Board of trustee members were informed of the true intent of College of DuPage flyers at the May 14 special board meeting. Vice Chairman Deanne Mazzochi asked to add the discussion to the special meeting agenda.

A variety of postcards were mailed to District 502 households just weeks before the April 7 election.

Joseph Moore, vice president of marketing and communications, spoke of his conversations with President Robert Breuder. Moore explained that marketing and communications had the budget for one postcard.

“I informed Dr. Breuder that we could not afford to do any more as we had not budgeted for them,” said Moore. “He asked the foundation to pay for the printing of the second two postcards that were mailed April 14 and 20. He also arranged a transfer of $153,575 to be made from a contingency fund to marketing’s budget.”

Moore commented that it was not usual timing for an institution to send postcards. He explained that Dr. Breuder had spoke of the negativity surrounding the college when ordering the cards.

Chairwoman Kathy Hamilton has made her disapproval in the cards known over the past few weeks. She spoke to a local newspaper calling Breuder’s order “electioneering.”

Hamilton focused the board discussion on future possibilities. She feels that the board requires a greater hand in financial reports and transfers.

“When you have a project and you divide it into parts it goes under the radar,” said Hamilton. “These kinds of decisions can slide under the wire without the board knowing if we don’t have tighter controls and policies that prevent the transferring of money of this magnitude.”

Hamilton spoke of the possibility of a new policy detailing all transfers.

Richard Jarman, vice president of the COD faculty association, took the opportunity to share his disappointment during public comments.

“To be blunt, this kind of spending needs to stop,” said Jarman.