Gov calls UH
pay ‘ridiculous’The faculty union says
professors attract more money
than six-figure administrators
Gov. Linda Lingle was critical yesterday of the big salaries going to a new group of University of Hawaii administrators.
"From our point of view, it is ridiculous," Lingle said.
State department directors make $85,302, Lingle said, noting that they manage thousands of employees with billion-dollar budgets.
"Compare that to an executive assistant who is making twice as much," Lingle said.
The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly had also complained about the new high salaries, saying the faculty should be included.
"I think the professors have good points that they raise," Lingle said. "If we are going to pay people based on what they bring in, we have professors and deans bringing in tens of millions."
On Friday, the Board of Regents approved a series of administration positions, including a vice president of academic affairs at $260,000 and a newly created position of chief of staff for $200,000.
Also decided by the board was a new salary for UH football coach June Jones, who will be paid $800,000 a year.
"UHPA members bring in about $250 million a year in grant money, have very low salaries compared to (UH President Evan) Dobelle or Jones, who collectively have brought in very little on their own," said John Radcliffe, UHPA associate executive director.
"The average salary in the UH system is about $40,000. Dobelle make 10 times that. Jones makes 20 times that.
"If this is about bringing in money, let's make it competitive. Our professors bring in much more money to UH than does either President Dobelle or Coach Jones, and by comparison they get very little," Radcliffe said.
Lingle said she didn't have any view on Jones' salary, except to say, "It was a lot of money."
"If someone delivers and has lots of victories and fills the seats, then everyone is happy about the amount," she said. "If they lose games and the don't fill the seats, everybody will say it was a dumb idea."
Lingle added, "So it is a lot of money, no matter how you look at it."
She said she is leaving the matter of salaries up to the Board of Regents.
"It is important for the university to have autonomy," Lingle said.