VILLA PARK- State Senator Tom Cullerton (D-Villa Park) is outraged at the latest golden parachute payout at Northern Illinois University.
News released today outlines NIU’s plan to pay President Doug Baker $600,000 plus benefits when he steps down later this month in the wake of the Illinois Inspector General’s investigation into illegal hires made by the university.
“As students across the state of Illinois are struggling to pay tuition and fees, our public higher education institutions are handing out golden parachutes to disgraced administrators for violating taxpayers’ trust,” Cullerton said. “What message are we sending? This needs to stop now. Illinois needs to get out of the business of paying university administrators off for their mismanagement and failing to comply with state laws.”
Under the deal, Baker will receive a full year’s salary of $450,000 and $137,000 to not serve as a member of the College of Business faculty. He also will be paid up to $30,000 for his “reasonable, unpaid expenses for legal counsel” related to his time at NIU.
“It is simple. If you mismanage state funds, you should not be rewarded,” Cullerton said.
The Inspector General’s report was publically released on May 31. The report details hires made by Baker and his administration that were paid contracts over $20,000, which are supposed to be subject to competitive bidding in accordance to state law. The jobs were incorrectly classified to get past the requirement according to the report.
The Chicago Tribune went on later to report that two of the nine employees involved in the hiring scandal made more than $400,000 for 15 and 18 months of work.
In the midst of the state’s budget impasse, NIU announced in May they will be eliminating and reducing 150 staff positions, which included 30 active employees. The active employees will have to transition to open positions across the university, exercise their civil service employment rights within their employment classifications or have contracts that will not be renewed.
“We are in the middle of a budget impasse. Every dollar, every penny, needs to be put toward the betterment and education of our children,” Cullerton said. “This deal is a betrayal of taxpayers’ trust. State dollars should not be used to line the pockets of failed administrators. ”
Cullerton is calling for tougher regulations to stop state universities and community colleges from paying out administrators while under investigation or found guilty of university mismanagement
###
Reena Tandon
Communications Department
Senate Democrats Caucus Staff
John J. Cullerton, Senate President
Stratton Building, F-Section
O. 217.782.3068
C. 309.533.1210
14 Comments
Marko
Posted at 19:48h, 06 DecemberWould you expect anything less from a well-oiled democrat machine? Cullerton and his cronies have no intention of fixing anything, moreover, if they did, there your have to be some financial incentive for them to make it happen. Madigan probably as his hands in it also.
G carlson
Posted at 18:28h, 19 JuneLegislators only get outraged when they don’t get their pay checks. If cullerton wanted a bill passed he would have asked his COUSIN!! His Grandstanding is nothing but BS. And we put all of these people in office. Shame on us. Dump them all. They should stop those pay offs once and for all. I’m tired of paying for these thieves.
Mike Duff
Posted at 14:34h, 19 JuneFire the trustees. Apparently it is too easy to spend taxpayer dollars for unjustifiable purposes.
Who rewards a resignation for poor performance with a buy out of $600K? If Cullerton is so outraged he should stop payment of this payment by whatever means necessary.
Danni Smith
Posted at 00:32h, 07 Decemberwho rewards, always, 100%, never fail, taxpayers pay to make you go away, PAY YOU TO STOP DOING THE JOB YOU WEREN’T DOING-THE GUBMENT!
Stan
Posted at 09:08h, 17 June“It is simple. If you mismanage state funds, you should not be rewarded,” Cullerton said.
Can you spell h-y-p-o-c-r-i-t-e? Cullerton, part of the State Legislature that has mismanaged Illinois funds for years. I bet he gets his pension and perks.
Richard Jarman
Posted at 08:18h, 17 JuneBaker announced that he was “stepping down.” Evidently the board recognized he had to go after the damning revelations of abuse of NIU funds. Baker protests his innocence (it’s all the media’s fault) and hence the deal. In so many cases these boards believe that these deals are the most cost-effective way of achieving their goals; think Metra, COD, NIU, CSU and on and on. Employment contracts should be structured to avoid these outcomes.
Paul
Posted at 07:51h, 17 JuneWhere’s Lisa????
Danni Smith
Posted at 22:44h, 16 JuneI agree with G. Barraclough and it is Jeanne Ives who got the bill passed that only gives them one year’s salary. PUT your dirty dem mouth where the money, literally, is, cullerton.
Mike
Posted at 22:31h, 16 JuneCullerton did introduce a bill last year that didn’t get a second reading.
Mulls
Posted at 12:45h, 19 JuneGuess who controls which bills get acted on? The Dems. All show and no action to fix the State of one of its many problems.
Gail carlson
Posted at 21:09h, 16 JuneHe is calling for tougher regulations to stop colleges from paying out administrators while under investigation or found guilty of university mismanagement? Shouldn’t there be a bill introduced by cullerton right now instead of just talking about it? Same thieving as college of dupage and we all pay for it.
G. Barraclough
Posted at 19:47h, 16 JuneVILLA PARK- State Senator Tom Cullerton (D-Villa Park) is outraged at the latest golden parachute payout at Northern Illinois University. Oh, please!
Senator Cullerton’s outrage is about as genuine as Captain Renault telling Humphrey Bogart he is shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here! From the movie Casablanca
. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SjbPi00k_ME
G. Barraclough
Posted at 19:33h, 16 JuneVILLA PARK- State Senator Tom Cullerton (D-Villa Park) is outraged at the latest golden parachute payout at Northern Illinois University. Oh, please!
Senator Cullerton’s outrage is about as genuine as Captain Renault telling Humphrey Bogart he is shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here! From the movie Casablanca.
Sharon
Posted at 18:46h, 16 JuneHopefully the legislators get outraged enough to stop this obscene payout to a President found guilty of mismanagement.