State lawmakers: Cap college president severance deals
State lawmakers Friday moved to cap severance packages like the one received by College of DuPage President Robert Breuder and limit the length of future presidents' contracts.
Breuder's $763,000 severance deal sparked a flurry of legislation in Springfield earlier this year, and the Illinois House approved state Rep. Jeanne Ives' plan to limit the size of future community college buyout packages to no more than one year's salary and benefits.
The cap would apply to any community college employee. And it's an idea she thinks could be extended to other areas of government as sizable severances often cause taxpayer ire. "I think that we should be definitely doing this statewide," Ives said.
For now, her plan moves to the Illinois Senate for further review after unanimous approval in the House.
Meanwhile, Ives said she's negotiating with Democrats over a state-run audit of COD that hasn't yet been approved by the House. The college's board hasn't voted to pay for such an audit, which could cost as much as $240,000.
Ives said she obtained a commitment from a majority of the newly elected members of the COD board to pay for it, but she said Democrats want official board action before they'll agree to move the legislation authorizing the audit.
Lawmakers are set to meet through the end of May.