Adam Andrzejewski, Contributor
Dead elephant, shooting club, global satellite phones, double dipped reimbursements, and $26 million in hidden payments to vendors and school employees… the College of DuPage (COD) is caught faking transparency to pass the goodies.
It was rough going at the second largest college in Illinois this summer. In July, a $20 million state construction grant was stopped after COD President Dr. Robert Breuder’s email was exposed which outlined a political strategy to bring support to the governor. Newspaper editorials called it a "seedy little money grab" and the governor said the behavior was "extremely alarming."
Activists exposed much more. Since 2009, the college spent $550 million on construction projects with funds reallocated to build an upscale French restaurant and a wine cellar. The restaurant lost over $500,000 in its first year of operation while purchasing over $200,000 in wine and accessories. The President’s compensation is $500,000 annually and nine executives cost taxpayers and students approximately $2.4 million per year.
Responding to our Freedom of Information Act request for COD checkbook, the college produced a troubling record of payments. $27,931 for dues and fees flowed to the president’s private shooting club. Three global satellite phones were paid for each of the last three years so the president could "keep in touch" during his exotic hunting vacations (he shot an African elephant).
Breuder shoots elephant COD President Robert Breuder billed taxpayers and students for three global satellite phones for his exotic hunting trips (2012-14).
After each exposure, the Board of Trustees acted surprised.