College presidents pay keeps climbing with tuition
11/11/2003NEW YORK - While tuition costs keep rising, so do the salaries of college presidents.
A survey of college presidential salaries indicated yesterday that the compensation packages given the leaders of four private universities in the 2002 fiscal year topped $800,000.
The Chronicle of Higher Education s annual salary report said the top officials at 12 public schools are scheduled to be paid more than $500,000 in 2003-04.
With an annual package of salary and benefits totaling $891,400, Shirley Ann Jackson, the president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., was the top earner among college presidents last year, the Chronicle said.
The Chronicle said that doesn t include her compensation for serving on eight corporate boards, which adds $591,000 to her annual income.
Closely behind Dr. Jackson on the list of top earners among private school presidents were Gordon Gee, the president of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, $852,000; the University of Pennsylvania s Judith Rodin, $845,474, and Arnold Levine of Rockefeller University, $844,600, who has resigned for health reasons.
The Chronicle said the $677,500 that will be paid in salary and benefits in 2003-04 to the University of Michigan s Mary Sue Coleman puts her atop the list of public institution leaders.
Dr. Coleman is followed on the public schools list by University of Delaware President David Roselle, who will be paid $630,654 this academic year and Richard McCormick, who will receive $625,000 to head New Jersey s Rutgers University.
In northwest Ohio, Bowling Green State University s President Sidney Ribeau has a base salary of $278,100. Daniel Johnson, president at the University of Toledo, receives a salary of $240,000. At Owens Community College, President Christa Adams has an annual base salary of $189,280.
During the 2001-02 fiscal year, the Chronicle said, the chief executives of 27 private schools received compensation in excess of $500,000.
The Chronicle compiles its data by reviewing nonprofit tax forms filed last year by each school.