Schools

COD President Robert Breuder Had Private Locker Room for Himself, Top Administrators

A handicapped-accessible, family bathroom at the college's fitness facility was converted into the private locker room.

Photo credit: College of DuPage video

A private locker room meant for College of DuPage President Robert Breuder and select senior administrators at the college’s fitness facility was among the many lavish, vanity projects funded during Breuder’s tenure, a Chicago Tribune investigation revealed Wednesday.

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The $15,000 locker room was far from the most expensive of the projects, which included a $220,000 wall that chronicled Breuder’s and other past presidents accomplishments and a decision to open a high-end restaurant on campus where Breuder expensed hundreds of thousands in meals and drinks, but the Chicago Tribune reports it did “reinforce an image and leadership style at odds with the mission of a publicly funded community college.”

In documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, the Chicago Tribune learned Breuder ordered to have a handicapped-accessible, family bathroom into a private changing area as part of $24 million in renovations to the Chaparral Fitness Center. The locker room had a sign outside that read, ”authorized personnel only” and a keypad. When discussion began into the executive locker room in April 2014, the goal was to create a private changing space for at least three people: Breuder, Treasurer Thomas Glaser and Executive Vice President Joseph Collins, now the interim president.

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Breuder is on paid administrative leave as termination proceedings continue.

Read the full article on the Chicago Tribune website.

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