As an alumnus (64, 66,70), joining other alumni in the struggle to make sense of this the very public battle on the Madison Campus, I was enriched by your editorial entitled "Vindicated" in the April 18 issue of the Badger Herald. Your editorial board sharpened the focus and improved our understanding on the facts surrounding the unfortunate plight of Dr. Paul Barrows. In doing so you revealed the underbelly of dysfunction in the UW governance process which allowed prejudicial views, which may well be race-based, to creep into professional judgments without allowing the accused to respond. The highlights of the Academic Staff deliberations, revelations and vote placed the spotlight upon the diminished credibility and integrity of Chancellor and his representatives. Governance appeared tainted by the now unmasked efforts to protect reputations at the expense of Mr. Barrows and all in the name of justice and fairness. It would have been prudent if the campus leadership, with an obvious conflict of interest, had referred the matter to an independent body outside the scope of perceived influence by the power brokers on campus.

One expects that the decision of the Academic Staff, the emerging facts and your editorial will encourage the Campus and the System leadership to work together to find a remedy to this very public evisceration of a campus administrator of color. This situation has created a climate of doubt about the University's commitment to cultivating a positive climate for persons of color and in so doing tarnished its reputation. Urgent, timely and constructive actions are called for. We who have been a part of this wonderful world-class institution expect the leadership to embrace and reaffirm its commitment to a history of fairness in the conduct of its business. A friendly reminder: The often referenced "Sifting and winnowing" of this splendid University applies to institutional leadership as well as to academic life.

Hamilton I. McCubbin Ph.D.
President and CEO
Pacific American Foundation