$4M Settlement Coming To Ex-COD President Breuder: Report

GLEN ELLYN, IL — Former College of DuPage President Robert Breuder is going to receive a $4 million settlement following a lawsuit he filed in 2015 after being fired from the school. The COD Board of Trustees voted unanimously Thursday to drop its counterclaims against Breuder's suit, Daily Herald reports.

The former president first sued COD the day after COD trustees voted four to one to fire Breuder without a severance package. The board's agenda cited "improper evidence of misconduct and mismanagement, which Breuder, participated in, oversaw or failed to prevent."

Breuder's suit alleged he was terminated wrongfully without due process. He also accused the board of trustees of defamation and breach of contract, according to a 2015 Chicago Tribune article.

COD filed a counterclaim against Breuder in 2018 that sought $25 million in damages.

Following Thursday's decision, College of DuPage released the following statement,

"As fiduciaries for College of DuPage, the Board of Trustees unanimously voted to approve mutual releases accompanying a settlement agreement between the Illinois Community College Risk Management Consortium (ICCRMC) and Robert Breuder, thus resolving all claims between Breuder and the College of DuPage. The Board’s vote brings closure to a case that began more than seven years ago, before any current trustee was a member of the board, and resolves all claims at no direct cost to the institution beyond the initial deductible incurred by the College, as all other legal costs were paid by ICCRMC.

The Board believes that its fiduciary responsibility to the College and community is best served by supporting the settlement agreement between ICCRMC and Breuder and putting the lawsuit behind the institution. The College looks forward to continuing to provide high-quality affordable education and a wide range of services to students and the community of District 502."

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