As the 2004 presidential election nears, faculty, staff and the University Board of Trustees are beginning to take sides in a race close in the polls, but distant in financial support.

“The numbers speak for themselves,” Black said. “The economy is a result of what happens with the Federal Reserve more than the policies of one administration.

“Republicans tend to be categorized as altogether conservative. There is a moderate Republican voice that supports Republican economic rather than social policies.”

Willie D. Davis, Daniel F. McKeithan Jr., David A. Straz Jr., Donald F. Flynn, Edward A. Brennan and Mary E. Henke gave $2,000 each to Bush-Cheney ’04 Inc., the maximum amount of money any individual can donate in one election cycle primary funds. John F. Bergstrom allocated $1,000 to the fund and John A. Becker donated $500.

However, many faculty members seem to be aligning with the Democratic Party, revealing a rift in political views between the Board of Trustees and Marquette faculty.

“My husband has given a large amount of money to Howard Dean,” said political science professor Janet Boles. “He gave to him because Dean has spoken out against our current foreign policy and the problems in the economy.”

Boles blamed what she called a poor American economic performance on the Bush Administration.

“George Bush has led our economy to a state of disaster,” Boles said. “He has destroyed our economic credibility as a nation. The tax cuts passed by George Bush have ruined an economy Clinton had begun to balance out. It’s just Republican tax policy as usual.”

Boles commented on the amount of money donated by the Board of Trustees.

“It does not surprise me,” she said. “We have a business-driven Board of Trustees at this school.”

Boles isn’t the only professor to express dissatisfaction with the current presidential administration.

“I’m not leaning toward any specific candidates, but I certainly am leaning toward democrats,” said political science professor Michael Fleet. “The current republican foreign policy is disastrous in the decision to unilaterally intervene in Iraq, in relations with European allies and with a lack of forceful leadership on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”

Fleet also mentioned the state of the economy as a reason for his opposition to Bush.

“It was the wrong time for tax cuts,” Fleet said. “In a time when deficits are rising the tax cuts only further serve to increase deficits.”

Professors are not the only faculty leaning toward the left in the upcoming presidential election.

“I’m definitely leaning toward the Democratic side in this election,” said John J. Augustein, dean of the School of Education. “And it goes beyond an education standpoint. I opposed the war in Iraq, and I feel very strongly about the increasing gap between the rich and the poor in this nation.”

Augustein spoke about other criticisms of the current administration.

“We’re cutting taxes and increasing spending,” Augustein said. “Educationally speaking, the (administration’s) No Child Left Behind Act has not been given the necessary funding to be meaningful or succeed. What’s worse is Bush can raise millions in campaign finances, but the truly affected people cannot raise the money necessary to be heard.”

Augustein was not the only dean who said he would oppose Bush in the 2004 election.

“My position has always been, the government has a role to play to help the poor and powerless,” said Bill Elliott, dean of the College of Communication. “That is traditionally a position held by Democrats.

“I am very troubled by the movements toward greater control of the media, and even more so over the Patriotic Act. That act has given the government extraordinary powers of surveillance of citizens. I did not support the war in Iraq either.”