Albany – State University of New York leadership today testified to the New York State
Senate Higher Education Committee on increased compensation for SUNY system
administration executives.
At the hearing, Chancellor
Nancy L. Zimpher unveiled a compromise plan that would withdraw her own housing
allowance and that of Senior Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer Monica
Rimai as well as for the other three members of the senior administration whose
increased compensation was in question.
David K. Lavallee, John J.
O’Connor, and Johanna Duncan-Poitier will still take on their new positions and
receive additional compensation based on an increase in their responsibilities;
however their housing allowances have been withdrawn.
“I stand by the salary increments
extended to my team in recognition of significant expansion of their scope of
work,” said Chancellor Zimpher. “We will use funds generated by Ms. Rimai’s and
my housing allowances to fund the salary adjustments of the other three members
of my leadership team. This decision comes from my belief that a big part of
leadership is compromise.”
“It is also important to note
that, in light of all of this, we have still managed to be good stewards of the
State
University,” said Rimai. “In the face of harsh fiscal realities, we have been
able to identify over $3.5 million in savings through our overall restructuring
and consolidation program here at System Administration through reductions in
both personnel and operating costs.”
“The Board’s decision to provide
additional compensation to the Chancellor’s senior leadership team was sound,
reflecting both the competitive marketplace, significantly increased duties and
its context as one element of a plan that netted $3.5 million in savings, “
said Chairman Hayden. “At the same time, the decision by the Chancellor and
her staff to forgo their housing allowances is an example of bold and creative
leadership in a time of immense economic stress. I applaud them.”
Upon the immediate enactment
of this compromise, the compensation packages of the senior administration are
as follows:
·
Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher
retains an annual base salary of $490,000. She forfeits her annual housing
allowance of $90,000.
·
Senior Vice Chancellor and Chief
Operating Officer Monica Rimai retains an annual base salary of $325,000. She
forfeits her annual housing allowance of $60,000.
·
Senior Vice Chancellor for
Academic Affairs and Provost David K. Lavallee receives additional compensation
of $30,000 which will result in a base salary of $315,000. He forfeits his
annual housing allowance of $60,000. With his new position, Lavallee becomes
permanent provost after having served as interim and takes on the additional
responsibility of all of SUNY’s international programs, including the newly
consolidated SUNY Global Center which involves the Levin Institute as well as the
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Global Affairs. His new compensation is
$70,533 less than the previous provost.
·
Senior Vice Chancellor for
Research & Innovation and Secretary of the University John J. O’Connor
receives additional compensation of $30,000 which will result in a base salary
of $275,937. He will not receive the originally proposed annual housing
allowance of $39,000. With his new position, O’Connor takes on additional
responsibilities including all economic development and entrepreneurial
activities, which were previously located in an office that has been
eliminated.
·
Chancellor’s Deputy for the
Education Pipeline and Vice Chancellor for Community Colleges Johanna Duncan-Poitier
receives additional compensation of $30,000 which will result in a base salary
of $250,000. With her new position, Duncan-Poitier has now more than doubled
her responsibilities in taking on the community colleges portfolio, which encompasses
30 campuses and over half of SUNY’s student population. Her new compensation
reflects significant savings in the elimination of the separate role of vice
chancellor for community colleges, which last received a salary of $202,739.
Available online
are the submitted testimonies of Chancellor Zimpher, Chairman Hayden, and
Senior Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer Rimai.
About the State University of New
York
The State University of New
York is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States,
educating nearly 465,000 students in more than 7,500 degree and certificate
programs on 64 campuses. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity,
visit www.suny.edu
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