political savvy. I think if you read between the lines, that's the type of candidate the board is looking for rather than a tried-and-true politician. Much of the talk about Roger Wilson and Jay Nixon has surely been an attempt to distract the local media. It has worked.

Imagine the political consequences of appointing a president with strong partisan ties. If Wilson or Nixon were tapped for the honor, one can only guess how other political allies of the university might react.

For example, consider U.S. Sen. Kit Bond, who has brought nearly $200 million to the university in the last four years. You only have to go back a few short year to recall Nixon's attacks on Bond's character and integrity that took place during their hotly contested U.S. Senate race. Would be in Bond's interest to help Nixon or Wilson build a stronger university? Both men would be considered the top contenders by the Democratic faithful to unseat Bond in his next race.

Gov. Bob Holden, of course, thinks both of these high-profile Democrats would be outstanding university presidents. Keeping Wilson and Nixon occupied would be a form of job security for this struggling governor.

The bottom-line question is this: Can the university really afford to alienate Bond? I think not. If the university really wants a politician at its helm, why not ask Bond himself? ...

Another important question: What happens when the political climate changes in Missouri? It's possible that our next governor will be a Republican. We're likely to have a new crop of curators and politicians calling for the ouster of another university president. While a little political prowess would be useful, the university is no place for a seasoned, partisan politician.

Replacing Pacheco will require much more than a quick fix. The curators have had nearly two years to find the right leader. It appears they have squandered the time away playing political games. As the community that benefits most from a health flagship campus, Columbia has much to lose if a strong leader doesn't emerge from the search process. Let us pray that wiser winds will prevail.

Fred Parry is the publisher of the Columbia Business Times.