DeKALB – Northern Illinois University is paying about $2,000 a day in salaries for the eight employees on administrative leave in connection with the “coffee fund” investigation.

Felony arrest warrants were issued last week for nine people in connection with an NIU police investigation of the off-the-books fund, but four of the eight employees were placed on paid leave Aug. 29, NIU spokesman Paul Palian said. The other four were placed on paid leave Thursday, in accordance with state civil service statutes and university policy.

The investigation remains ongoing into the coffee fund, which NIU officials have said was used for retirement parties and other office expenses. The fund allegedly was an off-the-books repository for proceeds from the sale of university-owned scrap metal and other materials.