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Tom Cullerton outraged at NIU pay off

VILLA PARK- State Senator Tom Cullerton (D-Villa Park) is outraged at the latest golden parachute payout at Northern Illinois University.

News released today outlines NIU's plan to pay President Doug Baker $600,000 plus benefits when he steps down later this month in the wake of the Illinois Inspector General's investigation into illegal hires made by the university.

"As students across the state of Illinois are struggling to pay tuition and fees, our public higher education institutions are handing out golden parachutes to disgraced administrators for violating taxpayers' trust," Cullerton said. "What message are we sending? This needs to stop now. Illinois needs to get out of the business of paying university administrators off for their mismanagement and failing to comply with state laws."

Under the deal, Baker will receive a full year's salary of $450,000 and $137,000 to not serve as a member of the College of Business faculty. He also will be paid up to $30,000 for his "reasonable, unpaid expenses for legal counsel" related to his time at NIU.

"It is simple. If you mismanage state funds, you should not be rewarded," Cullerton said.

The Inspector General's report was publically released on May 31. The report details hires made by Baker and his administration that were paid contracts over $20,000, which are supposed to be subject to competitive bidding in accordance to state law. The jobs were incorrectly classified to get past the requirement according to the report.

The Chicago Tribune went on later to report that two of the nine employees involved in the hiring scandal made more than $400,000 for 15 and 18 months of work.

In the midst of the state's budget impasse, NIU announced in May they will be eliminating and reducing 150 staff positions, which included 30 active employees. The active employees will have to transition to open positions across the university, exercise their civil service employment rights within their employment classifications or have contracts that will not be renewed.

We are in the middle of a budget impasse. Every dollar, every penny, needs to be put toward the betterment and education of our children," Cullerton said. "This deal is a betrayal of taxpayers' trust. State dollars should not be used to line the pockets of failed administrators."

Cullerton is calling for tougher regulations to stop state universities and community colleges from paying out administrators while under investigation or found guilty of university mismanagement

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