The Cranky Professor notes that two states had university presidents leave their flagship institutions. In the case of University of Tennessee, it looks like the bonehead got caught with not just his fingers but whole hand in the cookie jar. Turns it the boy took a $10,000 kickback for a contract when he was at a state school in Connecticut, points out Bill Hobbs and his commenters. He also points out from this article that there's some question of how the guy got hired; the ex-president's wife says the selection process was "rigged".

A few days ago in Massachusetts, a fellow that can't pick his relatives had to quit his job as president of UMass. Whitey Bulger, the brother of this president, is a reputed mobster in Boston, and brother William talked to the guy on the phone and wasn't sufficiently forthcoming with the FBI. Or so the story goes. It sounds increasingly like this was a battle between the governor and a university president over educational mission. Some are also noting political battles.