"The College of DuPage looked like it has forgotten its core mission,"

This is the second of three posts about how COD lost the opportunity for $20 million in state funding.

"The College of DuPage looked like it has forgotten its core mission," Adam Andrzejewski

An article at the News-Gazette provides additional information about the recently exposed attempt by the College of DuPage to get state funds through misrepresentation. It also provides additional information about recent college spending and the man who exposed the attempt to get that $20 million. This post will include a link to the original News-Gazette article and to the website of Adam Andrzejewski, who is chairman of For the Good of Illinois.

From the July 10, 2014 article at the News-Gazette by Jim Dey


"Most East Central Illinois residents probably haven't heard about the controversy involving a suburban community college president caught scheming about how to extract $20 million in state funds that his campus didn't need.

 "... not being able to say how we would use the state's money (perhaps no real need) could lessen our chances to break the money loose at this time (the political moon is rising). A building that focuses on teaching and learning is politically attractive," wrote Dr. Robert Breuder, president of the College of DuPage in an email to trustees.

He [Breuder] even hit upon a plan to publicly laud Pat Quinn when the governor spoke at the college's recent commencement.

"... I want to help our cause (getting the $20 million released sooner rather than later) by thanking him for his commitment in front of 3,500 people. There are many voters in our district. Please keep November in mind," said Breuder, referring to Quinn's re-election campaign. Whatever scheme Breuder hatched, his plan worked. The $20 million was in the pipeline — at least until his email plotting became public. Citing "the tactics used by the president in his email," Gov. Quinn suspended the funding.

"We have no tolerance for any misrepresentation of how funds will be used," a Quinn spokesman stated. "

What about the man who uncovered this plot? "News of the email is just one of a series of recent disclosures involving the College of DuPage generated by Adam Andrzejewski (pronounced Angie-f-ski), the ramrod of OpenTheBooks.com, a website dedicated to putting government spending online."

According to Mr. Dey's article, "...Andrzejewski recently examined spending at the College of DuPage, and the telltale email barely scratched the surface.

For instance, Breuder had a $469,365 compensation package for the fiscal year that ended June 30. It included an $8,400 automobile allowance, a "professional development" payment of $36,000, $24,900 for an annuity, an $18,000 housing allowance, six weeks of vacation and an additional 12 days for "respite and renewal." Breuder didn't even contribute to his own generous state pension — the college kicked in $22,000 for that.

Paid a salary of $269,000, Breuder's contract states that he can only be fired "for cause" by a super-majority (5/7th) of the college board.

Then there's the massive spending at the DuPage County college — $550 million in construction since 2009. In addition, the college has spent $192,000 over the past four years on wine and wine accessory purchases. The wine presumably goes into the wine cellar at the college's French restaurant, which was opened in 2011 and lost $576,000 in fiscal year 2012. "We are trying to quantify the losses in FY 2013," Andrzejewski said.
Or the wine could go to the college's hotel, "The Inn at Water's Edge."

"The College of DuPage looked like it has forgotten its core mission," Andrzejewsi said. "

Jim Dey, a member of The News-Gazette staff, can be reached by email at jdey@news-gazette.com or at 217-351-5369.


Here's a link to Mr. Dey's article - Clicking will open a  New Window> Jim Dey Website - News Gazette


Here's a link to Mr. Andrzejewki's website - Clicking will open a  New Window> Andrzejewsi's Website


Clicking will open a  New Window> For the Good of Illinois Website