Seven college presidents in Georgia will soon see more money in their paychecks.
The University System of Georgia (USG) announced Thursday merit increases to the presidents of the University of Georgia, Georgia State University and five other institutions. The other 19 presidents will not get salary increases, officials said.
USG officials said the decision-making process by which presidents received raises was aligned with employee salary increases. Presidents generally did not get an increase if their employees did not get an increase. Presidents who received increases got about the same percentage increase as their employees. The increases ranged between 3 and 6 percent.
The increases for the presidents take effect Jan. 1.
University System of Georgia Chancellor Steve Wrigley has pushed administrators to find efficiencies in its colleges and universities. The University System released a two-sentence statement that said, in part, a “limited number of institutions will be providing minimal merit increases.”
Georgia Tech president Bud Peterson has the highest total compensation package of any president in the USG, $1,135,710. Georgia State University president Mark Becker is the only other USG with a seven-figure total annual compensation package: $1,106,152.
Credit: BRANDEN CAMP/SPECIAL
Credit: BRANDEN CAMP/SPECIAL
Deferred compensation is an arrangement in which part of an employee's income is paid out later, after the time when the income was earned.
Augusta University president Brooks Keel has the highest base pay in the USG of $847,525, a 4 percent increase from his current annual salary. Keel received an increase because the university is selling the home he’s resided in since becoming president, USG officials explained.
Here’s a breakdown of the five full-time presidents with the highest total compensation packages in the University System of Georgia:
1. Bud Peterson, Georgia Tech, $1,135,710
2. Mark Becker, Georgia State, $1,106,152
3. Brooks Keel, Augusta University, $890,825
4. Jere Morehead, University of Georgia, $881,826
5. Paul Jones, Fort Valley State University, $350,068
Source: University System of Georgia
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