DEKALB, Ill. (AP) — Trustees at Northern Illinois University have again voted to approve a $600,000 severance agreement with former President Doug Baker.
The (DeKalb) Daily-Chronicle reports that Thursday’s vote comes after a DeKalb County judge declared the contract null and void. The judge agreed with a lawsuit filed by NIU student and DeKalb County Board member Misty Haji-Sheikh. She argued that the board of trustees violated the Open Meetings Act by using vague terms on an agenda that didn’t inform the public that Baker would resign or a vote would be taken on his severance.
Baker announced June 15 he was stepping down amid a state investigation accusing him and other administrators of mismanagement with the hiring of consultants.
Board Chairman Wheeler Coleman says the board thinks it complied with the act.
