PSU President’s Salary More Than Meets the Eye

Monday, August 31, 2015

Brendan Murray, GoLocalPDX Contributor

Portland State University photo of President Wiewel

Portland State University President Wim Wiewel could be said to be living the good life. In addition to his salary of $401,700, the school's top official also enjoys payments to a retirement plan, free housing, automobile usage, sabbatical time, maid service at his home, and gardening services.

In total, according to calculations by GoLocalPDX.com, Wiewel's compensation tops $600,000. His base salary makes him the sixth-highest paid university head in the state, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. But, after adding the cost of benefits, his total compensation could rank him near the top of the list.

The President's house is estimated to have a value of $2.1 million according to the real estate company Zillow. The house features five bedrooms and three baths.

This is particularly striking when put in the school's financial context. Last year, under Wiewel's recommendation, PSU's Board of Directors voted by a 10-2 margin to cut spending and increase tuition at the University.

Kate Stubblefield, a student with the Portland State University Student Union, a horizontal advocacy group which campaigns for the rights of PSU students, told GoLocal she is angered by the situation.

“President Wiewel's salary has always been something frustrating for me as a PSU student,” she said. “His salary has remained consistent despite the constant increase in tuition, even though he could take a pay decrease if he wanted to.”

John Thelin, a professor at the University of Kentucky and the author of "A History of Higher Education," told GoLocal that salaries for Presidents have risen along with the jump in tuition costs.

“Salaries for Presidents and other high ranking administrators are off the off the charts,” said Thelin.

PSU students did not take kindly to the increase. The campus' student newspaper, the Vanguard, published two simultaneous reports on the tuition hike. Both reports detailed protests, organized by student organizations the Associated Students of Portland State University and the PSUSU, that occurred before, during and after the Board's vote to raise tuition.

Fringe Benefits

During Wiewel's latest round of contract negotiations, held earlier this year, much was made of the President's decision not to ask for a raise in compensation.

While his base salary did not change, he made out well in the negotiations.

Added to his contract was a sabbatical leave. According to the new clause, Wiewel is free to take a sabbatical of one year following the completion of his current three-year contract, and receive his base salary pay, along with travel and automobile fees, as long as he returns the next year as a faculty member.

Wiewel and his family also reside in the University-owned President's house, located on SW Military Road in Portland, which was donated to PSU. The University said they do not have any estimates of the property's value.

While living in the house, Wiewel and his family receive maid service at no cost. Housekeepers from the University Place Hotel, a non-profit venture that provides revenue for Portland State University, clean the house once a week, and are paid by the school. Other up-keep costs, including repairs, gardening and landscaping, are also covered by PSU under the contract.

The Wiewel family receive weekly maid service

Part of the Problem

Thelin, an expert on American colleges and college tuition, said that two decades ago, salaries for college Presidents, while still large, were more reasonable. Now, however, they are expanding rapidly.

“In the 90's most Presidents made 50 percent, maybe 100 percent, more than a professor's pay,” he said. “Now it's off the charts. It really is an unfortunate and serious problem.”

While he pointed out that the rising salaries “don't exactly break the bank themselves,” they still have a large impact.

“Its symbolic in a way but it can be very deflating,” he said. “Parents and students are seeing tuition go higher and their Presidents' salaries go higher, and I think that can frustrate them.”

He also said he does not expect it to change any time soon.

“The Board of Directors at most universities, the person they work most closely with is the President,” he said. “They're often viewed as compadres…so I do not think its going to get any better…Its just gotten worse and worse.”

Students Sound Off

Nathan Claus, Chief Justice of the ASPSU, said the rising tuition costs and high compensation of Wiewel has caused frustrations on campus.

“A lot of people and a lot of groups are upset about it,” said Claus.

That statement is reflected in the reaction of PSU students to last winter's tuition hikes. More than 200 students and faculty protested the hikes in March on the school's campus, organized by PSUSU and ASPSU. Student demonstrators also temporarily shut down the Board of Directors meeting while the Board heard arguments for the tuition increase.

Stubblefield, with PSUSU, said she was surprised when she heard the various perks that Wiewel receives, especially compared with the fiscal situation students at the university deal with.

“The benefits that Wim receives are very surprising when looked at compared to what students at PSU have access to,” she said. “Student housing prices are high, food security on campus is hard to come by, and tuition increases mean that students need to spend more time at work to secure the things that President Wiewel receives as part of his contract.”

She also said she thinks students should have a larger say in the financial decisions at the school.

“If students had more say in how salaries at PSU are distributed, the University would look very different than it does today. Universities are meant to serve students, so it makes sense for students for have a say in how their schools are run,” she said.

“I would like to see an end to the PSU faculty, staff, and students being pitted against each other. Currently the narrative is that either professors get a fair salary or students get a fair tuition. This is not true, and it is possible to have fair wages for PSU workers and accessible tuition for students. One of the ways to work towards this is to have administrators salaries more proportional to what professors are paid.”

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