By CHAT News Today

College and university presidents to get pay cuts

Apr 10, 2018 | 5:32 PM

Edmonton — The provincial government is instituting a pay cut for for presidents at colleges and universities.

Marlin Schmidt, Minister of Advanced Education, says a pay grid is being implemented for the 20 leaders of the post secondary institutions in the province, which will fully be in effect two years from now.

“For far too long, the salaries of college and university presidents have been out of step with the public service, the national average, and the expectations of Albertans,” Schmidt said in a statement. “We need to ensure that taxpayer dollars are being used in the best interests of students, staff, and faculty.

“By lowering salaries and creating stronger controls on benefits, we’re making sure that public funding goes towards the classroom, where it belongs.”

The new regulations also includes a ban on bonuses and other rollbacks so college presidents cannot earn more than 20 per cent in their base pay in benefits.

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Under the new regulations, Medicine Hat College will not be able to pay its president and CEO more than $235,100.

According to the Alberta Sunshine List for 2016 (the most recent year of data available), Denise Henning made $259,544.43 in compensation as president and CEO of the college.

The two largest institutions in Alberta, the University of Alberta and University of Calgary, will be allowed to pay their presidents a base salary of no more than $447,000 a year.

University of Alberta president David Turpin makes about $824,000 a year in pay and benefits and Elizabeth Cannon at the University of Calgary makes about $897,000.

-With files from the Canadian Press.