The University Senate of Michigan Technological University
Proposal 6-15
(Voting Units: Full Senate)
“Compensation for Senate Vice President”
PDF version of Proposal 6-15
I. Background
A. Compensation for the Senate’s President and Secretary
The Senate President receives 33 percent release time and the Senate Secretary receives 16 percent release time for their services to the Senate. The dollar amount corresponding to the release time goes to each respective department.
The Senate President also receives the greater of one-ninth of his or her academic year salary or $10,000 during the summer.
The historical record for how this came to be the case includes the following two documents:
- Item 4 in the minutes from Senate meeting 237 (May 3, 1995) https://www.admin.mtu.edu/usenate/minute/95/237.html which reads as follows:
“4. Election of Senate Officers
[University Senate President Ted] Bornhorst reviewed the Senate budget and announced changes to release time allocation for Senate Officers: beginning the next academic year the Senate President would receive 33% release time, and the Senate Secretary would receive 16%. The Senate President would also receive a tenth month salary beginning this summer in recognition of the extra work load required to organize Senate affairs.”
- A memo from Senate President Terry Monson to University President Glenn Mroz—otherwise undated but marked received APR 8 2005—the body of which reads as follows:
“This memo reiterates our March 31 discussion on the payment arrangements for the University Senate President.
“Currently, the University Senate President is paid one-ninth of his/her academic salary in the summer after the academic year in which he/she served as President. This arrangement does not provide a strong incentive for lesser paid faculty to seek the Senate presidency nor does it provide an incentive for the incoming President to begin preparing for the ensuing academic year.
“My proposal is:
“1. The President will receive the greater of one-ninth of his/her academic year salary or $10,000 during the summer.
Proposal 6-15 Page 1 of 2
October 8, 2014
“2. One-half of the payment above will be made in the summer prior to his/her assumption of duties in the ensuing academic year and one-half will be made in the summer following completion of his/her duties of the prior academic year. For example, the Senate President for 2005-6 will receive one-half of this payment in the summer of 2005 and the other half in the summer of 2006.
“3. The payment in the summer prior to assuming office will include the salary increment that the President received for the ensuing academic year.
“If you approve this arrangement, I would like to see it introduced for the incoming University Senate President for 2005-6.”
A hand-written note in the upper-right corner of the memo reads, “Fine with me. G.”
(Part 1 of Monson’s proposal has been implemented, but part 2 has not.)
B. Compensation for the Senate’s Vice President
After discussing this issue within the Senate’s Executive Committee during the summer of 2014, during a September 5, 2014 meeting between the Senate officers and Provost Seel, the Senate President mentioned that although the Senate president and secretary are compensated for their work, the Senate vice president, the only professional staff member of the three, is not.
The Senate president mentioned this same problem during the President’s report at the Senate’s September 10 meeting.
Consequently, on September 16, Provost Seel indicated that, after discussing this issue with President Mroz, he was ready to propose for the Senate’s consideration adjusting the Senate’s budget with an addition of $5,546.75, to be earmarked for a net $3,500 in annual bonus payment for the Senate’s vice president.
II. Proposal
1. Accept Provost Seel’s and President Mroz’s proposed offer to adjust the Senate’s budget with the addition of $5,546.75, earmarked for a net $3,500 in annual bonus payment for the Senate’s vice president.
Specify that this compensation is to be paid to the Senate’s vice president or vice president-elect during the summer months, beginning during the summer of 2015. anytime after July 1 and prior to June 30 of the following year, beginning immediately.
Introduced to Senate: September 24, 2014
Approved by Senate: October 8, 2014
Approved by Administration with proposed amendment in red: October 26, 2014
Senate approved amendment: November 19, 2014