It's official: McGuire's 3rd, 4th COD Board boycotts are official misconduct

For the fourth time in less than a month, Diane McGuire, engineered a boycott of a College of DuPage Board meeting. Tonight was a twofer; her holdover faction boycotted Deanne Mazzochi's special meeting to address the DuPage States Attorney's request for oral and written record of 2014 closed Board sessions, and they boycotted their own special meeting immediately following. The crowd of a hundred or more were once again dismayed and disgusted by the McGuire faction absence. Important COD business and governance has been shut down for a month. Bills are not being timely paid, a violation of the Illinois Prompt Payment Act, making COD potentially liable for payment penalties. Importantly needed new employees are not being hired. New curriculum is not being approved. Supplies for students and faculty are not being ordered. The 28 applicants for the vacant seventh Board Trustee position are not being vetted. Most important of all: the Board is hobbled in its dire need to address the two year probation imposed on it by the Higher Learning Commission, which, if not addressed, will cost COD its accreditation.

But wait. McGuire is not finished with her boycotts. She informed Acting Chair Deanne Mazzochi her holdover faction will boycott the January 21 regular meeting because all three of her faction, including Erin Birt and Joe Wozniak, are unable to attend.

All of the dozen public commentators called for McGuire, Birt and Wozniak to end their boycott, resign or be removed from office. Acting Chair Mazzochi was infinitely gracious in her plea for McGuire and her allies to end it in person at the January 21st meeting. Mazzochi was correct in saying there are not two Board factions, one of which was absent, but simply one Board prevented from doing COD and the community's business by the three boycotters. In closing Mazzochi called for a fresh start January 21, with no hard feelings and no recriminations, if the McGuire group will simply show up. That statement brought heartfelt applause from those of us present. Unfortunately, her words were not heard by Dianne McGuire, Erin Birt and Joe Wozniak. They were too busy practicing official misconduct.