DeKalb Times

Lisa Freeman has replaced Douglas Baker as acting president of Northern lllinois University (NIU).

Freeman, NIU's executive vice president and provost since May 2014, took over in July following Baker's resignation that came after an Office of the Executive Inspector General (OEIG) report found that he had mismanaged the university in 2013 and 2014 through improper hiring and the use of affiliate positions.

In a statement, Freeman acknowledged the controversy that has fueled criticism of the university recently.

Northern Illinois University | By Andy McMurray - Author (me) (A mcmurray), CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1313386

"I assume the acting presidency with eyes wide open and an understanding of the hard work ahead," she said in the statement. "This is an inflection point for the university. During these very challenging times, I will need to sustain NIU’s focus on our students and their success, to reaffirm our commitment to ethical leadership, and to lead change in order to ensure the university’s long term fiscal sustainability."

Baker was reported to be receiving a severance package potentially totaling more than $600,000, but a DeKalb County Board member has filed a lawsuit in hopes of preventing the pay out.

“President Baker arrived at a challenging moment for the university,” trustee chair John Butler said. “He brought fresh thinking to our campus, clarity to our mission and sharper focus to our efforts to prepare students for career success.”

In his final “Baker Report” as president of the university, Baker pointed to the corrective actions taken since 2014.

“Nonetheless, it is clear to me that the reaction and concerns relating to the OEIG report – despite the work that the Board and I did several years ago to address the issues as soon as we became aware of them – have distracted the institution from the important work we need to do to address the challenges we face,” Baker wrote. “I care too deeply about NIU to allow that to happen.”