The BOT is back in session.
Roll call: all present.
Public comments:
Kirk Allen: this is a quote I’d like to read, “we appreciate your interest in this matter, the BOT has taken up this issue.” This is a quote from Res Publica, authorized by Erin Birt, My comment is to trustee Birt. The firm was hired after this comment. How is this appropriate that a PR firm was hired before the Board knew about it. “Our financial house is in order”. Boy, you were hoodwinked. What you’re seeing here is reform. It’s ugly, it’s painful, it’s slow. Thank you for the good work. Erin Birt, I would encourage you to resign.
John Kraft: I would encourage the Board to change the comments section. Comments are a right, not a privilege.
Glenn Hansen‘s comments.
Richard Jarman‘s comments.
Laura Reigle: For those of you who are not looking at me right now, this is disrespectful. Why people sitting on this board did not catch the change in name from Datatel to Ellucian. It’s because you’re not looking at the invoices. You ignored people for how many years? You made statements that you didn’t know what was going on. It is your responsibility to know what is going on. If I have more knowledge than you, it’s a disgrace. I should be able to come to any of you and you would have more knowledge than I do. Those of you who do not question what is going on. You are bobble heads and we do not need bobble heads. You need to resign, This is how it happened. Leave your posts.
Byron Miller: my name is Byron Miller, I live in Glendale. I only voted for one of the new trustees. I had really hoped that with the new Board, we’d have serious discussions. I have been on a lot of boards. Therefore I expected serious discussions. Then, I read the minutes that some of the old trustees rejected Roberts’ Rules of order, which tells me you have no interest in running this board effectively. People who do that should leave and let other people run the Board.
Beth Kane: with all the news coverage, nothing has been said about when the search for the new president will begin. Is there a timeline, can you share it with us tonight, and will you inform us when that happens?
Roger Kempa: My 1st question is about something I got in the mail. I could not find anything to back up that COD is the fastest growing college. This is spin. The board at that time misinformed the public. There is no reference as to where it came from. Things are bad enough, but when misinformation is put out there and firms are retained to push that. If something could be done, that’d be great. I’ve been looking at investments. As of April, the College had only one investment, the Northern Trust (???), that fund was the first one purchased, as of July of 09, 10, there was no fund. Now there are 56 million dollars there. There was also (???). They paid 2000 dollars for their fees, fees that they earned from the College.
Julia Beckman: Thank you for allowing me to speak at this point (I signed up for the second public comments). I’m taking a different perspective. I respect all the members of the board who gave their time, including the past ones, who had nothing but good intentions. For the people on leave, it would be inappropriate for Mr Glaser and Ms Sapyta to speak at this point, But I hope the investigation will be fair. There are strong professionals, otherwise they would not have been hired by the college.
Mark Misiorowski: Good evening, I’m a Lisle resident. Over the past months, Chicago Tribune reporters have reported about what has been going on at COD. Now the financial investment in iMET. I want to thank the senior management team to handle the Valenta situation. I encourage the board to collaborate with the risk management team on insurance on the iMET matter. Carefully review the language in the Fidelity bonds guarantee. Are you first party or third party? Pursue these matters as zealously as you can.
When the first Chicago Tribune article came out, it was inconsequential. When the 2nd and 3rd and 4th articles came out, from a predicate and causation perspective, it jumped to meritorious. You are heading in the right direction. The taxpayers thank you.