Dixon will receive pay for new role

Those familiar with the University budget might call it a "drop in the bucket," but some students still want to know where an extra $200,000 comes from.

That's how much interim President Darrell Krueger will receive for his year-long contract, running Oct. 16, 2008 through Oct. 16, 2009, Budget Director Dave Rector said. Meanwhile, according to President Barbara Dixon's severance agreement, she will receive $205,050 - the equivalent of her current yearly presidential salary - to remain employed by the University as a consultant to the Board of Governors until Oct. 16, 2009.

"President Dixon's [salary] is already budgeted, so the extra really would be the $125,000 [that Krueger will receive for this fiscal year], and we have what are called reserve or contingency funds that are built in to the budget," Rector said. "The total budget is close to $100 million."

A fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30, and University pay operates on fiscal years. Because Krueger will begin partway through the fiscal year, he only will receive $125,000 for the first fiscal year in which he is employed. Krueger will receive the remaining $75,000 in the next fiscal year, beginning July 1, 2009.

Dixon's employment was scheduled to end June 30, 2009, according to her employment contract dated Aug. 29, 2006. Reserve funds for the next fiscal year, beginning July 1, 2009, will fund her pay for the additional time she will now remain employed by the University, Rector said.

Rector said he has not heard any student concerns regarding the use of the reserve funds in this manner.

However, senior Brett Wiley, Student Senate vice president, said he has heard two opinions from the Student Senate and the student body overall. One side says Dixon's continued employment will benefit the University as she can help with the search for a new president, he said. The other side says keeping Dixon employed and paying her $205,000 for another years is a waste of the University's money, Wiley said.

"The University is in a state right now where we're trying to do many things in response to the Arts and Sciences report that will take funds," he said. "But how can we have funds available if we're paying our former president $205,000 to do what Mark Wasinger, who is chairman of the Board, says? The consultant, as defined by him, is she will attend University functions only if the Board and her agree to that. It's not required she do anything as a consultant. It's up to her discretion."

Wiley said he is disconcerted that many of the University's funds are approved behind closed doors. He said senior Cody Sumter, Student Representative to the Board, is the only student involved in those discussions, and Sumter does not have a vote on the Board.

"Even if [Sumter] disagrees as the voice of the student body, it doesn't matter," Wiley said. "He can just make a statement and they can take it for face value, but he can't affect those budgets with a vote."

He said Student Senate will host a rally Oct. 3 for those disagree with the Board's closed meetings regarding funding.

"As a student and paying the University as every student on this campus does, we should have a say in how the University spends its money because it's not the University's money, it's our money," Wiley said. "If students were not at Truman, there wouldn't be a Truman so we need to have a say in how the University is doling out the dough."