Group of Fort Smith residents sue Whirlpool

FORT SMITH — Three lawsuits filed in Sebastian County this week target the Whirlpool Corp., which operated a plant at Fort Smith until a year ago.

Homeowners and landlords are worried about a chemical used at the plant between the 1960s and the 1980s. The state and Whirlpool reached an agreement on remediation efforts in 2001, but Whirlpool this year asked for a ban on new

STUTTGART — The University of Arkansas’ trustees say the system’s relatively new president is entitled to a 20 percent pay raise because he has performed admirably in the job despite not having previous experience running a major school.

Donald Bobbitt’s salary will jump from $ 355,000 to $ 427,500 on July 1. Trustees unanimously voted for the raise at their meeting Thursday.

Bobbitt formerly was a dean at the system’s main campus in Fayetteville, then was provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of Texas at Arlington. Because he had not been a chancellor or president, he accepted a lower starting salary when he became president of the system in November 2011, Trustee Jim von Gremp of Rogers told the Arkansas Democrat- Gazette newspaper of Little Rock ( http:// bit. ly/ 13PEmAI )

“We found an exceptional person with a vision and a skill set to do the job,” von Gremp said. “He accepted the salary because he did not come up through the traditional system.”

The university system has a $ 2 billion budget that covers five universities, five community colleges, the Clinton School of Public Service, a medical school and agricultural outreach.

Bobbitt was praised for an increase in online education and increased campus efficiency. Trustees noted possible saving for the schools and also said the school could recruit and graduate more students who may not be able attend classes on campus.

“I’m very appreciative of the support they’ve shown to me, before today in my hiring, and after today’s meeting in the decision that they made,” he said.

Bobbitt replaced B. Alan Sugg, who had been president since 1990, the longest tenure of any president since the modern system was formed in 1969. When he retired, Sugg made $ 294,953 annually and for a time also received $ 150,000 in annual deferred compensation.

Arkansas State University System President Charles Welch’s salary is $ 290,700. G. David Gearhart, the chancellor of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville earns $ 320,000 a year and $ 225,000 in annual deferred compensation.

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