In tough economic times, some employees lose jobs while 146 others see average gains of $18,400
As USC laid off employees and froze hiring in 2010, it paid 146 employees already making $100,000 substantially more, according to a data analysis by The Daily Gamecock.
All told, the raises — or, as USC calls them, “temporary salary adjustments” — totaled more than $2.7 million and averaged about $18,400 per raise in 2010.
The increases came as USC also decreased travel and increased teaching loads for many faculty members, clamored for more state funds and promised increased efficiency to the legislature. Layoffs are continuing in 2011, as student affairs eliminated several positions earlier this year and USC’s communications department cut three jobs just last week.
“More than 160 full-time positions have been lost since 2008, and the university currently has more than 800 vacancies, and they are not about to be filled any time soon,” USC President Harris Pastides told a House subcommittee earlier this year.
Chris Byrd, USC’s vice president for human resources, said “temporary salary adjustments” means the extra money isn’t guaranteed to continue in upcoming years.
The raises are often given to employees for taking on more responsibilities or for temporarily taking a job classified at a higher level, Byrd said.
Sometimes the raises won’t last for a full year, only for three or six months, Byrd said.
“We’re trying to make sure our salaries are appropriate in light of what the market is for these given jobs,” Byrd said.
The Daily Gamecock filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the university for the salary reports from 2006 to 2010. Records show USC awarded millions in supplements in previous years as well, many to the same deans, administrators and professors.
The extra pay isn’t reported on a state Budget and Control Board website that provides all salary data for employees making more than $50,000 a year. Lindsey Kremlick, a public information officer for the agency, said her organization was researching why the accurate figures aren’t shown. USC reports the increases to the agency, Kremlick said.
Here are some of the key findings from the 2010 report:
— USC Provost Michael Amiridis received a $50,000 supplement on top of his original $260,000 salary, pushing his earnings to $310,000 in 2010. In his office, Vice Provosts Helen Doerpinghaus and Christine Curtis also received raises of more than $20,000 each. Doerpinghaus now earns $221,836, and Curtis earns $251,000. Doerpinghaus has received salary supplements each year since 2007, when she earned about $180,000.
— Business school Dean Hildy Teegen was awarded a $50,000 supplement that brought her salary to $277,250. Teegen has received at least $50,000 on top of her base salary of about $225,000 for the past four years.
— Mary Anne Fitzpatrick, dean of USC’s College of Arts and Sciences, received $17,500 more in 2010. With the adjustment, her salary was $278,080. Fitzpatrick’s salary has risen almost $30,000 since 2007.
— At USC’s School of Medicine, department chairwoman Mitzi Nagarkatti received an $83,816 increase that brought her salary to $312,066.
— College of Education Dean Les Sternberg received $20,806, making his salary $209,620.
In some other areas, positions were created or enhanced that gave employees more money. USC’s Division of Law Enforcement and Safety hired a new chief, Chris Wuchenich, this year and awarded him a $150,000 annual salary. It also created an associate director title for Wuchenich. Previously, USC paid its veteran police chief
Ernie Ellis about $128,000. Ellis retired in 2010.
USC also created a vice president for communications position and gave Luanne Lawrence a $230,000 annual contract. Before hiring Lawrence permanently, USC temporarily gave the title to Dean of the College of Mass Communications and Information Studies Charles Bierbauer. Bierbauer held the interim position for 10 months and received about $25,000 in extra pay.
Some students have responded incredulously to the news.
“Here we see yet another example of the administration expecting students and our families to tighten our belts, yet refusing to do so themselves,” said Sean Bertran, chairman of the USC College Republicans. “The pattern of exorbitant spending by the university has become apparent: In the midst of a so-called budget crisis, the university continues to play its budget woes to the public, while secretly giving themselves fat bonuses and expensive pay raises.”
The following document is a list of all USC employees who make more than $100,000 per year
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