asked Lucas Diamond, hands folded on the glossy long table. In an elegant room off the campus president’s office, the eight board members gathered at the mahogany table, none looking happy to be there. “Our procedures for hiring are rigorous.” The head of personnel, Isadore Rosen, felt hot under the collar since he and the department were both under fire. Setting aside ego, President Charlotte Norton stepped in. “Luke, the process takes time and starts with a curriculum vitae. Once we’ve sifted through that, we narrow the field down to usually four candidates whom we interview. But even before that, we call for references and of course, one’s friends can be helpful.” For the sheer joy of tormenting him, Sister sat right next to Crawford at the table. Neither had spoken so far. With the exception of board members Lucas Diamond and Nancy Hightower, none of the others present took Congressman Rickman’s charges against Tariq seriously. Isadore took his cue from the headmistress.
