College of DuPage board members voted 4-2 to initiate termination proceedings against COD President Robert Breuder.
The move puts the ball back in Breuder’s court. He will now have the opportunity to appeal — a process that could take months.
In January, the COD board voted to re-affirm a previous decision to give Breuder a $762,000 severance package to end his contract three years early, in 2016.
Blowback from taxpayers and lawmakers on the pricey exit package was vociferous. That deal came three months after the union representing COD faculty announced a “no confidence” vote in Breuder’s leadership.
Breuder took another hit in March when the Chicago Tribune published details of expensive tabs he and other administrators racked up at the school’s on-campus fine-dining restaurant.
Several weeks later, the COD board voted in favor of putting Breuder on paid administrative leave.
COD, which is based in Glen Ellyn, is the largest community college in the state.
It is currently facing state and federal probes.