College of DuPage’s board of trustees unanimously rejected an external independent audit of the school’s imprest account during their monthly meeting in November.

The independent audit, which would have cost the college $85,000, was intended to quiet qualms regarding COD’s imprest payments, each amounting to under $15,000.

Over the past few months, conservative watchdog groups and concerned citizens alleged COD has funneled at least $95 million since 2009 through the imprest account. The trustees do not have to authorize payments under the account.

Citing the cost of the audit, Vice Chair Kathy Hamilton turned down the proposal. Hamilton suggested the trustees and public should be able to see payments from the imprest account for each month’s board meeting.

“They just want transparency,” Hamilton asserted, pointing to concerned citizens attending the meeting.

During the meeting, Trustee Dianne McGuire rebuked outside watchdog groups for feeding “misinformation” regarding COD’s finances and called for an end to “vicious, unwarranted attacks” on the administration.