University of Hawai'i officials have reached an agreement in principle with athletic director nominee Jim Donovan on a proposed salary but will not make the figure public until the Board of Regents meets, a spokesman said.

UH-Manoa Chancellor Virginia S. Hinshaw has recommended Donovan to the regents to fill the vacancy created by the ouster of Herman Frazier Jan. 8.

In announcing Hinshaw's recommendation, the regents' agenda listed a five-year term to run March 13, 2008, to March 12, 2013, but did not specify a salary as it sometimes has.

Gregg Takayama, spokesman for the Manoa chancellor, said the proposed salary may be released at the regents' discretion. The regents are scheduled to vote on Donovan's nomination at their Thursday or Friday meetings at Honolulu Community College.

Frazier was receiving a $250,000 annual base salary at the time of his dismissal and interim AD Carl Clapp is receiving an annual salary of $227,808.

Takayama said the offer to Donovan was based on a survey of "comparable institutions" and size and budget with Manoa, both public and private. It was not immediately known if all were Division I-A football-playing schools.

Takayama said the median salary was $227,800 and the range, reflecting 20th to 80th percentile, was $171,848-$309,770. The study was compiled by the College and University Professional Association from 2006-07 figures.

The highest-paid AD in the nine-school Western Athletic Conference, of which UH is a member, is believed to be New Mexico State's McKinley Boston at approximately $300,000.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com.