"I've heard the issue raised, and I've beensurprised and discouraged that it would be evenbrought up," Wood said. "That's ridiculous. Wedon't apply that standard to any powerful whitefolks who are vacationing off in the Bahamas."
Tutu himself was disappointed by the number ofmeetings the attend.
"He attended fewer meetings than he would wantto," his spokesperson Allen said. "It was a realstruggle to attend any more than about one ayear."
"It's impossible for him to leave the city whenthere's an outbreak of violence...We never know ifhe's going to go until he actually gets on theaircraft."
Wood, a professor at Duke University, said hewas "sorry that [Tutu] would find it necessary toresign from the Board."
"Simply by his nominal presence, he lends agreat deal of strength to the institution and Ithink it would be most unfortunate if it had beenimplied to him in any way that he was not welcomeon the overseers. I certainly will miss him as acolleague," Wood said