Subpoenas Request Contract, Expenses and Non-Bid Job Records at College of DuPage

The College of DuPage has been surrounded by scandal lately.

In January, school board members voted to send the community college’s president Robert Breuder away with a $762,000 buyout. That was funded by taxpayers.

Then there were the business dealings at the college radio station and a move tocensure a board member.

Earlier in March, it was revealed that nearly $200,000 was charged in food and liquor costs at the college’s fine dining restaurant, Waterleaf.

And last week, the college allegedly awarded signage contracts to a foundation memberwithout going to bid for the jobs.

On March 31, the Chicago Tribune reported that a grand jury issued three subpoenas seemingly related to spending at the college.

“The grand jury issued the first two subpoenas in early February, two weeks after the college’s board of trustees awarded Breuder a $763,000 severance package to end his contract three years early,” the Tribune reported. “The third subpoena was issued March 19.”

The The Tribune filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the information.

“The records show the grand jury sought all Breuder-related “employment agreements, contracts, extensions and addendums.” The subpoenas also asked for information about all of Breuder’s college-issued credit cards, as well as any “regulations, policies, and direction regarding the use and purpose” of those cards,” the paper reported.

The subpoenas to the college remain, although the ones issued to the college’s foundation had been withdrawn.