According to a Chicago Tribune, a former public institution executive has come forward claiming that his ex-employer had fired him after exposing misconduct supposedly committed by the school's president. Former chief financial officer Glenn Meeks of the Chicago State University would be the second ex-employee of the school who has filed a whistleblower lawsuit. Earlier, Chicago State has lost a wrongful termination case and will be paying over $3 million in damages to an ex-employee.
According to the allegations made by Meeks in his lawsuit, Chicago State then-board of trustees' chairman Gary Rozier had various concerns about university President Wayne Watson. One of the concerns was the alleged hiring of a woman under a falsified resume, whom Watson later had a relationship with. Meeks also claimed that he has reported certain financial decisions of the school's management, which include the salaries paid to some chose administrators, high legal and enrollment management expenditures and huge staffing when student enrollment figures were poor.
The 62 year-old plaintiff was quoted by Chicago Tribune as saying, "I didn't keep quiet. I refused to because of the effect it was having on the institution, not only externally but internally as well. I supported the change in leadership and in getting rid of Watson. I supported it openly."
The lawsuit, which was filed in the Cook County Circuit Court, said Rozier and the rest of the board of trustees were deciding over Watson's fate as a school president when their contracts expired and Governor Pat Quinn reelected them with new board members. Following the installation of the new board members, Chicago Tribune said Meeks was fired on March 26, but Watson remained as school president and saw his contract extended to two years.
Chicago Tribune said Meeks is also seeking materials from Quinn's office aside from back pay, reinstatement of his job and damages in excess of $50,000.
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