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March 28, 2024

College of DuPage – “You don’t know how hard my job is, I didn’t ask for this job!”

By Kirk Allen & John Kraft

On May 8, 2016

“You don’t know how hard my job is, I didn’t ask for this job!” said Interum President Joe Collins……..as he happily banked an extra $6,000.00 a month into his pocket. (start at the 0:44:11 mark in the video below)

As recently reported, College of DuPage Board of Trustees approved an employment agreement between the College and Dr. Ann E. Rondeau who will serve as COD’s next President.  It turns out that the appointment could not have come soon enough as the leadership crisis was much worse than anyone could have imagined.

Throughout the past few months, we have documented instances where Dr. Joseph Collins demonstrated disdain and disrespect towards Board of Trustee members who were working to fulfill their fiduciary duties, despite the inability to establish a quorum due to Trustees Birt, McGuire, and Wozniak violating their oath of office and boycotting meetings.  During the January 21st, 2016, meeting, Collins was confrontational and condescending towards now-Board Chairman Deanne Mazzochi who wanted to conduct College business despite the unwillingness of Birt, McGuire, and Wozniak to attend meetings (See 48:39 mark of the video for the Collins breakdown).   During that same meeting, he was inexplicably discourteous towards Trustee Bernstein who was making the case for Collins’ cooperation (See short video in this article).  Incredibly, Collins stared off into the distance like a petulant teenager rather than acknowledge Trustee Bernstein’s plea for collaboration.  To be fair, that period was difficult for the Board and the institution as a whole.  However, there is now further evidence that Collins’ character and leadership failures were on display, as if these articles here, here, here, here, and here, were not convincing enough.

During the fall 2016 convocation for COD faculty, Joe Collins provided remarks that did less than inspire and instill confidence in his professional acumen.  Rather than focusing on what was possible, Collins complained to the faculty about the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), the Board of Trustees, former Chairman Kathy Hamilton, the Chicago Tribune, faculty, and the unfair expectation of leadership.  Collins explained that Trustee Mazzochi is “. . . .an individual who has absolutely no authority to direct [him] to do anything” (start at the 0:37:17 mark in video below).  His composure and comments deteriorated further when he stated, as previously pointed out,  “You don’t know how hard my job is, I didn’t ask for this job!  I am going crazy trying to hold this position together. . .” (start at the 41:17 mark of the video below). 

The lack of judgment and professionalism continued as he whined publicly about working conditions during the tenure of former Trustee and Chairman Kathy Hamilton.  He stated, “. . . you would not understand what I put up with for seven months working for Kathy Hamilton.  If you knew what I had to put up with, you wouldn’t be up here going, Joe, you ought to give us some good theories about how we should work better internally.  I am telling you, I am just holding this job, you want to find another Acting Interim President tell the Board that. . . .” (start at 0:44:11 mark of the video below).  For Collins, that difficult nature of the position is a consequence of external forces and nothing that happened throughout the past six years while he was the second in command.

It appears that $244,762.00 per year does not buy what it used to.  Even the most inexperienced employee understands that complaining publicly about colleagues is destructive and irresponsible.  Regrettably, in the case of Dr. Joseph Collins, pay that is five times the United States median household income, does not afford professionalism, respect, humility, cooperation, nor accountability.  Moreover, Collins has willingly accepted remuneration for an at-will position, he was not forced or coerced by the College to remain employed and has always been free to seek employment at any one of the more than a hundred institutions of higher learning throughout Illinois.

With the recent employ of Dr. Rondeau, Collins is now free to go back to knowing nothing about what happens internally at COD and can remain in a perpetual state of amnesia.  Fortunately for him and tax payers, Dr. Rondeau will require no lessons in leadership, and has asked for the responsibility associated with the prestigious position of COD President.  Collins’ comments were clearly a genuine reflection of his feelings toward the Board of Trustees, not to mention his qualification and suitability for a position of public trust and leadership.  We expect that Dr. Rondeau will take note of Dr. Collins’ statements, behavior, and culpability in producing circumstances that contributed to the unprecedented sanction of probation.  Is it possible, that accountability and consequences will finally become part of the problem-solving equation for College of DuPage?  But of course, only time will tell.

We understand it takes time to turn a ship (Collins), however,  we also are confident that a Navy Vice Admiral understands when to strategically sink one to save the fleet (COD). 

 

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Joe Collins

 

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5 Comments
  • G. Barraclough
    Posted at 06:52h, 09 May

    Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.

    Theodore Roosevelt

    Unfortunately for Joe Collins:

    1. He has missed an opportunity that will not come to him again in his life.

    2. His attitude toward work has revealed his true character and it is wanting.

    3. He appears to be just another Joe.

  • Jon
    Posted at 07:54h, 09 May

    Joe, When are you going? You are a obstacle and should seriously consider leaving. The newspapers and the Edgar County watchdogs were the last resort for the ones who cried out while the higher ups igonored all the issues and allowed the corruption and free for all to continue. You clearly knew what was going on but stayed quite. You expected people to stay silent while others took advantage of the tax payers and the students of COD. Take Mcguire and Bert with you.

  • Danni Smith
    Posted at 09:24h, 09 May

    The indications of Collin’s collusion and ineptness were evident, even while Breuder was “running” (as into the ground) CoD. Is it not incredible how incompetents continue to obtain high paying government positions? These are the seeds for some massive reaction by the citizenry. One person can’t continue to behave and perform this way for those who are hamstrung by the very laws they make to protect themselves. The backlash began three years ago and the whiplash is only increasing in its velocity. Collins is a victim of the same hubris that infected breuder, sapata?, her boss, brit, mcquire,
    wozniack,, that, “You out there, you are to powerless to do ANYTHING to us”. WRONG.

  • David
    Posted at 09:52h, 09 May

    Joe Collins clearly should be removed COD. He is clearly not a leader able to create a vision, nor a competent manager. He thinks COD is on probation due to the Board of Trustees infighting started by Hamilton and continued by Mazzochi. He has no acknowledgement of the Brueder era misuse of taxpayer funds. Collins just wants to look ahead and ignore the past. Joe Collins needs to go now!!!

  • CC
    Posted at 09:58h, 10 May

    Gosh, he could be an elected official in DuPage County. Taking a paycheck to do nothing. Or he could work for cronin or maybe the dems have an opening. Good yes men are always welcome. I have hope that COD is on the right course with the new President. The whole senior management team at the college has definitely distinguished itself. I wish the cameras at board meetings could have been trained on them too. Shameful/shameless. Please Dr. Rondeau-clean house.

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