ISU needs to move on after losing Boschini
COMMENTARY
Daily Vidette, Illinois State University

In the fall 1999, Illinois State University welcomed a new freshman class. I was a part of that bright-eyed eager group, as was a freshman president with a passion for teaching by the name of Victor Boschini Jr.

It is now the spring 2003, and by May my life as an ISU student will come to an end. The same will be said for Boschini’s run as president of the university.

He’ll probably still be around to deliver the commencement address. And I’ll sit there, chuckling at those smoothly delivered sarcastic and blatantly over-exaggerated jokes every good public speaker throws out at an audience.

I’ll sit there and realize that Vic and I … we go way back. I’ll realize, in fact, that we grew up together.

I was fresh out of high school with as much life experience as anyone could drag out of those vulnerable years; I was ready to learn more. More about myself, the career I intended to pursue and this university.

I imagine Boschini may have felt the same way. Although he’d been on ISU’s campus as the vice president of Student Affairs, the president’s office was new territory for him. He was now in command of a public university, its image, its success and its community of faculty, staff and students.

He, just like myself, needed a plan. My plan was similar to what was said of Julius Caesar, “He came, he saw, he conquered.” I was ready to take this Redbird by the wings and teach it a new way to fly. Apparently Vic had the same idea.

In nearly four years, Boschini has increased student enrollment from 20,281 to 20,975 as well as the university’s endowment by 12 percent, bringing it to $37 million.

“Redefining ‘Normal,’” the fund-raising campaign to which he dedicated his time, has garnered $62.1 million of its $88 million goal. He did well.

I’m scheduled to graduate in May. I’ve done well also, but the similarities between Vic and me end here. Yes, we’re both leaving at the same time, but I doubt the university will suffer from my loss the way it will suffer from his.

I seriously doubt ISU will miss a smart-mouthed, rambunctious kid with a Christian heart and a knack for words. But to lose a fair, kindhearted, driven administrator like Boschini, who forever had his mind on the students is a bit more serious.

Of course when one thinks about the suddenness of it all, it seems as if he hopped the first boat sailing for greener pastures, after ISU’s finances sprung a leak. And I must admit my feathers were ruffled a bit at the injustice of it all.

Boschini stands before us Monday telling the faculty not to get their hopes up and carry on, because the till is empty and come Wednesday he’s wheelin’ and dealin’ in Texas.

There’s absolutely no way ISU can fatten those pockets, but Texas Christian University and its near $900 million endowment can.

That was the initial reaction. But now that I think about it — who could blame him? That’s only assuming it is about the money. But still, who can blame him?

It’s like my mother told my brothers and I when we hit our late teens. There weren’t babies in her house any more and if we wanted to eat it was “Every man for himself and God for us all.”

What am I saying? Help yourself, Vic; help yourself.

I just can’t hold it against him. He’s a well-qualified administrator with the goods to go far beyond ISU and TCU. Why else do people strive to gain an education and experience but to use it as a first class ticket to whatever station they wish to achieve in life? One just can’t fault a man for being ambitious.

A workman is worthy of his hire, and why shouldn’t Boschini reap the fruits of his own labor?

ISU will face a tough transition adjusting to a new provost and interim president during an already uncertain time, and the remaining administrators will have to band together and help themselves. Boschini’s moving on and so should ISU.

Taryn Fears is a student at Illinois State University. This column originally appeared in the Daily Vidette.