Today, Governor Pat Quinn announced the formation of an Admissions Review Commission, an independent, fact-finding group that the governor has named to investigate claims of special treatment
for some applicants to the University of Illinois.

On behalf of our University community, I thank the Governor for this initiative and express our appreciation to retired federal Judge Abner Mikva, who will chair the Commission, and all those who have agreed to serve.

I am mandating complete and full cooperation with the Commission from every member of the University community. The Commission will have access to everybody and everything it needs to conduct its work. Any request or directive from the Commission is to be treated as the highest priority and responses are to be timely.

I have instructed University Counsel Thomas R. Bearrows to manage the University’s working relationship with the Commission. Please respond to any requests from the Commission through Mr. Bearrows.

With regard to the previously announced University task force on admissions, we will not pursue this initiative at this time in order to focus on cooperation with the independent Commission. However, each campus, academic unit and admissions office should prepare for the upcoming admissions cycle for the 2010-2011 academic year with a renewed focus on the vital importance of objectivity and fairness in the admissions process.

When the Commission has completed and reported its work, we will come together as a University community to ensure that our admissions practices are exemplary.

I again thank Governor Quinn and Judge Mikva and his colleagues for this important service to the University of Illinois.