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Survey: UF's Machen Among Highest Paid College Execs

UF president Bernie Machen and USF president Judy Genshaft are among the state's highest paid college executives.

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By JOHN W. ALLMAN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 17, 2008

Updated: 11/17/2008 10:27 am

TAMPA - As college tuition costs continue to rise and states such as Florida cut funding for public universities, the pay of college presidents across the United States is rising.

The Chronicle of Higher Education's annual executive compensation survey, released today, shows pay plus benefits up 7.6 percent in fiscal year 2007-08 for public university presidents.

The survey listed one Florida president, Bernie Machen of the University of Florida, among the top 10 highest-paid public university executives. He ranked eighth with $731,811 in total compensation last fiscal year.

The University of Florida is the state's largest public university and the third largest in the country, with more than 51,000 students and 35,000 employees, including Shands HealthCare.

"It's about a $3 billion enterprise," university spokesman Steve Orlando said. "I think it's fair to say if you were looking for someone to run an enterprise that large in the private sector, you'd be looking at a very different salary level."

Orlando said the university has cut more than $70 million from its budget since fiscal year 2007-08. The current fiscal year will end June 30.

"Even with the budget cuts, [Machen] was able to give everybody here a 2 percent raise, but he declined that himself," Orlando said.

The top three public university executives, according to the survey, were: Gordon Gee of Ohio State University, $1.3 million; Mark Emmert of the University of Washington, $887,870; and John Casteen III of the University of Virginia, $797,048.

The highest paid university executive in the country, according to the survey, was David Sargent at Suffolk University, a private college in Massachusetts, whose total compensation in fiscal year 2006-07 was $2.8 million. That amount included more than $1.7 million in deferred benefits and bonuses.

The survey examines presidents of public universities, private institutions and community colleges.

Florida's 11 public universities this year have felt the crunch of the economic downturn. Those institutions receive state funds based on enrollment growth, but each had to cut 4 percent of their state budget for the new fiscal year, which began July 1.

At the University of South Florida, President Judy Genshaft announced in the spring that neither she nor her cabinet would accept a salary increase this fiscal year, said Michael Hoad, vice president of communications for USF.

Here's a look at some of the state's highest paid college executives, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education, based on salary, car, house and other compensation:

Public universities:

University of Florida, J. Bernard Machen - 2007-08 salary: $414,566; total compensation: $731,811

Florida State University, T. K. Wetherell - 2007-08 salary: $309,613; total compensation: $711,145

University of South Florida, Judy Genshaft - 2007-08 salary: $395,000; total compensation: $502,845

Private institutions:

University of Tampa, Ronald Vaughn - 2006-07 salary: $361,257; total compensation: $586,891

Saint Leo University, Arthur Kirk Jr. - 2006-07 salary: $393,154; total compensation: $449,748

Community colleges:

Miami-Dade College, Eduardo J. Padron - 2007-08 salary: $441,538; total compensation: $575,450

St. Petersburg College, Carl M. Kuttler Jr. - 2007-08 salary: $237,631; total compensation: $387,879

Reporter John W. Allman can be reached at (813) 259-7915.

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