Skip to main content

UC campus chancellors granted hefty pay raises

By WTOP Staff

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The University of California Board of Regents is boosting the six-figure salaries of chancellors in the system by as much as 20 percent, part of an effort regents say is aimed at bringing the salaries in line with their counterparts.

The raises, granted at Thursday’s board meeting, are the first step in a three-year plan to compete with top research institutions across the country, the Los Times (http://lat.ms/1plEHlP) reported Friday.

UC President Janet Napolitano said UC chancellors run some of the best schools in the nation, but surveys show they earn about $90,000 a year less than top officials at campuses belonging to the research-oriented Association of American Universities.

“It is my strong belief that we need to pay our chancellors within a competitive range,” she said.

Regents reset the salaries of their three lowest paid chancellors — at the Santa Cruz, Merced and Riverside campuses — at $383,160, marking 20 percent raises for George Blumenthal at Santa Cruz and Dorothy Leland at Merced. At the Santa Barbara campus, Chancellor Henry Yang also received a 20 percent raise, to $389,340.

The regents also voted to appoint Howard Gillman permanent chancellor of UC Irvine and to pay him $485,000 a year. Gillman, who has been interim chancellor since June, will make $93,000 more than his predecessor, who left to run Ohio State University.

The raises are also an attempt to adjust a pay structure that regents say has some veteran administrators making substantially less than others who were recently hired.

Currently, UC’s highest-paid chancellor is Sam Hawgood, who was hired in July at a salary of $750,000 a year at UC San Francisco. UCLA chancellor Gene Block makes $428,480.

Chancellor salaries have been a sensitive subject with students and other UC employees.

“At a time when resources are needed to prevent tuition hikes and perform much-needed safety maintenance, huge raises for UC’s highest-paid executives sends the wrong message about UC’s priorities to the public we are here to serve,” said Todd Stenhouse, a spokesman for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents campus custodians, medical technicians and others.

___

Information from: Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote