If SIUC had a face, it would have two black eyes and a bloodied lip.

That’s because this school’s image has taken a beating lately, and this past week was no exception.

Our chancellor is in boiling water and I might have to suit up for the Lady Salukis basketball team since half the squad left because of continuing problems with its coach.

Ah-hah! Opportunity. Usually, making fun of the university is like making a frozen pizza – I look forward to it and it requires little effort. This week, there will be no jabs (look for that in a future column).

I feel bad for SIUC and can’t kick it while it’s down. This place can’t buy a break.

Let’s run down this past week.

The university announced it wouldn’t build a billion-plus dollar power plant – something that would have dramatically reshaped southern Illinois’ economic landscape. Embattled Chancellor Fernando Trevi’ntilde;o asked for extra time to make a case to keep his post. To ice the cupcake, a handful of basketball players went public with some troubling stories of coach Dana Eikenberg’s conduct.

What a week. What a bunch of negative pub.

When was the last time something good happened for this university as a whole? I’m not talking about individuals or certain programs; some will always thrive. I’m talking about the entire system. Does this administration make you proud? When was the last time you clenched your maroon and said, “Gee golly. I’m proud to be a Saluki.”?

Back in December, I thought losing Jerry Kill to NIU would be the worst hit this university would take all year.

When I started this job, there were three things I learned about Jerry Kill.

1. Don’t stare at Jerry Kill’s teeth.

2. Don’t question Jerry Kill on why he refers to himself as Jerry Kill.

3. Jerry Kill epitomized southern Illinois and losing him would be devastating.

Kill leaving wasn’t the pinnacle of bad; it was the beginning.

Since that time, SIUC’s image has been spat on far too many times.

Aside from the aforementioned problems, SIUC has dealt with its fair share of tough luck and bad calls.

Higher-ups haven’t helped push a capital funding bill through, meaning the library’s top two floors may remain unfinished.

Someone was unintelligent enough to allow school to continue on even though inches of ice blanketed all walkways. Dozens were injured.

I could spit out examples all day, but the Daily Egyptian has only so much ink.

All these situations must have some individuals steaming.

Glenn Poshard has to be depressed. Capital funding didn’t come through. His choice for chancellor didn’t pan out and enrollment dropped again. (Hey, at least he didn’t get thrown out for plagiarizing like students do.)

Don Rice has to be stressed out. As if being the vice chancellor and interim provost wasn’t enough, he’s the temporary chancellor, too. Can we give this guy some help?

Mario Moccia has to be wishing this semester was like his first three semesters. He started his tenure out with men’s and women’s basketball championships. The men missed the NCAA Tourney for the first time since 2002 and the women’s squad may implode after all the she-said, she-said.

Fernando Trevi’ntilde;o has to be somewhere. Anyone seen him? Maybe job hunting?

University communications has to be dizzy from trying to spin all of the above. How can it actually market this place to such a large audience when it has so little to work with?

Jordan Wilson has to be relieved. He graduates soon and doesn’t have to deal with a university quickly losing its worth.

Wilson is a senior studying journalism.