State Lawmakers Considering Legislation To Curb Questionable Spending By Public Colleges
(CBS) -- Spurred by apparent financial abuses at the College of DuPage, Illinois lawmakers have held a hearing on legislation to crack down on questionable spending at all public colleges and universities, reports WBBM Political Editor Craig Dellimore.
State Senator Bill Cunningham, D-Chicago, who chairs the legislative panel, says there have been problems beyond the perks in $763,000 severance package given to ousted College of DuPage president Robert Breuder and there are several bills to address them.
"When hiring a new president or retaining a president, the first consideration for these board members should always be: What can we afford?" Cunningham said. "Not: How much will it take?"
Kathy Hamilton who chairs the COD Board of Trustees says she applauds bills on audits and compensation but warned against one requiring trustees to be trained by a college presidents association.
"Then you lose your independence because you take trustee education, you align it with a presidential association and you have developed tremendous insiderism," Hamilton said.
Hamilton says that was at the heart of COD's problems.