Part II: Pigs at the Public Trough
By Donald K. Wedding
In his TV interview of
Friday, August 28, 2009 with WTVG Channel 13, President Lloyd Jacobs is
quoted as saying the UT-AAUP Newsletter bonus numbers "are likely way too
high." Jacobs also said the "bonuses came in fiscal year 2008 when
the University finished in the black." Both of Jacobs' statements are
incorrect. The UT-AAUP Newsletter bonus figures are directly from a document
entitled Extra Compensation Report ("Report")
dated August 17/18, 2009. The Report was prepared by the Jacobs'
Administration. Both of Jacobs' above statements are in conflict with his own Report.
In the Toledo Blade interview published on Saturday, August 29, 2009, President
Lloyd Jacobs said the "list is not accurate because some of what is listed
are not bonuses but pay differential for interim jobs or contracted longevity
compensation." President Jacobs further said, "I'm disappointed with
the lack of checking of facts and the general tone." Again, Jacobs'
statements are in conflict with his Report to the Board of
Trustees. Furthermore, the sizes of the individual bonuses are such
that President Jacobs had to personally approve a number of these. Therefore he
was fully aware of the actual sizes of the bonuses and when they occurred.
The Report comprises three pages and 132 line items of extra
compensation for administrators and faculty, all listed alphabetically. The
faculty extra compensation is typically listed as overload. For example, Don
Wedding is listed on page 3 as receiving $3,450 for an overload course (taught
during the Summer of 2009). The extra compensation for the administrators is
listed in the Report as bonus, bonus per contract, etc. One
administrative payout is listed as merit pay. In this case the merit pay
was 10% of the administrator's salary, a rate far greater than the 3%
given to faculty members. A copy of the Report is available from the
UT-AAUP.
Thus the bonus numbers in the UT-AAUP Newsletter are based on an official Report
prepared by the Jacobs Administration for submission to the Board of
Trustees. President Jacobs' statements to the media (Toledo Blade and WTVG
Channel 13) challenging the accuracy of the bonuses are disingenuous. Either
Jacobs is misleading the media or he has misled the Board of Trustees.
President Jacobs objected to "the general
tone" of the UT-AAUP Newsletter. Many persons on this campus object to the
"general tone" of the Jacobs Administration. During his tenure as
President, he has introduced an administrative culture of fear and
intimidation. The First Amendment is under attack on this campus.
In the Blade article,
Jacobs said he has to pay bonuses to "bring the very best we can to
northwest Ohio." In his TV 13 interview aired on August 28th,
Jacobs said that bonuses send a "great message to the people
receiving them." In a second interview aired on August 29th, Jacobs
said his administrators "receive calls from headhunters weekly, some twice
a week." However, some of Jacobs' very top administrators including some
listed in the UT-AAUP Newsletter were terminated or removed from positions by
previous employers.
A university is judged by its academic excellence including its faculty and
students, not by its administrators and their pay scales. During his tenure
as President of The University of Toledo, Jacobs has shown great attention to
the pay scale of his administrators. He has also focused on cutting costs by
the termination and furlough of lower paid personnel including faculty and
staff. In spite of his lip service, he has paid much less attention
to the academic excellence of the University.
When asked in the first TV 13 interview of August 28th if he would consider
returning some of his bonus, Jacobs replied, "I presume that I earn my
keep. The amount of money I get is less than many university presidents. What I
do with it is between me and God, thank you very much. Your question is
inappropriate."
In an April 12, 2009 article entitled "Large salaries at Ohio's public
universities take heat," The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that out
of 16 Ohio public institutions, Jacobs' salary of $392,700 is third after the
presidents of Ohio State University and the University of Cincinnati. The
Plain Dealer article does not list Jacobs' bonuses of $450,000, his manor
house, household expenses, automobiles, and other benefits and perks, all
provided by The University of Toledo and the taxpayers of Ohio. Thus,
President Jacobs is far from being underpaid.
The UT-AAUP has submitted and is submitting additional public records requests
to the Jacobs Administration. Future UT-AAUP Newsletters will reflect
information when received. Persons receiving this Newsletter are invited to
submit information in confidence to the UT-AAUP Board and officers including
Harvey Wolff, Don Wedding, and the UT-AAUP Executive Director, Mary Jane Erard.
Links to the August 28 and 29, 2009 TV interview and a link to the August 29,
2009 Toledo Blade article are listed; also a link to the April 12, 2009 article
published by the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
