Well, the way I see it is that the Cathy pic was Quinn's idea to divert attention away from the Alphas by getting the DIKs in trouble. I don't think Dawe paid her to do it, I think it was something Quinn decided to do on her own.
Quinn is taking a risk not knowing how much trouble she could be getting them into, but she's cocky enough to believe they'll get no more than a slap on the wrist and that the college keeps just close enough an eye on them as to give her the window she needs to complete the Alpha order unnoticed.
But this is where it could all wrong with the worst outcome being Rusty getting removed as DIK president, same as Chad with the Alphas, and the DIKs losing both the protection and money he provides. This might result in Quinn throwing either Sage or the MC under the bus as she seemed to indicate she might do in ep 4 and the whole thing will create all sorts of drama for the MC.