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Schmidt, a U of I graduate, criticized the panel for treating all the trustees as if they had "exactly the same culpability." Trustee Frances Carroll said she wants to read the panel's report, but would consider resigning if the request came from the governor. She said she's confident trustees "could turn this around and come up with suggestions on how to not let this happen again." Other trustees did not immediately return phone messages left by the AP earlier in the day. But Trustee David Dorris has said that he and many of the trustees would agree with the commission's recommendation. And Trustee Robert Vickrey has said he hasn't ruled out resignation but would wait for the report. Commissioner Ricardo Estrada said the trustees' resignations could "help restore the confidence the public has in its flagship university." Eppley, a former board chairman, resigned in late July. University records show he wrote e-mails to White noting Blagojevich's interest in candidates, including a relative of convicted influence peddler Tony Rezko. Eppley told the commission that he never pressured anyone to admit a student but now recognizes that inquiries by trustees, lawmakers and others amounted to an underground system for influencing admissions. Shah resigned Monday. He has denied trying to admit relatives to the school or being pressured by public officials to support certain applicants.
But e-mails released by the university include lists of applicants that Shah sent to Herman, asking for help in reaching "a favorable outcome for these individuals." Documents also show Shah successfully pressed Herman to create a six-figure university job for his future son-in-law. The admissions review panel also recommended that the Category I list be eliminated, that a new Board of Trustees be trained in rules of conduct and that the university establish written policies prohibiting sponsorship of applicants by prominent people. University officials said in a statement that campus leaders and admissions officers will meet Wednesday to discuss the recommendations, but will immediately end the Category I list and prohibit the university's office for governmental relations from having any role in admissions. The review commission said lawmakers should create an inspector general for state universities or give the state inspector general more money to keep tabs on universities. The board oversees the campuses in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield. Trustees vote on measures and choose university leaders such as the president and campus chancellors. ___ On the Net:
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