To the Editor:

The Northern Illinois University news this week declaring that the presidential search will be conducted in total secrecy is unacceptable in this day and age. The hand-picked clique of “privileged elite” who will make the selection leaves the rest of us in the dark.

We have had enough of secrecy and withholding of information by the small cadre of administrators governing this institution for too long now. Look what kind of mess they have gotten our alma mater into. Thank goodness they were at least intelligent enough to hire Bill Nicklas to put a credible face out front to try to make the university whole again. But keeping the search for a new president under wraps will result in less of a chance that there will be people of color or female candidates chosen to lead this badly-scarred “communiversity” into the 21st century.