DuPage Co. (ECWd) –
Recently obtained documents expose College of DuPage Trustees McGuire and Birt’s real intentions as it relates to getting college business done.
The three Trustees, known as the Breuder Board, made up of McGuire, Birt, and Wozniak, have been making excuse after excuse for not performing their duties.
They have insisted that since they all had a conflict with the regular meeting of January 21, 2016 that they want to have a special meeting on January 28th, 2016. They failed to call that special meeting and a letter to the ICCB makes it clear, as of January 14th, 2016, they had no intention of performing their duties as elected officials until after the ICCB makes an appointment.
“We look forward to resuming the college’s business upon the appointment of a seventh trustee.”
The only way to ‘resume’ the college business is to show up to a meeting and it is clear, their intentions are to NOT resume college business until the ICCB appoints a replacement Trustee.
What a message that should send the HLC! Hey Higher Learning Commission, you know that thing about governance at COD, we are the very thing holding up college business and we will continue to do so until we get our way. How’s that for governance?
McGuire and Birt’s letter to the ICCB make it clear, they “believe” a certain thing but then make statements of fact with zero proof. The letter exposes them for what they are, law breaking boycotting children! (See letter here)
As if those matters are not appalling enough, it is clear a letter writing campaign is taking place to the ICCB with numerous demands of a replacement of which it must NOT have any ties to the Clean Slate. The language in the letters appear to be typical Dianne McGuire/Cory Atkinson boilerplate talking points. One such letter even comes from one of those who filed an ARDC complaint against COD attorney’s, which were deemed unfounded and a State Board of Elections complaint against Hamilton.
Ed Agustin fails to mention those facts in his letter requesting to be appointed. He states in his letter “Since change is obvious and necessary, I would like to help by being on the team that puts COD back on course to being the very best community college in the state.”
I guess he failed to realize the change that is obvious is a change from the past, just as the voters demanded in an overwhelming reform mandate during the April election. He seems to think COD is not on course to being the very best community college in the state with his insinuation that he wants to help put them ‘back” on course.
Mr. Agustin, they are on course and anyone who files frivolous ARDC complaints against the very attorneys that are complying with the law has no place on any public board, let alone COD.
Agustin failed in his attempt to get elected to both the COD Board and the 41st District as a State Representative Candidate. Sounds like the people have taken little interest in what he has to offer.
Reading through those letters it is clear each and every one of them that is apposed to the criminal investigations and accountability being pursued, has no clue what is really happening at COD. The insinuations and claims that the current Reform Board is somehow responsible for the probation status of the school’s accreditation shows how out of touch these people really are. As if the IRS rulings are not enough to prove the boycotting trustees have broken the law, this letter campaign pushes for support of those lawbreakers.
Considering we did not see letters being sent to the ICCB requesting appointments of people who support the voters mandated reform, consider this a call to action!
For all those who wish to support the ‘Reform’ agenda at COD, please share that concern and desire with the ICCB in the form of a letter and or e-mail. Failure to get involved may well lead to an appointment that supports those who have been proven to be law breakers by the IRS!
Send your letters of support for the Clean Slate or Reform agenda to the following:
Dr. Lazaro Lopez, Chair
Illinois Community College Board
401 East Capitol Avenue
Springfield, IL 62701-1711
A review of these letters makes it clear, McGuire and her clan are desperate for power and control. Control to suppress more criminal wrongdoing and illegal action by themselves by voting on matters in a closed session regarding Breuder’s contract! Don’t be fooled, this is about their own self preservation and nothing else!
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4 Comments
Bill G
Posted at 19:14h, 27 JanuaryDear Mr. Lopez:
It appears the Board of Trustees at College of DuPage will not be able to select a new Trustee to serve out the term of Kathy Hamilton.
In part this relates to the choice made by three of the Trustees to fail in their duties to attend Board meetings. This is certainly at variance with the trust placed in the by we the voters of DuPage, but it may also constitute violation of law. Apparently this is a deliberate decision be them jointly as their leader McGuire has written: “We look forward to resuming the college’s business upon the appointment of a seventh trustee.”
The only way to ‘resume’ the college business is to show up to a meeting and it is clear, their intentions are to NOT resume college business until the ICCB appoints a replacement Trustee. Such an approach validates the deficits in leadership and governance recently noted by the Higher Learning Commission in placing COD on two years of probation.
I hope you will consider this lawlessness in considering any solicitations you receive praising the former leadership and degrading the new Board members. These new Board members, including the departed Hamilton, where soundly elected by constituents fed up with the corruption and criminality of the prior Board and its President. Letters you receive on behalf of the former board should be read in light of the massive corruption and criminality that is being revealed there.
As you know there are several civil and criminal investigations underway at COD and your decision should in no way hinder these, such as by appointing a Trustee with a clear conflict of interest with current or past Board members, service providers, or the Foundation. Recently the IRS determined than services provided to Board members constituted income and should be declared and taxed. This is clear evidence of fraud sufficient to support removal for cause of any participant.
Your decision is also important because the new Board will pick a President and needs to be able to choose wisely someone who can lead the return of the brand and reputation of COD.
As a 28 year resident of DuPage and regular visitor to COD, I deeply care that restoration occur to serve all our stakeholders. I beg you to make a selection that looks to the future and does not mire the new Trustee in the past and unresolved conflicts of interest. We all we carefully be watching your decision process and outcome.
Sincerely,
William K. Graham, P.E.
Richard Jarman
Posted at 22:11h, 27 JanuaryI think you have stated the situation pretty accurately.
screech0000
Posted at 15:22h, 27 JanuaryVery shocking. I would hope instead that a concern of the ICCB would be
What did the voters in college district 502 want to see in their trustees when last they had an opportunity to express their opinion through the ballot box?
Richard Jarman
Posted at 14:02h, 27 JanuaryAnd one of those trolls writing letters thought the election had occurred in November. Someone diminishes their credibility.
And last time I checked, April 2015, when the new board took office, occurred after the years 2009 – 2014, those years during which the numerous issues touched on by the HLC report occurred. So I guess my simple logic struggles to see how this new board was responsible for all that.