Dupage Policy Journal

The state House recently approved legislation sponsored by Rep. Jeanne Ives that aims to limit the size and scope of community college buyout packages and severance agreements, as well as limit the length of employment contracts.

H.B. 3593 limits the amount of future agreements to no more than one year of salary and benefits.  It came about after the College of DuPage's (COD) trustees approved a $763,000 contract buyout for President Robert Breuder.

"The agreement that the majority of the COD trustees approved for their underperforming president was excessive and not in the best interest of the taxpayers who fund the college,” Ives said. “I would have liked to have been able to roll back his agreement, but at least moving forward there will be taxpayer protections in place.”

The bill also stipulates employment contracts entered into with a community college employee may not exceed three years if it is a rolling contract, with a rollover term limited to one year. Also, the bill limits employment contracts with a set start and end date to no more than four years with no provision for any automatic rollover clauses.

"Long-term contracts have become problematic in instances where an employee is underperforming and a change needs to be made,” Ives said. “My bill also provides that any contract renewal or extension discussion must take place in an open meeting.”