Regents hope money talks

OGDEN — Presidential salaries at Utah's public colleges and universities are going up 3.5 percent, a full percentage point higher than what legislators approved earlier this year for most other state employees.

The State Board of Regents in its meeting Friday also said retirement annuities for the 10 presidents and commissioner of higher education will double to 5 percent.

That means presidents at Utah Valley State College and Salt Lake Community College will be making more than peer averages, numbers that Utah System of Higher Education officials glean from looking at salaries at similar institutions from around the country.

Some regents, however, want to do more toward making salaries at other institutions more competitive with their peers.

"It's a serious problem," said regent Jed Pitcher. "It's very difficult for us to compete in searches."

Part of the reason the search for a president at SLCC took two years was that the current $142,800 salary was too low, according to regents chairman Nolan Karras. Incoming SLCC President Cynthia Bioteau will be making $170,000 a year to start.

Presidents went three years without a raise until last year, when the highest raise was 8.9 percent, meaning incoming University of Utah President Michael Young would start out making $295,000 a year.

"We can't pay you what you're worth," Karras told presidents at the meeting. The U., he added, would not have Young as president if his annual worth was fully compensated.

Young's new salary increase to $305,325 is about $20,000 under what USHE officials say is the peer average. Former U. President Bernie Machen left the U. for an annual base salary of $375,000 at the University of Florida.

Not included in USHE's salary comparison are other perks most presidents here receive, which include free housing and transportation.

While at the U., Machen was also making $20,000 annually while on a bank board. Machen also drew $30,000 a year during his first five years from an endowment with at least $40,000 coming in his sixth year from the same fund. Other private donations accounted for another $50,000 annually for Machen starting in 2001.

Despite the perks and now two years in a row of increases, USHE officials discussed an even bigger increase for this year with current presidents.

Lagging pay among staff and faculty on Utah's public campuses will be an ongoing discussion for regents, with a salary equity study due out this fall and a "comprehensive" compensation plan expected by May 2006.

Regents hope that lawmakers this past session will have helped to stem the flow of "key" players who leave Utah colleges and universities for better-paying jobs elsewhere. USHE Commissioner Rich Kendell received $2.6 million — he wants between $5 million and $7 million — toward a staff and faculty retention fund.

"That was a very significant shot in the arm," said UVSC President William Sederburg. "The dollars are being distributed as we speak."

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E-mail: sspeckman@desnews.com