Contract offers glimpse of new president’s perks
Thomas C. Katsouleas, the new president of the University of Connecticut, had better become a big fan of everything Huskies.
In his 15-page contract, released Friday under an open-records request, Katsouleas will receive as many as six prime tickets for every university athletic game, both home and away, plus the postseason. When the contract takes effect Aug. 1, he will also get up to six tickets “without restriction to seat location,” for every UConn cultural and performing arts event.
That should pretty much take care of his spare time, although there will also be all-expense-paid memberships to professional and service organizations; and “reasonable” entertainment and travel costs in his role heading of the state’s flagship university, according to the contract, which was released in response to a Freedom of Information request.
On Thursday, he was enthusiastically greeted in the state House and Senate chambers.
While most details of the deal, including the $525,000 annual salary — with annual 3-percent raises, performance-based incentives of $50,000 a year, as well as a deferred payment of $175,000 and another $75,000 in deferred income, were revealed in February, when his hiring announcement was made — the full extent of his perks weren’t released until Friday.
The deal includes a state vehicle and driver for university business, plus a leased car for his personal use, with repairs care of the university up to $15,000 a year.
The university will also pay for income taxes associated with his free university housing, where he is expected to reside, entertain and engage “donors and potential donors, existing or potential business partners, students and prospective students and their parents, faculty and staff, alumni and governmental officials.”
While the contract may seem posh, it’s far below outgoing President Susan Herbst’s nearly $900,000 pay this year. Plus, Katsouleas is leaving a vice presidency at the University of Virginia, which won the NCAA men’s basketball tournament this year. His standard for men’s basketball might prompt him to give away some of the tickets for the Huskies men, and the perennially inept football team.