June Jones, left, and R. Gerald Turner, right, are the highest paid employees at SMU with total compensations more than $1 million. (Stuart Palley)
SMU President R. Gerald Turner’s total compensation topped more than $1 million during the 2008 fiscal year, according to tax returns filed by the university with the Internal Revenue Service.
Turner is one of 23 private college leaders to earn more than $1 million during the past year, according to a study by the Chronicle of Higher Education.
Turner received $1,017,618 from SMU, a 16 percent increase from the 2007 fiscal year. That amount makes Turner the second highest paid employee at SMU, just below head football coach June Jones. Jones received $1,205,164 during the 2008 fiscal year.
The Daily Campus gathered this information from SMU’s 990 form, which tax-exempt nonprofit organizations must submit to the IRS. This form is a public record. The data for SMU’s 2008 fiscal year represent the time period between June 1, 2007, and May 31, 2008. All pay figures represent salary plus the cost of benefits.
According to Jeff Strese, director of Human Resources at SMU, administrative salaries are determined by a “careful review of similar positions to ensure internal quality, along with comprehensive research of benchmark universities.”
“Combining these data together helps the search committee determine a salary range so that a competitive offer can be made to the most qualified candidate,” he said.
Turner’s pay was the highest compared to leaders at Texas Christian University, Rice University and Baylor University, three other private Texas universities.
TCU Chancellor Victor J. Boschini Jr. received $629,412 in 2008. Rice President David W. Leebron earned $911,741. Baylor’s President John Lilley received $478,686.
According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, the median pay for presidents was $358,746. The Chronicle surveyed 419 private colleges across the nation.
Jones’ high salary ranks below that of TCU Head Football Coach Gary Patterson. TCU paid him $1,643,071 in 2008. Rice head football coach David E. Bailiff earned $476,842. Baylor paid former head football coach Guy Morriss $1,679,117 in 2008. Current Baylor head football coach Art Briles took home $938,108.
Men’s Basketball Head Coach Matt Doherty is the third highest paid employee at SMU with total compensation coming to $546,229. Doherty’s compensation decreased more than 30 percent from the 2007 fiscal year.
Former head football Coach Phil Bennett received $513,878 in 2008, an increase of approximately 6 percent from 2007. SMU opted to buy out Bennett’s contract when he was fired. Bennett’s contract ran through Dec. 31, 2008.
SMU paid Cox School of Business Dean Albert Niemi Jr. $433,785 during 2008, an increase of about 3 percent from 2007.
Provost Paul W. Ludden’s compensation during 2008 was $428,149. Ludden began working for SMU in August 2007.
Vice President of Student Affairs Lori White earned $272,750 during 2008. White came to SMU in August of 2007.
Thomas E. Barry, vice president of executive affairs, earned $287,742 during 2008, an increase of about 9.7 percent.
Vice President of Business and Finance Christine Casey took home $294,144. Casey began working for SMU in September 2007.
Vice President for Development and External Affairs Brad Cheves’s total compensation increased about 13 percent in 2008 to $337,701.
S. Leon Bennett, former general counsel for SMU, earned $393,958 in 2008, an increase of 11.6 percent from 2007. Bennett retired at the end of 2008 and was replaced by Paul Ward. Data for Ward’s compensation has not yet become available.
Athletic Director Steve Orsini’s compensation increased 6.19 percent to $438,764 in 2008.
Treasurer Elizabeth Williams earned $332,350 in 2008, an increase of about 18 percent. Williams retired at the end of 2008 and was succeeded by Michael Condon.
