Owens college execs get raises

8/13/2003
BY RYAN E. SMITH
BLADE STAFF WRITER

The college's Board of Trustees approved a $25,500 increase in perks for Dr. Adams.

Her salary will remain unchanged at $189,280 - about $46,000 above the state average for community college presidents - but Owens will pick up 10 percent of her annual contributions to the State Teachers Retirement System, or $16,000.

Officials also agreed to a $500 increase in her monthly housing allowance and a $3,500 hike in the annual contribution Owens makes to an annuity.

Jack Sculfort, board chairman, said the moves reward Dr. Adams and a team that are performing well despite tough economic times and whose responsibilities have grown.

The decision at Owens, which has campuses in Perrysburg Township and Findlay, is a marked contrast to that of its higher education neighbors.

University of Toledo President Daniel Johnson and his executive staff opted to receive no raises this year because of budget constraints. At Bowling Green State University, vice presidents received a 2 percent increase, and in December, President Sidney Ribeau was given a 3 percent raise, which he donated to a university initiative.

Mr. Sculfort said Owens remains solid financially despite state funding woes and can afford the increases.

“Our enrollment growth has provided us the flexibility to do the right thing to maintain our management team,” he said.

Among others receiving raises yesterday were:

Provost Paul Unger, who was given a 7.4 percent increase from $112,497 to $120,797, and a $500-a-month car allowance.

Chuck Mann, vice president of business affairs, who will be designated a senior vice president. His salary will rise 5.6 percent from $120,715 to $127,465, and Owens will pay $500 a month to an annuity.

Brian Paskvan, executive assistant to the president and chief technology officer, who received a 3.8 percent raise from $79,045 to $82,045. He will serve as interim executive dean of the Findlay campus for a stipend of $4,102 a year.

In other changes to the president's council, Bill Ivoska was named vice president of student services at a salary of $102,000. Formerly the Owens director of admissions, he has been interim vice president for the last year.

Chris Baldwin, part of a government relations firm in Columbus, was hired as special assistant to the president for government relations, a new position. He will be paid $75,000 a year.

Dr. Adams said establishing a quality team is the top task for a president, and that several at Owens are undercompensated.

In December, members of the president's council received a 4 percent base-pay raise. Dr. Adams received a 4 percent raise earlier this summer.

Angela Ondrus, president of the Owens Faculty Association, said she was surprised by the raises approved yesterday, especially because the board raised tuition and fees by 6 percent this summer.

“Amazing, absolutely amazing in times of fiscal constraint,” she said.

Faculty, whose contract expires in February, received 4 percent raises this year.

“I would hope during negotiations this year that the college would see it in their best interest to also support the faculty in the same manner as they have the president's council,” she said.