Clarifying issues on COD retirement

I want to clarify statements appearing in the May 28 Daily Herald regarding my retirement from College of DuPage.

I joined COD as president in 1994 with the publicly stated goal of serving for 10 years and then retiring. After we successfully led a referendum campaign in 2002 to support the current construction program, I told the board that I would retire at the end of my contract in 2004.

At no time did the board discuss termination in my presence.

The public record speaks for itself. At the board's request, I provided options for the transition to a new COD president. The plan adopted included my serving with Dr. Sunil Chand in his initial year at COD. My primary responsibilities were in the areas of state and federal relations. Dr. Chand, a man of immense integrity, and I worked very well together, leading State Sen. Kirk Dillard to say that it was the smoothest presidential transition he had seen.

When I retired, COD had an earned incentive program for which all professional employees were eligible. The Daily Herald implied that this was part of the cost of terminating me. A review of the public record would reveal that this is not accurate.

Michael T. Murphy

University Park, Florida