McHenry Times

Northern Illinois University (NIU) President Doug Baker should be removed, not rewarded, state Rep. Allen Skillicorn (R-East Dundee) argued recently.

“How can we have an honest conversation about funding higher education and providing critical funding for MAP grants, and other similar programs, when the boards we entrust to administer the finances at our education institutions make ridiculous decisions like this?” Skillicorn said in a press release.

Baker is resigning in the wake of a May report from the Office of the Inspector General that found his administration had improperly hired university officials. Skillicorn argued that the board should fire Baker rather than allow an agreement in which he could receive up to $617,000 in salary and expenses.

“We have students at universities across the state worried about being able to continue their education due to funding shortfalls,” Skillicorn said in his statement. “The last thing we need is for them to have insult added to injury by yet another higher education institution paying out a dishonest president instead of investing the limited resources they have in the students. I won’t stand for it and we need to enact more reform immediately.”