Sweetheart deals patently offensive

How is it that former University of Illinois Chancellor Richard Herman, who has betrayed the public trust, was given a faculty position at the very institution he betrayed and will be paid twice what an average professor makes complete with first-year sabbatical?

The News-Gazette, which along with the Chicago Tribune brought these practices to light, now has glorified the man with a full-page article and large adoring photo.

And how is it that President Joe White, another casualty of this affair, was given an even higher paying professorship with first-year sabbatical?

Every UI department is being asked to cut budgets, which will result in layoffs, furloughs and other reduced services to the students. This seems a gross miscarriage of justice by UI trustees and a stiff slap in the face to hard-working state employees, who are mandated, under threat of fine, to complete yearly ethics training by Nov. 3.

I'm getting a mixed message here. I find this to be completely outrageous, smacking of back-room dealings, and I have written my state representatives to ask them to investigate. I encourage others to do the same.

JOHN TOENJES

Tolono