COD president receives large severance package

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Former COD president Robert Breuder (Credit: Chicago Tribune)

Ceili Doyle, Assistant News Editor

Controversy has surrounded the severance package of the president of the College of DuPage (COD), following the Board of Education’s (BOE) decision to okay a $750,000 plus deal to have the president retire early in March 2016.

The BOE voted 7-1 to pay President Dr. Robert Breuder $762,868 to retire from COD next year, as well as promising to name the college’s new Homeland Security Education Center after him, under the condition he behaves professionally in a way that is “not materially detrimental to the reputation of the Board and/or the College,” according to a Chicago Tribune article from Jan. 22

Erin Birt, head chairwoman of COD’s BOE, claimed the reasoning behind Breuder’s significant severance package was due to the college’s attempt to negotiate a deal that would release Breuder from his contract with the board through June 30, 2019.

“Several members of the Board felt they wanted to make a change in leadership,” Birt said. “Dr. Breuder was made aware of those feelings and offered to retire, and after months of discussion and consideration, the Board and president reached a mutual agreement that best served the College and community.”

The severance package comes in light of claims against Breuder, saying that he has misappropriated funds, mainly comprised of taxpayer dollars, for the college. These allegations began to surface publically in June 2014 when the college lost close to $20 million in Illinois state funds. This money was denied by Governor Pat Quinn after Breuder allegedly sent emails saying that he would inform Quinn of COD utilizing these funds to construct a new “Teaching and Learning Center” in order to be “politically attractive.”

Additionally, Breuder has been accused of mismanaging his expense account, including allegedly billing the college for his personal membership to a private shooting club.

Jordyn DiOrio ‘11, LT and COD graduate and current senior at University of Minnesota, voiced her frustrations over Breuder’s alleged mishandling of funds.

“I don’t necessarily think it would of been a deciding factor on whether or not I would attend COD, but it’s more a long the lines of not being able to hold the two-year institution to a certain standard anymore,” DiOrio said. “The education is worth it for the price, [but] now I will add it to the ever growing list of institutions with [allegedly] corrupt members on it.”

DiOrio also raised concern over the BOE’s approval over Breuder’s severance package.

“I don’t understand it,” DiOrio said. “Because this guy can’t control himself we’re going to reward him? We’re rewarding an [alleged] crook, and he probably has information that the Board doesn’t want him to release because it will ruin the reputation that they’ve built at the college, which I think must be the only thing preventing them from dropping him.”

As of Feb. 11, Illinois lawmakers have decided to investigate Breuder’s early retirement plan by asking the president to appear before the recently formed panel from the Illinois Senate and answer questions.

Right now it is unclear whether or not Breuder will stand before the panel voluntarily, but according to an article in the Chicago Tribune, “if Breuder declines to appear, state lawmakers could subpoena him.”