State University of New York (SUNY) Chancellor Nancy Zimpher on Friday announced a plan to bring “greater accountability and transparency” for compensation of SUNY leaders.
Zimpher will propose amendments to SUNY’s current salary and compensation plan to channel all leadership compensation through state-controlled funding sources, among other measures, SUNY said in a news release.
The effort is intended to reflect “higher standards” of compliance, accountability, and transparency, the higher-education system said.
Zimpher’s new procedures will include verification that school presidents “fully explain” all external compensation, establish a lack of any conflict of interest for such activities, and obtain approval from the Joint Commission on Public Ethics for such compensation, according to SUNY.
The board of trustees on Friday endorsed the chancellor’s review and asked that Zimpher present recommended changes to the plan for approval at the board’s January 2014 meeting, SUNY said.
The news release didn’t mention the ongoing review of compensation issues at Upstate Medical University. That review led to SUNY on Nov. 5 placing former president Dr. David Smith on leave, his announced resignation two days later, and the Friday appointment of Dr. Gregory Eastwood as Upstate Medical’s interim president.
Eastwood had been serving as officer-in-charge since SUNY placed Smith on leave.
SUNY’s compensation policies and practices must be “re-examined and strengthened” in order to reflect the “highest levels of accountability and transparency,” Zimpher said in the news release.
“By moving all compensation for campus presidents and other SUNY leaders through state funding channels, we can tighten our controls to ensure that our policies are strong, open, and competitive,” Zimpher said.
SUNY’s recent practice under Zimpher has involved the board of trustees approving total compensation for presidents upon initial appointment. It “sometimes” includes compensation from affiliated private sources, as well as from public sources, according to SUNY.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com