Coming in at number 25 out of 258, President Samuel L. Stanley Jr. is listed as one of the highest paid public university executives in the United States, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education.
The report, which catalogued 1,200 executives, accumulated data from almost 600 private universities and 250 public universities. It found that during the 2014-2015 school year, Stanley took home a $690,640 paycheck.
The same year, Stanley was the highest paid SUNY executive – even surpassing SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher, who earned just more than $560,000. According to the report, the median salary for the president of a public university was $384,115 in 2015.
The data also shows that over the past few years, Stanley has experienced a major increase in base pay. From 2009 until 2012 he earned $400,000, but in the 2012-2013 year, it jumped to over $644,000 and the next year to $650,000.
From 2009-2012, in addition to his state funded compensation, Stanley was given $250,000 from the Stony Brook Foundation, which the Chronicle labeled as “deferred compensation set aside.” This extra funding was not incorporated into the analysis of his total compensation.
The Chronicle went on to calculate the amount of compensation per million dollars in expenditures. They found that for every million that Stony Brook spent, Stanley received $319.
How does this affect students? The analysis shows that Stanley’s nearly $700,000 paycheck is equivalent to tuition for 81.9 seawolves.
Khal Spencer • Aug 16, 2016 at 9:52 am
Wow. Next time I am asked to write a check, I’ll remember this article. Another example of income inequality in action!
Khal Spencer, Ph.D., Stony Brook University
R.Parks • Jul 31, 2016 at 9:59 am
SBU’s website stated right after Pres. Stanley replaced Pres.Kenny that:
“Dr. Stanley will receive an annual state salary of $400,000. Dr. Stanley, in recognition and support of his ongoing research, will
receive $100,000 per year from the Research Foundation of the State University of New York. The Stony Brook University Foundation will provide $150,000 annually in compensation or deferred compensation. Dr.Stanley will be provided university-owned housing at the Stony Brook University campus and will also have use of a campus-owned vehicle during the term of his presidency.”
Note: This information has since been deleted. The 990 forms dating back to 2009 show that the Stony Brook Foundation received $100,000 from the Research Foundation and that the Stony Brook Foundation paid Dr. Stanley a total of $250,000 over and above his $400,000 state salary. It clearly states that he received a W-2 or 1099 Misc, meaning nothing was deferred!