A just-released investigation by Illinois' Inspector General's office found that the former head of the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) abused public resources and wasted state funds, among other findings.
The IBHE announced in 2012 that Dr. George Reid was stepping down for “personal reasons” as its director after only 18 months, according to a news release. Reid supposedly wanted to spend more time with his family.
The Office of Executive Inspector General found that he had, in fact, been forced to resign or face getting fired after consistent reports that he was "combative," the IBHE forced him to resign, or he'd be fired. But then it paid Reid $48,000 – three months’ salary -- that investigators say wasn't required by his contract.
The report explains that the IBHE chose Reid after a national search, despite his being forced out as President of Kentucky State University. At least one board member's reservations about Reid quickly came true once he got to Illinois: Investigators say employees considered him rude, spurring some of them to leave.
Some of those employees complained, according to David Morrison, the spokesman for the Office of Executive Inspector General.
"One of those complaints, that came in through a phone call, was that Dr. Reid was abusing state resources,” he said, “was not working when he said he was working, was taking the car, was not following protocol, and in fact did not have a protocol for using state resources."
And then there's the misuse of state funds.
"His contract said he would not have a state car, as part of his compensation package," said Morrison, “but there was a state car at the board and he was commandeering that car for extended periods of time, with no explanation of why he needed it for work.”
That forced other workers to rent a car, costing taxpayers thousands of dollars. The report says that should have been reason enough to fire him -- freeing the state from any further obligations.
The inspector general's office says Reid did not respond to multiple attempts to answer their questions; the report is now part of his permanent employment file with the state.
While investigators were looking into Reid's tenure, the IBHE voted to destroy the legally required recording of the closed meeting in which they agreed to hire him. The board likewise refused to give investigators information related to his departure.
Calls to the Illinois Board of Higher Education were not returned on Friday.
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