Dear Michael Rao,

You know me. At least, I think you do – we’ve shaken hands on several occasions.

The last time was during your trip to the journalism department last December, when we gave you a tour of the new multimedia room and the CM Life office.

I have always known you as a very approachable person, as a man who treasures his family and friends as much as his job. You always had a plethora of ideas for this university and rarely did you have a frown on your face.

As a student, I felt the impact you had on this university over the years. When I first stepped on campus in 2005, there were no Fabiano and Celani halls gracing the CMU skyline. There was no new education building replacing the downtrodden Ronan Hall. Kelly/Shorts Stadium had no giant scoreboard or light poles. Broomfield Road was a two-way mess.

Up until last week, you continued to promote progress. You spoke at Thursday’s Board of Trustees meeting of hiring an interim dean for the medical school, a project that was approved less than six months ago.

You spoke just like you do at every Board meeting. You spoke with passion. You know that despite the university’s positives, there is always room for improvement.

Then, less than 36 hours later … poof.

You were gone. Nowhere to be found.

Except, of course, 740 miles away in Richmond, Va., where you accepted the presidency at Virginia Commonwealth University. It was a vanishing act comparable to former CMU football coach Brian Kelly, who bolted for Cincinnati one December night in 2006.

And there you stood behind the podium at VCU, speaking just like you do at CMU. You spoke with passion. You know of the opportunities that lay before you. After all, VCU already has a prestigious medical school. It is a $2 billion organization, and you will make double the money you make here.

Unfortunately, the road you placed in front of yourself comes at the expense of not just myself, but the students, faculty members, administrators and Trustees of Central Michigan University who spoke with you and worked with you for nearly a decade. Very few of us knew that despite your well-intentioned words Thursday, your heart was looking elsewhere.

You say nine years is a long time – and it certainly is. No one expected you to stay forever, and no one is faulting you for moving on with your career. But you are bolting during a time when CMU needs its leadership the most.

Despite Michigan’s dire economic climate and a constant dwindling in state appropriations, you had big dreams for this university. In the last two years, you pushed for a medical school, a biotechnology building, a Bovee University Center renovation and a Rose Arena renovation. Never in the last nine years has CMU had a bigger slate of projects on its hands.

You may always downplay your importance in the development of these projects, but every project needs leadership from the people who envision them. One will be missing when workers break ground on CMU’s multi-million dollar medical school. You.

Personally, I wish you good luck at VCU. Thank you for the nine years you and your family spent here.

But if you could, do us all one more favor. Make your last four months count.

This university could really use that.

E-mail the author: Brian Manzullo