Caputo appointed to become COD's interim president
An administrator hired by departing President Ann Rondeau will oversee daily operations at the College of DuPage when Rondeau steps down at the end of the year.
COD trustees on Thursday voted unanimously to appoint Brian W. Caputo - the school's vice president of administrative affairs and treasurer - as interim president. He will assume his new post Jan. 1.
"We're in an extremely fortuitous position to have somebody of his caliber able to assume this role as an interim president," Trustee Alan Bennett said before the vote.
Rondeau is leaving the Glen Ellyn school on Dec. 31 to become the next president of the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. Trustees have said they don't want to rush what's expected to be a national search to find her permanent replacement.
Caputo's new contract will pay him a $3,500-a-month stipend to serve as interim president. The stipend is in addition to his annual $215,009 salary.
On Friday, Caputo said he's humbled by his new role.
"The College of DuPage community is comprised of extraordinarily competent, enthusiastic and dedicated faculty and staff striving to create the best possible educational experience for our students," Caputo said in a statement. "It is an honor and a privilege to lead such an exceptional institution. I am all in."
Caputo joined COD in March 2017 after serving nearly 19 years as Aurora's chief financial officer and city treasurer.
Since his arrival, school officials said, Caputo has been instrumental in helping to strengthen key initiatives in partnership with the board, executive leadership, faculty, staff and students.
Under his leadership, COD's general obligation bond rating improved from "AA" to "AA+" with Standard & Poor's. In addition, Moody's Investors Service affirmed the college's Aa1 rating and shifted its outlook from stable to positive.
Officials say Caputo has been "integrally involved" in two major academic initiatives at the community college: Guided Pathways and Project Hire-Ed.
Guided Pathways seeks to help students choose, enter and complete a program of study aligned with their goals for employment and further education, officials said. They said Project Hire-Ed is a workforce development program "designed to better align postsecondary education with certain workforce skill requirements through partnerships with area employers."
Caputo also was a member of the executive team that worked to establish Innovation DuPage, a new business incubator and accelerator.
On Thursday, Rondeau said trustees made "a very wise move" in appointing Caputo.
"Dr. Caputo will be a terrific interim president," she said. "He has all of the gifts and the skills to do this. And I compliment the board for this excellent approval of this good man."