University officials’ pay hikes approved

Friday, June 24, 2005 | 11:10 a.m.

University regents unanimously approved several pay hikes for university officials during an meetings Thursday and today at UNR.

UNLV President Carol Harter, UNLV Athletic Director Mike Hamrick, Desert Research Institute President Stephen Wells and Carol Lucey, president of Western Nevada Community College, will all receive raises. Harter's $10,400 increase to $230,000 a year makes her the highest paid president in the Nevada System of Higher Education.

Just below her now is Wells, who received a $29,000 hike in his new contract to $228,000 a year. Previously, UNR President John Lilley was the top paid president in the system, at $227,500 a year.

The regents approved a $15,000 increase in Hamrick's salary for each year of a new three-year contract, topping his salary off at $255,000 in 2007-2008.

Lucey was given a $21,000 raise after a closed personnel session early this morning. That makes her annual salary $172,500.

This was the last time that the regents can legally conduct closed personnel sessions for presidents because the Legislature changed the open meetings law and the change takes effect July 1.

Chancellor Jim Rogers advocated for Harter's raise to put her in line with the state salaries allocated to UNR President John Lilley and Nevada State College President Fred Maryanski. Maryanski was hired in February at $225,000, which forced the system to raise Lilley's salary above that to $227,500, Rogers said.

Harter, the longest serving UNLV president in the state's history, deserved to be above Lilley because of her seniority in the system and because she oversees a larger institution.

Harter's base salary of $230,000 does not include an additional $90,000 in supplemental salary from the UNLV foundation, ($40,000 of that deferred to retirement) an $18,000 housing allowance, an $8,000 car allowance and a $5,000 host account.

Regents voted for Harter's salary raise without comment.

Wells also has a $24,000 housing allowance, because he must constantly travel between Reno and Las Vegas, an $8,000 car allowance and a $5,000 host account.

A two-day personnel evaluation of Wells performance, which regents reviewed Thursday morning, included only one negative comment, Regent Dorothy Gallagher said.

"The only criticism is that he works too hard and they are afraid he'll burn out," Gallagher said.

Regent Jill Derby said Wells had done a great job advancing DRI's international reputation, particularly with the new project in China to preserve that country's ancient terracotta warrior statues.

Regents did question whether they need to reevaluate their policies concerning salary equity, as the Hamrick raise was also justified because UNR's athletic director was brought in at a hire amount.

Each time someone's hired, it seems everyone else gets raises, Regent Steve Sisolak said.

Effective July 1, each regent will be paid $80 per meeting. Currently they are not paid for their attendance at meetings. The stipend, which is in addition to travel allowances and the $2,500 host account that regents already receive, was mandated in a Senate Bill passed by the Legislature and approved by the governor earlier this month.

The Assembly did place restrictions on regent host accounts in a floor amendment, forbidding the use of the accounts for sporting events and political fundraising parties. Regents must also send monthly reports on the use of the accounts into the chancellor.