Chicago State University should consider outsourcing its development operations so that it can raise $100 million or more in the next five years, Wayne Watson told faculty and staff yesterday.

Watson is one of two candidates to be CSU’s next president; Carol Adams, the secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services, is the other one.

CSU currently has just three people in its alumni relations office, and a total of a dozen for all fundraising activities. Watson suggested a contractor would be more effective at raising money. 

“We have to work the alumni, we have to work the congressional situation in Washington, we have to work the legislative body in Springfield,” Watson said. “It can be done.”

Watson, like Adams on Monday, said repairing the school’s public image and projecting a new brand for it are important efforts. But throughout the day yesterday, Watson repeatedly blamed the media for some of that bad image.

“Let’s be honest, Chicago State is a predominantly black institution, and the media, they seem to take liberty there,” Watson said at one point yesterday.

At other times, he charged that the press has overlooked CSU’s accomplishments.

“The media, they look for the underbelly of institutions,” Watson said. “They look for the soft spots, the weaknesses.”

While Watson faced sharp criticism earlier in the day, a few people praised his credentials, experience and understanding of financials.

“This guy doesn’t have to learn the lay of the land. He’s a good guy,” said Atha Hunt, the chairman of the accounting and finance department.

While Hunt questioned whether the vocal outbursts earlier were genuine or orchestrated by someone else – he didn’t know who – he acknowledged that the selection process had problems.

“I think they made a mistake this time. They actually got a candidate who’s good and they didn’t mean for this to happen,” Hunt said.