Education: The Brushoff

In the 16 months since the forced resignation of President George Stoddard, the trustees of the University of Illinois have searched far and wide to find a man able enough—and still willing—to be his successor. Last week it looked as if they had practically chosen their man: David Dodds Henry, 49, executive vice chancellor of New York University and former president of Detroit's Wayne University. Then, just as the trustees seemed all set to vote, Henry told them—in polite, academic language, of course—to go to hell.

To most of the trustees, David Henry was fully satisfactory. As executive head of Wayne from...