By Paul Klein
President Theobald’s makes more than $100,000 less than the median public university president. | TTN FILE PHOTO
President Theobald has a salary well below many other public university leaders, ranking No. 173 among all public college executives, according to a Chronicle of Higher Education survey published earlier this summer.
With total compensation at $352,021 in the 2013 fiscal year, Theobald made nearly $127,000 less than the middle of the pack. However, in the current fiscal year, Theobald will receive a significant bump in salary.
Slated to earn $450,000 this fiscal year and an additional $200,000 in deferred compensation as part of his contract, Theobald would move up 67 spots in the rankings, assuming no other salaries change.
A university spokesman said Theobald is also provided with a residence for personal and university use with an additional car and driver for university business.
The Chronicle’s survey, published May 16, ranked the salaries of 255 chief executives at 227 public universities or systems nationwide. In Pennsylvania, Theobald’s compensation was also below average.
University of Pittsburgh’s outgoing chancellor, Mark Nordenberg, made nearly $300,000 more than Theobald and was ranked the 43rd highest. Nordenberg, who will retire Aug. 1, served Pittsburgh for more than 36 years, 19 of which he was chancellor.
The second highest Pennsylvania public university president was Pennsylvania State University’s Rodney Erickson who received $618,220 and was ranked 42nd. Erickson, who retired last month, assumed the position in late 2011 after president Graham Spanier was ousted in the heat of the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal.
With the exception of head executives who served for less than a whole fiscal year, like Temple’s former interim president Richard Englert, Theobald’s compensation only trumped Michael Driscoll of Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Theobald earned nearly $25,000 more than Driscoll.
Not one active Pennsylvania state college executive was in the Top 10 or even the Top 20. However, next fiscal year will be a different story for Pennsylvania’s state higher education leaders.
Pittsburgh’s new chancellor Patrick Gallagher will be receiving a base salary of $525,000. Penn State’s new president Eric Barron will make $800,000 with $200,000 in transitional payment.
Paul Klein can be reached at tua80386@temple.edu.
