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Lunch with Robertson
By Dr. Johnny V. Miller
CIU President 1991-1999
obertson McQuilkin wasn’t
physically or emotionally ready
to retire in 1990. He still simmered with
energy and vision. The fact that he did
retire to care for Muriel bespeaks loudly
his commitment to her.
So one task my first year as the next CIU
president, was to learn to take advantage
of his strengths without conflict over
differences in style and perspective. He
was also concerned not to get in my way.
He pledged not to come on campus my
first year, not to interfere with the board
of trustees — many his loyal friends,
and to guard my back with alumni and
donors.
So we met regularly to talk and build a
personal friendship beyond what we had
as colleagues and acquaintances for the
previous 11 years when he recruited me
to teach at CIU.
R
For our first meeting, he invited me to
his house to eat. He had retired to the
“McQuilkin compound” in Eau Claire, a
couple of miles from campus, a corner
square owned originally by his father,
Robert C. McQuilkin. Eau Claire had once
been an upscale suburb on the northern
fringe of Columbia. But “white flight”
had left it a racial enclave. Robertson
didn’t choose to retire there
despite
racial issues, but
because
of them.
He had upgraded the house to make
it suitable to caring for Muriel after
moving from the president’s house on
campus. He created a Japanese garden
in the backyard, a place for peaceful
meditation. He put up a privacy fence
for protection — his car was stolen more
than once, and the house broken into.
I was a bit in awe on my first visit because
I was still intimidated by him. We’d spent
lots of time together: He had hoped
I would take over his courses so we
had been team-teaching. Over those
times together I learned he had high
Living CIU presidents pose with
Robertson McQuilkin (from left):
Bill Jones, George Murray, and
Johnny Miller. Jones remembers
Robertson McQuilkin on page 35.
“The school was part
of his DNA ...”
–Dr. Johnny V. Miller
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CIU Today
Fall 2016