BONUSES, BUYOUTS PAD CHECKS OF UMASS BIGS
Schools’ admins top hefty salaries with six-figure extras
UMass President Martin Meehan and other UMass administrators fattened up their already hefty salaries with bonuses, buyouts and other payments that made them among the highestpaid state workers in 2018, according to new payroll figures. Meehan, who was widely criticized for UMass’s purchase of Mount Ida College’s Newton campus last year, received a $87,312 bonus on top of his $571,856 annual salary in 2018, bringing his total take to more than $659,000. The UMass president recently inked a contract extension that will give him annual raises and other incentive payments through 2023. Other UMass adminis- trators got six figure bonuses added on to their salaries. James Glasheen, executive vice chancellor for innovation and business development, got nearly $194,000 in added payments in addition to his $477,327 annual salary. The added payments for Glasheen and others are listed only as “other” on payroll records but UMass officials said they represent mostly performancebased bonuses. UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble Subbas-
wamy got more than $104,000 in bonuses, bringing his annual take to $579,302 in 2018, records show. UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacqueline Moloney got $51,810 listed as “other” payments added to her $428,000 base salary, while UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Robert Johnson received $112,500 in extra salary, bringing his total take to $466,731, according to payroll records. Gregory Wolf, chief information officer at UMass, received $83,000 in additional payments, bringing his total take to more than $412,000, according to payroll records. UMass sports coaches and administrators also made out very well in 2018. Head basketball coach Matthew McCall received $287,000 on top of his $250,000 base salary, while head football coach Mark Whipple got an extra $200,000 in addition to his $303,000 annual salary, records show. UMass’ football team finished the 2018 season with a lackluster 4-8 record. Former UMass Lowell athletics director Dana Skinner, who retired in 2018, received a $162,338 “buyout” payment when he left, in addition to $55,000 listed as “other” payments in the state payroll. The category listed as “buyout” in the payroll records can often mean accrued sick time and vacation time, officials said. Other high ranking administrators got hefty payments on their way out the door. Former Greenfield Community College President Robert Pura, who retired in June 2018, received $175,000 in a “buyout” payment when he left. Denise Richardello, the former executive vice president of the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, got more than $131,000 in “buyout” payments, bringing her total take for the year to nearly $253,000, according to records.