Only in this rotten state could you have:

– A state legislator, who doled out one of his General Assembly scholarships to a big campaign donor, accuse the University of Illinois administration of unethical behavior.

– The speaker of the House, a man who supposedly put more than 40 people trying to get into the UI on what is being called a "clout list," pass judgment on whether there should be an investigation of the list.

– A University of Illinois president, a supposed expert on leadership, muff the university's response to all these requests.

Sheesh. Where to start?

Oh, let's begin with state Rep. Mike Boland, D-East Moline, the self-righteous chairman of the House Higher Education Committee, who earlier this week called on UI President B. Joseph White and other university employees to step down in the wake of the UI admissions brouhaha.

Boland said White and the others violated their positions by interfering with admissions.

"They were trusted to protect our university," he said. "In my eyes, they failed in that regard, and they should resign."

Kettle, meet pot.

Boland is the same guy who a few years ago awarded two of his General Assembly scholarships – a notoriously abused program – to the daughter of his biggest campaign contributor. Several lawmakers have stopped awarding the scholarships, citing the potential for abuse and the cost to the universities. Since legislators don't pay for them, the cost has to be carried by the universities ($8.9 million a year in the UI's case).

One could say that Boland and other free-loading legislators are entrusted to protect the university (at least its bank account) and that they failed in that regard. Should not they resign?

Then there's House Speaker Michael Madigan, a longtime and very good friend of the UI, who it turns out is tied to more than 40 names on the clout list – more than any other Illinois lawmaker. Madigan has already said he thinks the existence of the list is merely good constituent service – an entirely reasonable argument if all legislators were doing was asking UI officials to "look into" a case and see if an applicant to the university was wronged.

But it appears from e-mails obtained through the Freedom of Information Act that some university trustees and state legislators went beyond that, suggesting that admissions policies should be overlooked for their favored pals.

Finally, there's White, author of the book "The Nature of Leadership."

He's the man who could have stopped what one UI trustee described as an "epidemic" of admissions meddling (even as the trustee forwarded more requests). But White allowed the growth in this cottage industry, from what one UI official described as a dozen or so a year during the Stanley Ikenberry era (the 1980s and early '90s) to more than 10 times that many today.

It is White who didn't just look the other way as the number and breadth of incidents worsened; he participated through his indifference, trying to stay above it all.

"I have often forwarded such messages whether they are from another university president or alumnus or political official. There is nothing wrong with doing that," he told The News-Gazette.

Translation: I passed the buck on these requests. I, the $450,000-a-year president of the university, left it to an underling to make the call and take the heat.

White is the man who couldn't say no, who couldn't take a stand, who declined to fall on a grenade to shield his troops.

White could have told Gov. Rod Blagojevich (whom he did not like anyway) that he wasn't going to ask his admissions office to compromise their policies or their ethics for any of the governor's cronies or anyone else.

Instead, faced with an ethical dilemma, he passed the buck.

Taking a stand like that, White might have lost his job. But he would have done the right thing. And if he chose to, he could have hastened the demise of Blagojevich and probably ended up with an even better job than he has now.

"I believe that the foundation, the cornerstone, of excellent leadership is high integrity. In this regard, many leaders – from Richard Nixon (Watergate) to Martha Stewart (lying about insider trading), and Dennis Kozlowski (looting Tyco) have been found wanting in recent years. What a disappointment.

"There is a clear alternative. It is committing yourself to be a high-integrity leader.

"How? Let me keep it simple. It means that for your entire career:

– "You will never knowingly violate just laws and regulations in any consequential way.

– "You will be honest (i.e., tell the truth and not mislead).

– "You will make commitments carefully and keep them faithfully.

"You will avoid conflicts of interest and when they are unavoidable, resolve them in favor of your duties and responsibilities, rather than benefiting yourself."

The writer? B. Joseph White in his book, “The Nature of Leadership.”

Tom Kacich is a News-Gazette editor and columnist. His column appears on Wednesdays and Sundays. He can be reached at 351-5221 or at kacich@news-gazette.com.