COD Prez weaves a tangled web

College of DuPage President Robert Breuder is in well deserved hot water for his May 9 email to the Board of Trustees strategizing how to wrangle $20 million in state funding for the college. His opening line is a classic: "I'm in a bit of a quandary." Then he laments how he's been working with the Governor's Office "seemingly forever" to get "our" $20 million. The quandary Breuder quickly identifies is that the two projects originally floated, building a Homeland Security building and demolishing unneeded buildings, have already been funded. What to do? Breuder suggests slam-dunking a new classroom building, and, in the interests of urgency, wants the Board to rubberstamp his suggestion so he can gobble up the $20 mill before someone else gets it. To cement this maneuver Breuder plans to thank Governor Quinn publically for the loot in front of 3,500 people when he addresses commencement before the money is committed. Breuder implies that with 3,500 votes on the line, Quinn won't dare renege giving COD the money. If that is not bad enough, Breuder surmises that in the event the new classroom building is not approved, "there is always the option of telling the Governor we want the money, will bank it until we figure out how to use it, and then build something." That translates roughly to "Governor Quinn, show COD the money and we promise to build something really, really good."

This email sat dormant for seven weeks till public watchdog group For The Good of Illinois acquired a copy of it under the Freedom of Information Act. The resulting publicity of Breuder's duplicity caused Governor Quinn, in a stinging rebuke to Breuder, to withdraw the $20 million grant. Additionally, COD Board Vice Chair Kathy Hamilton stated the Board has a responsibility to investigate possible wrongdoing by Breuder. He closed his email with this prophetic comment: "Bottom line: I need some room to breathe on this matter so I can enhance the likelihood we get the $20 million, soon." Alas, the oxygen has just been snuffed out in Breuder's obsession to secure $20 million using extremely dubious machinations. His conduct reminds me of the wise aphorism:
                 "Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive"