COD board too slow to act on audit

Those who pay taxes to support the College of DuPage have learned recently that their hard-earned money sent to the college in good faith has been misspent on lucrative contract buyout deals for underperforming administrators and on lavish dining for top administrators and trustees.

Thousands of COD taxpayers and several state legislators were rightfully outraged last month when a $763,000 contract buyout deal for COD President Dr. Robert Breuder was rushed through the COD board process with no transparency for stakeholders. The agreement, which was initially referred to as a "retirement package," was eventually acknowledged as a termination buyout to end Dr. Breuder's contract.

Adding to the public outcry was a stipulation of the deal that promised the school's state-of-the-art Homeland Security Building would be named after Dr. Breuder. Several lawmakers at that time requested legislative hearings into what we felt was a clear misuse of public funds, and we also made a request for a thorough performance and management audit of COD spending for fiscal years 2011-2014.

The audit request, made through Illinois House Resolution 55, has been sponsored by 57 Republicans and Democrats in the House of Representatives. House Speaker Mike Madigan has yet to schedule the hearings.

Last week we learned that Dr. Breuder, his top administrators and the board of trustees have also enjoyed close to $200,000 in high-end dining on the taxpayers' dime. In one instance, trustees enjoyed a posh holiday dinner with a price tag of $2,331, or about $200 per trustee.

That same week, Dr. Breuder treated his administrative team to a dinner that cost more than $3,500. These excessive dining experiences, just like the contract buyout deal for Dr. Breuder, were funded by the taxpayers of COD.

The need for legislative hearings and a comprehensive performance and management audit is crucial. Last week, a team of legislators sent a letter to COD Trustees Chairman Erin Birt, asking for agreement to terms that would allow the audit to proceed. The trustees have yet to schedule a special meeting to consider this request.

This week, a second letter was sent to Speaker Madigan, reaffirming the call for legislative hearings into the COD debacle. It appears very evident that a majority of the trustees have lost sight of their mission of providing a quality community college experience for students.

The taxpayers who support the College of DuPage and the students who rely on competent decision-making by the board of trustees deserve full, swift cooperation and compliance with the audit.

The trustees need to schedule a meeting immediately to consider and approve the terms tied to the audit, so the extent of mismanagement can be unearthed and steps can be taken to prevent similar acts of poor decision-making in the future.

State Rep. Jeanne Ives, of Wheaton, is lead author of this commentary. Also signing it are Republican state Reps. Steve Andersson, Geneva; Mark Batinick, Plainfield; Christine Winger, Wood Dale; Patricia Bellock, Hinsdale; Peter Breen, Lombard; Margo McDermed, Mokena; Ron Sandack, Downers Grove; and Grant Wehrli, Naperville.