Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Harper, COD Boards paved Breuder's path of gold


Reading the timeline of current College of DuPage president Robert Breuder's career at Harper College from 1998 through 2008 and at COD from 2009 through, possibly, March, 2016, would make the strongest taxpayer cry. At both schools Breuder alienated faculty, achieving the dubious distinction of garnering a faculty 'No Confidence' vote at two consecutive college presidencies, possibly a record unmatched in American academia. He ...provoked a 12 day strike at Harper in 2002, and dragged along faculty contract negotiations at COD for 15 months in 2011-2012. During his tenure at COD, valued programs, such as the Buffalo Theater Ensemble, were cut; investment guidelines were ignored to spike earnings, only to result in losses; millions were squandered on a vanity restaurant and outrageously expensive landscaping and unneeded buildings; and enrollment figures were inflated to justify increased state aid. Cynical manipulation of the governor was revealed, causing the governor to rescind an unneeded $20 million grant. Oh yes, tuition went up year after year to pay for these goodies and inflate Breuder's image as a business mogul, not an educator. 
  
As bad as Breuder leadership was at both colleges, the real onus for his academic and financial mismanagement rests with the Boards of Trustees. Both the Harper and COD Boards handed Breuder fabulous compensation packages and contract extensions that gave him financial leverage to negotiate swollen severance should either Board tire of his shenanigans. And Breuder cashed in handsomely, extracting $508,000 from Harper and $762,000 from COD when the Boards could no longer ignore faculty, student and public pressure. Breuder even negotiated a super majority of 5 instead of simple majority of 4 COD Board members to fire him. Then, regardless of cause, he negotiated a 45 day period to fix any fireable offences. His seductive influence over the old COD Board was so great he was even able to get a majority to censure the one Board member willing to both privately and publicly criticize his pathological, out of control rule. Instead of doing the faculty, student and taxpayers' business, the Board was basking in the glow of a Xanadu like campus and inhaling free stuff at the vanity restaurant.

Hopefully, the voting taxpayers have learned their lesson. They are showing up at COD Board meetings in droves and dumped two incumbents who dared seek re-election after such negligent tenure. A reform majority is in place and functioning, but holdover Breuder apologists and dreadful presidential contracts weigh down prompt, corrective action, such as the termination proceedings against President Breuder announced yesterday.

Months, maybe years from now, and millions of dollars later, we may finally get a COD that truly serves the students, the faculty and the public.

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