UH president says no to $28,200 raise

By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Education Writer

President Evan Dobelle has turned down a pay raise of $28,200 approved Thursday by the Board of Regents, citing the continuing economic difficulties facing the state, and his belief that he is being fairly compensated.

"He also strongly believes if he accepted a substantial increase he would lack personal credibility going to the Legislature and asking for more dollars to support critical faculty pay increases and other support for the university," said Paul Costello, vice president for External Affairs and University Relations.

The board voted to give Dobelle an increase after their review of his first year, and because the system's 198 executives and managers received a 6.38 percent increase this year. The regents decided he should be included in that group.

Those increases were ordered by former UH President Kenneth Mortimer in an effort to parallel the raises negotiated by the University of Hawai'i Professional Assembly two years ago.

"But Dobelle disagrees that the EM staff should get the same increases as bargained for by the union," Costello said. "This only widens the gap between faculty and executives. Faculty generally receive lower salaries than executives and managers."

Dobelle earns a salary of $442,008 a year, which would have risen to $470,208 had he accepted the raise. There are no automatic pay increases under his contract, and any he receives must be approved by the regents.

Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8013.