SIAP: Penn State board of trustees subcommittee OKs $71K pay raise for university executive

[StamfordBridgeVikingatLeftOffensiveTackle]

Barry also provided a link to this in the hiring freeze thread. Have at it.

https://www.centredaily.com/news/local/education/penn-state/article264138616.html

Less than a month after increasing tuition, a Penn State executive is set to receive roughly a $71,000 annual raise — which still brings her salary to less than that of her predecessor — after the board of trustees’ subcommittee on compensation approved the move Wednesday afternoon. Sara Thorndike, senior vice president for finance and business/treasurer, will see her salary increase to $520,008, which is still below the $537,372 earned in 2019-2020 by the more-experienced David Gray, who retired two years ago. Thorndike’s previous salary stood at $448,800, meaning her pay increased nearly 16%. In an email, Penn State spokesperson Wyatt DuBois wrote that the pay raise brings Thorndike’s salary “up to 100% of the median for public institutions in the
university’s peer group.”

“The subcommittee agreed with President (Neeli) Bendapudi that such increase was warranted due to the increased responsibilities being assumed with respect to the university’s budget,” DuBois added. Penn State operated at a $166 million deficit the last academic year, using its central reserves to off-set the shortfall, with Thorndike acknowledging such a practice is not sustainable. To balance the budget by 2025, the university is attempting to save an estimated $250 million — and, in the last few weeks, it has both raised tuition and implemented a hiring freeze.

A university-wide 3% cut is also on the horizon after being discussed for months. Officials will present an operating budget to the trustees for the upcoming academic year in September — and did not do so in July, as usual — to allow more time for departments to revise their budgets. At Wednesday afternoon’s virtual public meeting with the subcommittee on compensation, which followed a private executive session, little discussion was had. In fact, the public portion lasted less than 90 seconds, with members simply referring to a “salary adjustment” and Thorndike, without specifically mentioning the extent of the pay increase. The Centre Daily Times reached out to the university about those details, which it then released. The subcommittee unanimously approved the increase. Penn State classes for the fall semester start Aug. 22.

 

[91Joe95]

Yes, penicillin does work.

 

[psuro]

 

[BobPSU92]

Be right back.

 

[PSU Mike]

Push into your stomach and then down toward your toes and it should come out. You’ll only push it in deeper by going into the same hole it went into.

 

[ODShowtime]

Push into your stomach and then down toward your toes and it should come out. You’ll only push it in deeper by going into the same hole it went into.

This is a great post when taken out of any context.

 

[Woodpecker]

If it doesn't go away after 4 hours, you really should go see a doctor

 

[psuro]

If it doesn't go away in 4 hours, consider a career in adult films.

 

[StamfordBridgeVikingatLeftOffensiveTackle]

bump

 

[Achowalogan]

All I know is I surely selected the wrong majors at PSU, a B.S from the college of HDev, an MPA, and employment with a United Way supported non-profit..a personally rewarding but not financially rewarding career.

 

[J.E.B]

Neeli the Knife!

 

[TheBigUglies]

OK. A lot for me to digest. I am all for women making same wages as men. However, I don't think this position warrants a half-million+ salary. The measly little salary raises(2.5%) for the front line workers doesn't keep up with the avg inflation. Then these people get huge arse raises. Its no wonder PSU is losing its top employees. PSU is talking out both sides of the mouth. We are in a deficit but we are going to spend money on other shiite.

 

[psuro]

I liked this thread better when it was titled '*****'.

 

[GrimReaper]

Interesting par is that Thorndike's comp is compared to that of her predecessor and those performing the same/similar functions at other schools. No mention of the impact, positive or otherwise, of her tenure at PSU, nothing like. "through Sara's efforts PSU has realized trillions in savings." Whatever happened to pay for performance?

 

[PSU12046]

Interesting par is that Thorndike's comp is compared to that of her predecessor and those performing the same/similar functions at other schools. No mention of the impact, positive or otherwise, of her tenure at PSU, nothing like. "through Sara's efforts PSU has realized trillions in savings." Whatever happened to pay for performance?

Performance Review:

Strength​

Exceeded expectations on goals set during last performance review.

 

[step.eng69]

OK. A lot for me to digest. I am all for women making same wages as men. However, I don't think this position warrants a half-million+ salary. The measly little salary raises(2.5%) for the front line workers doesn't keep up with the avg inflation. Then these people get huge arse raises. Its no wonder PSU is losing its top employees. PSU is talking out both sides of the mouth. We are in a deficit but we are going to spend money on other shiite.

Kauffman's Paradox of the Corporation:
The less important you are to the corporation, the more your absence is noticed.

The Salary Axiom:
The pay raise is just large enough to increase your taxes and just small enough to have no effect on your take-home pay.

 

[blion72]

Interesting par is that Thorndike's comp is compared to that of her predecessor and those performing the same/similar functions at other schools. No mention of the impact, positive or otherwise, of her tenure at PSU, nothing like. "through Sara's efforts PSU has realized trillions in savings." Whatever happened to pay for performance?

Is this a promotion or a pay increase while sitting in the same position? If she was in the same position and just got an increase, that seems odd. If she was sitting in the same position and did not have similar pay to predecessor that is probably a problem for Penn State - especially given woman.

I asked my brother what is typical comp at BIG schools for these positions. He said top members of Presidents staff are usually about 1/2 the President's base pay, and 2x the typical Deans or top chairs. He works for a law firm that consults to tOSU and did confirm that most of their base level VPs are $250-350k with Provost and EVP or SVP type jobs about 2x of them. He said they had one of their lawyers go to work at tOSU as a staff lawyer, and she got $200k per year.

not saying what is reasonable - just reporting some data. I know our organization pays our top staff engineers (not managers) $150-200k per year base pay.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Penn State Senior Vice President Creates Endowed Scholarship

Sara F. Thorndike and her husband, Phil, have created a $100,000 endowed scholarship for undergraduate students across the university.

onwardstate.com

 

[ApexLion]

Interesting par is that Thorndike's comp is compared to that of her predecessor and those performing the same/similar functions at other schools. No mention of the impact, positive or otherwise, of her tenure at PSU, nothing like. "through Sara's efforts PSU has realized trillions in savings." Whatever happened to pay for performance?

It's a trough. It's not a merit-based environment. There is no motivation to do anything other than collect and play enough politics to keep the wheels spinning.

 

[Nitwit]

Her salary is being set at
“up to 100% of the median for public institutions in the
university’s peer group.” She should be made the market rate.That seems reasonable to me.

FWIW, my company starts new PHD economists at $200,000. They only hire the best ones however, and 2/3 are female.

 

[PSU12046]

FWIW, my company starts new PHD economists at $200,000. They only hire the best ones however, and 2/3 are female.

I'm not really good at math but her salary at $520,000 doesn't equal $200,000

Penn State operated at a $166 million deficit the last academic year, using its central reserves to off-set the shortfall, with Thorndike acknowledging such a practice is not sustainable. To balance the budget by 2025, the university is attempting to save an estimated $250 million — and, in the last few weeks, it has both raised tuition and implemented a hiring freeze.

A university-wide 3% cut is also on the horizon after being discussed for months. Officials will present an operating budget to the trustees for the upcoming academic year in September — and did not do so in July, as usual

 

[BobPSU92]

I'm not really good at math but her salary at $520,000 doesn't equal $200,000

Penn State operated at a $166 million deficit the last academic year, using its central reserves to off-set the shortfall, with Thorndike acknowledging such a practice is not sustainable. To balance the budget by 2025, the university is attempting to save an estimated $250 million — and, in the last few weeks, it has both raised tuition and implemented a hiring freeze.

A university-wide 3% cut is also on the horizon after being discussed for months. Officials will present an operating budget to the trustees for the upcoming academic year in September — and did not do so in July, as usual

Pay the beautiful people (well), cut the little people (and people who look like them).

 

[PSU73]

"You have to spend money to make money"!
Edit: Revisiting this it seems supportive of the compensation change. It is meant to be cynical. I lack an appropriate emoji.

 

[91Joe95]

You have to spend money to spend money.

 

[Nitwit]

I'm not really good at math but her salary at $520,000 doesn't equal $200,000

Penn State operated at a $166 million deficit the last academic year, using its central reserves to off-set the shortfall, with Thorndike acknowledging such a practice is not sustainable. To balance the budget by 2025, the university is attempting to save an estimated $250 million — and, in the last few weeks, it has both raised tuition and implemented a hiring freeze.

A university-wide 3% cut is also on the horizon after being discussed for months. Officials will present an operating budget to the trustees for the upcoming academic year in September — and did not do so in July, as usual

Of course it doesn’t. The $200,000 we pay are for New PHDs - those who are starting out with no prior employment. A senior person gets paid much more. That should be obvious!

So people complain about PSU needing to cut costs to control tuition, and then when they implement a freeze in order to do just that they complain that the freeze isn’t fair. Well guess what - you can’t have it both ways. Paying her what she is entitled to receive is probably cheaper in the long run than paying what a lawsuit would cost them for discrimination on the basis of sex. And the difference for her salary isn’t material in the scheme of things. The cuts need to be deep and sustained to make a difference. You don’t cut off a dog’s tail an inch at a time.

 

[GrimReaper]

Of course it doesn’t. The $200,000 we pay are for New PHDs - those who are starting out with no prior employment. A senior person gets paid much more. That should be obvious!

So a "senior person gets paid much more" whether they're good or bad at their job?

 

[Pennst8]

I'm not really good at math but her salary at $520,000 doesn't equal $200,000

Penn State operated at a $166 million deficit the last academic year, using its central reserves to off-set the shortfall, with Thorndike acknowledging such a practice is not sustainable. To balance the budget by 2025, the university is attempting to save an estimated $250 million — and, in the last few weeks, it has both raised tuition and implemented a hiring freeze.

A university-wide 3% cut is also on the horizon after being discussed for months. Officials will present an operating budget to the trustees for the upcoming academic year in September — and did not do so in July, as usual

Curious if you have the same opinion when applied to the corporate world?

 

[PSU12046]

Curious if you have the same opinion when applied to the corporate world?

My corporation (fortune 500 company) isn't operating at a $166 million deficit in less than an (academic) year Maybe that's why they're making money.

 

[PSU12046]

Of course it doesn’t. The $200,000 we pay are for New PHDs - those who are starting out with no prior employment. A senior person gets paid much more. That should be obvious!

So people complain about PSU needing to cut costs to control tuition, and then when they implement a freeze in order to do just that they complain that the freeze isn’t fair. Well guess what - you can’t have it both ways. Paying her what she is entitled to receive is probably cheaper in the long run than paying what a lawsuit would cost them for discrimination on the basis of sex. And the difference for her salary isn’t material in the scheme of things. The cuts need to be deep and sustained to make a difference. You don’t cut off a dog’s tail an inch at a time.

So, I need to remember that when I get a new job, I need to start filing lawsuits against my company and my managers within my first month there. Got it! Thanks!

 

[91Joe95]

"You have to spend money to make money"!
Edit: Revisiting this it seems supportive of the compensation change. It is meant to be cynical. I lack an appropriate emoji.
View attachment 224646

I thought your sarcasm came through.

 

[Nitwit]

So, I need to remember that when I get a new job, I need to start filing lawsuits against my company and my managers within my first month there. Got it! Thanks!

It is illegal in the United States to pay women less than men for equal work. It’s as simple as that. It’s called discrimination. You don’t understand what my post was about.

 

[Nitwit]

So a "senior person gets paid much more" whether they're good or bad at their job?

No. They don’t become senior unless they are excellent at their job. If we hire at the senior level it’s because they have already proven themselves at another place of employment. Why do you even ask such stupid questions? Where do you work?

 

[PSU12046]

You don’t understand what my post was about.

"a lawsuit would cost them for discrimination on the basis of sex"

 

[PSU12046]

"a lawsuit would cost them for discrimination on the basis of sex"

I don't care what you and your folks on the BOT do with other people's money. I don't pay tuition or donate to PSU any longer since finding out how the money is so frivolously wasted. Don't forget to bring your High School lawn chair to Field Hockey games, since the bleachers are gone.

 

[GrimReaper]

It is illegal in the United States to pay women less than men for equal work. It’s as simple as that. It’s called discrimination. You don’t understand what my post was about.

And it doesn't apply in the case of Thorndike because the comparison is from one employer to another not within the same employer. Different employers pay different comp for what is nominally the same job all the time. If Thorndike sued on the basis of discrimination then she would confirm that she's a dumb as I think she is. But, then again, when the target is PSU maybe not so much.

 

[BobPSU92]

My corporation (fortune 500 company) isn't operating at a $166 million deficit in less than an (academic) year Maybe that's why they're making money.

PSU laughs at your company.

 

[leinbacker]

Curious if you have the same opinion when applied to the corporate world?

more specifically, to the non-profit corporate world

 

[Nitwit]

And it doesn't apply in the case of Thorndike because the comparison is from one employer to another not within the same employer. Different employers pay different comp for what is nominally the same job all the time. If Thorndike sued on the basis of discrimination then she would confirm that she's a dumb as I think she is. But, then again, when the target is PSU maybe not so much.

The issue is whether they have a legal basis for paying less than what they paid to David Gray for doing essentially the same job at the same university. Since he had more experience I believe they are justified in doing so, but perhaps not less than the median upon which they are relying on. The adjustment seems warranted. Why should she be paid less than the market rate? Is she less qualified than her peers? I think not. What basis would justify that which would appear non discriminatory? Perhaps you should consult your HR legal staff before replying .

 

[91Joe95]

The issue is whether they have a legal basis for paying less than what they paid to David Gray for doing essentially the same job at the same university. Since he had more experience I believe they are justified in doing so, but perhaps not less than the median upon which they are relying on. The adjustment seems warranted. Why should she be paid less than the market rate? Is she less qualified than her peers? I think not. What basis would justify that which would appear non discriminatory? Perhaps you should consult your HR legal staff before replying .

Median does not mean or equate to market rate.

 

[GrimReaper]

The issue is whether they have a legal basis for paying less than what they paid to David Gray for doing essentially the same job at the same university. Since he had more experience I believe they are justified in doing so, but perhaps not less than the median upon which they are relying on. The adjustment seems warranted. Why should she be paid less than the market rate? Is she less qualified than her peers? I think not. What basis would justify that which would appear non discriminatory? Perhaps you should consult your HR legal staff before replying .

Showed our general counsel a copy of this post. She laughed.